IMPACT OF ENTERPRISE CREATION PROGRAMMES ON YOUTHS' EMPLOYMENT IN ILORIN METROPOLIS

Abstract

Youth unemployment remains a pressing socio-economic challenge in Nigeria, with many young people struggling to secure gainful employment despite educational attainment. Enterprise creation programmes have been promoted as a strategic intervention to address this challenge by equipping youths with entrepreneurial skills, financial resources, and market access. However, the effectiveness of these programmes in translating participation into tangible employment outcomes in Ilorin Metropolis remains underexplored. This study, therefore, investigated the impact of enterprise creation programmes on youth employment in Ilorin Metropolis. The study adopted a survey research design with a quantitative approach, suitable for collecting first-hand data from youth beneficiaries and quantifying the relationship between programme participation and employment. A cross-sectional approach was employed, gathering data at a single point in time. The population comprises youths aged 18–35 years residing in Ilorin Metropolis who have benefited from at least one enterprise creation programme, including government initiatives such as NYSC SAED, N-Power, and SMEDAN training, as well as NGO-led programmes such as Tony Elumelu Foundation grants, Fate Foundation training, and other donor-supported incubation hubs. Based on records from SMEDAN and N-Power, the accessible population between 2018 and 2023 is approximately 4,200 youths. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, a sample of 354 respondents was drawn through a multi-stage sampling technique, which stratified participants by programme type and applied simple random sampling within each stratum to ensure representativeness. Primary data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 26. Multiple regression analyses were employed to determine the extent to which participation in enterprise creation programmes predicts youth employment. Findings reveal that entrepreneurship training, access to start-up capital, business incubation support, and market linkage assistance all have significant positive effects on youth employment. The study concluded that well-structured enterprise creation programmes are effective in fostering self-employment and generating jobs among youths in Ilorin Metropolis. Consequently, the study recommends expanding these programmes, integrating practical skills development with financial and market support, to enhance youth economic empowerment and reduce unemployment.