The Role of Women Entrepreneurs in Socio-Economic Development of Small and Medium Enterprises in Niger State.

Abstract

Entrepreneurship literature has increasingly acknowledged the desire by women to be economically independent, their roles and contributions as women entrepreneurs in shaping labour market are continuously increasing. The study investigated the roles of women entrepreneurs in the socio-economic development of Small and Medium Enterprises in Niger State. This was achieved through examining the effect of the activities of women entrepreneurs on the poverty level, determine the impact created by women entrepreneurs on employment opportunities and establish the influence of women entrepreneur activities on the standard of living of the people of Niger State. The Methodology used for data collection was survey design. The target population comprised all registered businesses owned by women in Niger State. Based on purposive sampling 75 women entrepreneurs were engaged. A structured questionnaire using summated rating scale of 1-5 was administered face to face on the chosen sample. However, only 60 questionnaires were returned and deemed usable representing an 80% response rate. The product-moment correlation and multiple linear regression were employed for the data analysis. The study concluded that women entrepreneurs play a major role in poverty reduction and employment opportunities in Niger State. The study recommends that the Niger State government should aggressively pursue the provision of infrastructures such as water, electricity, roads, and security to life and properties to reduce the cost of doing business in the state.