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e-ISSN: 2395-0463 Volume 02 Issue 5 May 2016
Entrepreneurship Education in Nigeria Olayemi Adedayo Ezekiel
Department of Business Education, College of Education, Ikere Ekiti. Nigeria. E- mail:
[email protected] Abstract This
paper
discusses
the
entrepreneurship
education
geared
enhancing
towards
development
in
the
need in
for
Entrepreneurship study across faculties and
Nigeria
departments as general courses in the
sustainable
country.
Since
country.
The
federal
government
in
collaboration with state governments should
entrepreneurship skills remain vital in the
provide
scholarships/bursaries
real sector and the sustenance of economic
performing
development, it has become imperative for
encouragement, Entrepreneurship education
government to pay attention to this sub-
should be introduced by youth early in their
sector. The problems facing the country
primary, secondary and tertiary institution,
ranging from acute poverty, youth and
e.t.c
students
by
for
way
of
graduate unemployment, dependence on foreign goods and technology; to very low
Keywords: Entrepreneurship Education,
economic growth and development among
Vocational Training, Sustainable
others
Development, Entrepreneur, Education.
has
prompted
government’s
recognition of this fact that has led to the
Introduction
introduction of entrepreneurial studies in
With the soaring unemployment rate in
tertiary institutions. This paper therefore
Nigeria,
argues that entrepreneurship education will
enterprise initiatives are presently high on
equip the students with the skills with which
the country’s national agenda, in the hope
to be self-reliant. The paper recommends
that they will provide alternative channels of
that educational programmers at all levels
employment. Yearly, thousand of university
of education should be made relevant to
graduates join the labour market in search of
provide
needed
gainful employment. The challenge is thus
entrepreneurial skills, All stakeholders must
one of not only tackling the already sizeable
encourage the proposed introduction of
unemployed graduates, but also of absorbing
the
youth
the
self
employment
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and
small
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the new entrants into the labour market.
The
Underlying this situation is the fact that the
entrepreneurship
training which tertiary students receive has
according to Cotton, O’Gorman and Stampfi
not been fully successful in equipping them
(2000) is that it will help graduates to
with
acquire
desirable
required
skills
for
job
employment
and
competencies
creation
and
(Madumere-obike,
self 2006,
rationale
for
e-ISSN: 2395-0463 Volume 02 Issue 5 May 2016
the
curricula
increased
entrepreneurship,
inclusion in
of
universities
understanding equip
them
of with
entrepreneurial approach to the world of
Amaewhule, 2007 and Nwangwu, 2007).
work
The realization of this critical fact underlies
entrepreneurs
the directive of the Federal Government to
businesses.
all tertiary education regulatory agencies to
entrepreneurship
establish
the
presented by the European Union (2002)
introduction, development and sustenance of
include: “raising students’ awareness of self
entrepreneurial
employment as a career option (the message
necessary
mechanisms
culture
among
for
Nigerian
youths.
and
prepare
them
and
managers
Thus,
the
education
to
act of
as new
objectives as
of
succinctly
being that you can become not only an
Entrepreneurship
education has come to
employee, but also an employer); promoting
denote all forms of knowledge delivery that
the development of personal qualities that
seek to empower the individual to create real
are relevant to entrepreneurship, such as
wealth in the economic sector, thereby
creativity, risk taking and responsibility; and
advancing the cause of development of the
providing the technical and business skills
nation as a whole.
that are needed in order to start a new
According to Bassey and Archibong (2005),
venture”. From the foregoing it can be
the goal of entrepreneurship education is
deduced that exposure of university students
intended
to entrepreneurial education will ginger- up
to
empower
our
graduates
irrespective of their areas of specialization
entrepreneurial drive in students and
with skills that will enable them to engage in
properly packaged, can be a significant
income yielding venture, if they are unable
factor in chronic unemployment reduction
to secure jobs in the public sector. It is a
among graduates.
reorientation
In Nigeria, entrepreneurship education is
creators.
from
job
seekers
to
job
if
still at its infancy. While most Nigerian
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universities have initiated the programme,
It has been realized obviously that the type
little research is available to assess its
of
impact and also to confirm if a relationship
institutions produce
exists between students taking courses in
there is no market demands. Graduates are
entrepreneurship
produced
and
their
intention
of
education
offered
in
most
tertiary
graduates for whom
for wage employment in the
becoming entrepreneurs.
formal sector. Unemployment of graduates
Therefore, the move by the government
from
through the Federal Ministry of Education to
become a major national problem as it is
make entrepreneurship education one of the
observed. This paper therefore attempts to
compulsory general studies for students in
find
universities across the country should be
Nigeria.
Nigerian
out
tertiary
entrepreneurship
institution
education
has
in
seen as a positive step in the right direction. This is to inculcate in the youths the spirit of
Conceptual Consideration
self reliance. This development will not only
Entrepreneurship:
address the problem of unemployment and
education means many different things to
underemployment but will also ensure an
educators from primary schools to
entrepreneurial human capacity for national
university level. At each level of education,
development. It is the hope that with the
it is reasonable to expect different outcomes
introduction of entrepreneurial education in
as students mature and build on previous
our tertiary institutions the universities will
knowledge. The overall purpose remains to
better be repositioned to become centres of
develop expertise as an entrepreneur.
excellence with the equipping of technical
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
the
education
laboratories both at secondary and tertiary
according to Isaac, Visser, Friedrick and
levels. This will put the country on the path
Brijlal (2007) is the purposeful intervention
to join communities of nations that have
by an educator in the life of the learner to
fought
survive in the world of business. It has as its
poverty
through
small scale businesses.
strengthening
of
focus
an
embodied Statement of the Problem
action in
orientation
primarily
teaching students
how to
develop a business plan Ronstadt, (1985). Entrepreneurship
education
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develops
and
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stimulates entrepreneurial process, providing
wealth. They went further to explain that
all tools necessary for starting up new
entrepreneurship is the personalized version
ventures Postigo and Tomborini (2002). It is
of actualizing one’s desire, ambition, and
commonly
expression.
believed
that
entrepreneurship
education is an imperative that would make a positive contribution to improving the
Entrepreneur:
entrepreneurship
enterprising individual who
leading
to
orientation
the
of
acquisition
people,
of
An
entrepreneur
is
an
builds capital
skills,
through risk and for initiative. The term was
creativity, confidence, drive and courage, in
originally a loan word from French and was
order to create employment for self and
first defined by the Irish – French economist
others.
Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English
Also the definition postulated by wikipedia,
is a term applied to a person who is willing
“is the act of being an entrepreneur” or “one
to help launch a new venture or enterprise
who
and
undertakes innovations, finance and
accept
full
the
entrepreneur
was
outcomes.
innovations into economic goods”. This may
coined
result in new organizations or may be part of
‘entrepredre’ which means a person who
revitalizing mature organizations in response
voluntarily head the military expedition. It
to
most
was first used during the French military
obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of
history in the seventeenth century. Ojeifo
starting new business which is referred to as
(2010)
Startup Company.
Entrepreneurial
perceived
Gana
opportunity.
(2001),
The
defined
it
from
word
for
business acumen in an effort to transform
a
The
responsibility
a
French
in his book,
word
called
a Handbook
Development
in
on
Nigeria
as
defined an entrepreneur as the owner or the
willingness and ability of an individual to
manager of business enterprise who through
seek
risks and initiative, attempts to make a
out investment opportunities in an
environment and be able to establish and run an
enterprise
successfully
based
profit.
on
identified opportunities. Hisrich and Peters (2002), simply captured the term as the dynamic process of creating incremental
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Objectives
of
Entrepreneurship
them to persist in any business venture they
Education
embark on.
Entrepreneurship education seeks to provide
10. Create smooth transition from traditional
students with the knowledge, skills and
to a modern industrial economy.
motivation success
to
encourage
in
a
Entrepreneurship
entrepreneurial
variety
of
education
settings.
according
to
Importance
of
Entrepreneurship
Education in Nigeria
Paul (2005) is structured to achieve the
The importance of entrepreneurship to any
following objectives.
economy is like that of entrepreneurship in
1. To offer functional education for the
any
youth that will enable them to be self-
and the resultant financial gain are always of
employed and self-reliant.
benefit to a country.
2.
Provide
the
youth
graduates
with
community:
Entrepreneurship
entrepreneurship
education
activity
focuses
on
adequate training that will enable them to be
developing understanding and capacity for
creative and innovative in identifying novel
pursuit of entrepreneurial behaviors, skills
business opportunities.
and attributes in widely different context. It
3. To serve as a catalyst for economic
can be portrayed as open to all. The
growth and development.
propensity to behave entrepreneurially is not
4. Offer tertiary institution graduates with
exclusive to
adequate training in risk management, to
individuals will have a different mix of
make certain bearing feasible.
capabilities for demonstrating and acquiring
5. To reduce high rule of poverty.
entrepreneurial
6. Create employment generation.
attributes. These behaviors can be practiced,
7. Reduction in rural – urban migration.
developed and learned; hence it is important
8. Provide the young graduates with enough
to expose all students to entrepreneurship
training and support that will enable them to
education.
establish a career in small and medium sized
Entrepreneurial skills and attributes provide
businesses.
benefits
9. To inculcate the spirit of perseverance in
application to business activity. Obviously,
the youths and adults which will enable
personal
to
certain individuals.
behaviors,
society,
qualities
even
that
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are
Different
skills
beyond relevant
and
their to
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entrepreneurship such as creativity and a
Entrepreneurship
spirit of initiative can be useful to everyone
creation of more wealth through existence of
in their working responsibilities and in their
smaller one in a country which contributes
day-to-day existence.
largely to
Entrepreneurship
education
education
leads
to
the
the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) of a nation.
programme equip individuals with business
In the theory of distribution put forward by
and personal attributes values and ethics as
Say (1824), a neoclassical economist, the
well as managerial skills and competencies
entrepreneur plays a crucial role, though he
for
or she is not a production factor. Unlike the
establishing
and
operating
private
enterprise as means of eradicating the effect
capitalist,
of
application of acquired knowledge to the
unemployment
and
poverty.
the
Entrepreneurship education as a veritable
production
part of vocational/business education plays a
consumption.
significant
From
role
in
solving
unemployment
problems.
entrepreneur of
the
goods
above
Entrepreneurship
As noted by Ojo and Gabinije (2006) entrepreneurship
for
the
human
advantages/benefits
should
be
taught
to
students in all disciplines in institutions of
enable
the
higher learning. It is not out of place to say
employable
and
that many business ideas emerge from non-
entrepreneurial skills to make them, stand on
business disciplines but are often waved
their own because of the knowledge and
aside or ignored because students are not
creative ability they have gained which are
sufficiently educated in the knowledge and
also needed for self-employment without
skills required.
recipient
to
education
directs
develop
relying on government for salaried jobs. Entrepreneurship
education
trains
What
is
the
Contribution
of
people to establish small and medium scale
Entrepreneurship to Nigeria’s Economic
business
Development?
through
knowledge and
entrepreneurial
skills,
managerial abilities, they
i.
Entrepreneurship
will not only engage in business activities,
significantly
but they will employ others to work them
development, because it
and
employment for job seekers;
become
employment
of
labour.
to
has
Nigeria’s
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contributed economy
has created more
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ii.
The unfavorable economic condition
has
not
allowed
entrepreneurship
c) Absence of regulatory mechanisms for effective
oversight
of
enterprise
development to promote Nigeria’s economic
development initiatives, especially those in
development.
the MSME space.
iii.
d) The presence of administrative and trade
Corruption and nepotism has made
government
efforts
entrepreneurship
to
to
promote
below
expectation;
barriers that curtail capacity building and inhibit access to technical support.
hence no significant contribution has been
e)
made.
(especially
with
electricity)
and
iv.
The large scale unemployment that
bedevils
the
significant
economy
shows
that
no
improvement has been made in
Significant
infrastructural regards
to
deficits
roads
systematic
and
irregularities
inimical to small businesses. f)
Absence
of a
regulatory
encourages
innovative
the area of entrepreneurship development.
environment
v.
enterprise development at the grassroots
to
The contribution of entrepreneurship Nigeria’s
economic
development
is
marginal due to the lack of access to capital.
that
pro-active
level. g) No doubt, one of the biggest challenges of any entrepreneur is access to capital.
Challenges
of
Entrepreneurship
Education in Nigeria The
following
obstacles
are
facing
Education the
most
rapid
important
entrepreneurial
development in Nigeria. a)
Rampant
Strategies for Effective Entrepreneurship
political
In
order
achieve
viable
entrepreneurship education that will enhance sustainable
development
in
Nigeria
the
bureaucratic
following strategies according to Ayodele
corruption together with the absence of
(2006) will help to alleviate the problem of
social
entrepreneurship education in the country.
consensus
and
to
on
important
macroeconomic policy issues.
1. There should
be some form of
b) Poor access to vocational and skills –
genuine school work based learning
development training for rural and urban
incorporated in some studies as part
youths involved in the informal economy.
of
the
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national
economic
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development
strategies.
development
2.
Conclusion
apprenticeship
Since many years ago, Nigeria has a history
scheme would give new graduates
of economic stagnation that has led to
some work skills and experience.
decline in white collar jobs. The inclusion of
Pool local public and private funds
entrepreneurship
to create a small venture capital
will to a great extent, assist in solving this
fund.
problems
3. School
of
The
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based
high
unemployment
and
where
underemployment in Nigeria. The concept,
students identify potential business,
objectives, importance of entrepreneurship
plan,
education,
create
enterprises
of
course in all disciplines
and
operate
small
challenges
and
for
business using the school as mini-
effective
incubators.
discussed and recommendations formed the
4. Provide where
small
business
interested
schools
students
entrepreneurship
education were
later part of the paper.
and
community members can participate. 5. Develop
entrepreneurship
strategies
internship
Recommendations 1. All stakeholders must encourage the
programmes matching students with
proposed
locally successful entrepreneurs with
Entrepreneurship study across faculties
clearly
and departments as general courses in
established
education
programmes. 6. Establishing
introduction
of
the country. The federal government in an
enterprise
college
collaboration
with
state
governments
aimed at fostering the specific skills
should provide scholarships/bursaries for
sets required for entrepreneurship to
performing
serve as skill acquisition centres for
encouragement.
the youths. 7. Creating
2. Entrepreneurial an
economic
friendly
political environment. 8. Improving
students
on
the
government
taxation on small scale businesses.
by
education
introduced
by
youth
primary,
secondary
way
of
should
be
early and
in
their tertiary
institution. 3. Government must be committed to the needs
of
quality
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or
functional
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entrepreneurship curricula at all levels of
Science
education and be reviewed at regular
Harcourt.
intervals especially three-five years.
[3]
4. Federal Government should legislate on collaboration
between
industry
and
education in Nigeria. 5. Government
should
and
Technology,
Nkpolu
Port
Bassey, U. U. & Archibong, I. A.
(2005).
Assuring quality graduate output
through entrepreneurial oriented education in Nigerian universities. Nigerian Journal of
also
implement
Curriculum Studies, 12(3),18-23.
other ways suggested in this study to
[4]
reposition entrepreneurship education at
C.(2002). Can national education policies
regular basis.
meet the call for more entrepreneur? A
6. The National Universities Commission
Cotton, J., O'Gorman, C. & Stampfi,
project
supported
by
(NUC) should as usual set the minimum
community
benchmark of the courses in Nigerian
FIN/00/C/P/RF/92650)
universities.
March, 2005.
This
development
should
the
(Project
Number
-
(www.google.com);
not be politicized, rather, the entire
[5]
policy
report of the expert group "Best procedure"
frameworks
sustainability
and
needed
for
its
improvement should
European
European
project
on
Union.
(
Education
be provided so as to salvage Nigeria
Entrepreneurship.
from clutches of poverty.
Commission
2002).
and
Brussels:
Directorate
-
Final
Training for European General
for
Enterprise. Reference
[6]
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