Entrepreneurship Education, Environmental Support and Entrepreneurial Intention: Do Innovativeness and Pro-activeness matter?

Despite the introduction of Entrepreneurship Education in Nigerian Universities system still the country experience low level of entrepreneurial intention and high unemployment among youth graduate. It is in view of these and quests for understanding of the causes underlying Entrepreneurial Intention formation, this study investigate the relationship between Entrepreneurship Education and Environmental support and how they interact with Innovativeness as well as Pro-activeness to form Entrepreneurial Intention. The study randomly selects 284 final year university students to serve as respondent in collecting the primary data.  The study is anchored on Aldrich Howard (1990) Ecological Approach theory to understand the students’ awareness of Entrepreneurship Education, Environmental Support and Entrepreneurial Intention and how the relationship is mediated by Innovativeness and Pro-activeness. The study further employed the use of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Square (PLS) version 3, to analyze the data. The results showed that Innovativeness and Pro-activeness simplify how Entrepreneurship Education forms Entrepreneurial Intention. However the result revealed that Environmental support is not directly or indirectly through Innovativeness as well as Pro-activeness related to Entrepreneurial Intention. Based on these result the study recommended that other researchers should employ this proposition with other antecedent of entrepreneurial intention for further proof. The study is further recommend Educators and key members of the society including friends and family should encourage the advancement of an entrepreneurially helpful culture that permits cooperation and exchange of ideas

Entrepreneurship Education and Venture Creation: A Systematic Review

Entrepreneurship education has flourished as a field of study attributed to its relevance/importance and role in accelerating the global economy’s financial well-being. Any worthwhile project may be sustained over the long run; thanks to education, which is a powerful force. In all civilizations, mature, developing, or undeveloped, education has long been seen as a powerful tool for upholding culture and achieving personal and societal liberty.  Despite its growing popularity, there is still much to learn about the nature of entrepreneurship education and its potential to change society. This study seeks to provide insight or knowledge about entrepreneurship education and venture creation by emphasizing current trends and areas for further research. The literature on entrepreneurship education gathered, assessed, and interpreted for this research between 2018 and 2023 came from a systematic review of published articles. The study looked at 25 studies from the literature on entrepreneurship training and business creation. Many distinct subjects have been examined, with entrepreneurship education and venture creation being the most thoroughly investigated area. The result established that entrepreneurship education programs had drawn growing interest. The findings of this research seek to assist decision-makers in entrepreneurship education by developing better solutions. However, this study recommends revamping current entrepreneurship education programs to encourage students to create innovative or creative ventu

Attitude and Entrepreneurial Intent: Mediating Role of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogies

The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating role of certain selected teaching pedagogies of entrepreneurship education in the relationship between entrepreneurial attitude and intention. This study employs a causal design to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial attitude, entrepreneurial intention, and entrepreneurship education using a cross-sectional questionnaire- based survey. A self-developed questionnaire and proportionate stratified random sampling technique were employed to collects data from a sample size of 359 final-year undergraduate students, selected from six universities in six out of nineteen states of Northern Nigeria. The study finds that entrepreneurship education significantly mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial attitude and intention. Further, the study showed that the mediation effect of entrepreneurship education is driven by teaching pedagogies like Live Projects and Meeting with Entrepreneurs but not by Business Plan pedagogy in the Northern Nigerian context. This study tests and provides new findings in the area of “methods of delivery” of entrepreneurship education by focusing on the three different pedagogies. No other study has taken these factors in the context of Northern Nigeria. Hence, this study has attempted to answer new research questions and has opened new areas of study in the field of entrepreneurship education

Structural Social Capital and Entrepreneurship Intention: Investigation into Facts and Myths about Business Inclination of the Igbo Tribe in Nigeria

This study investigated the mechanism that leads to the entrepreneurial intention of educated youth who have people in business in Nigeria. I tried to see whether ethnic groups might play a significant role in who intends to consider entrepreneurship as a real alternative. I singled out the Igbo ethnic group as the reference group to which I compared the two other major ethnic groups. I used 1,200 National Youth Corps (NYSC) members as participants in the study. The results were mixed. On the one hand, the results showed that there was no difference between the Igbo and Yoruba corp members who had similar structural capital. However, on the other hand, there was a difference between Igbo and Hausa corps members on entrepreneurial intention. The study concluded that the Igbo ethnic group certainly has a business inclination, but not better than other

Entrepreneurship Education and Insecurity Reduction in South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria

The worrisome level of insecurity in Nigeria has ignited many suggestions for solution including entrepreneurship education. However, little is empirically known about the approach through which entrepreneurship education can reduce insecurity. This study surveyed final year business students in six public universities in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria to investigate the influence of entrepreneurship education on insecurity reduction. The specific objectives were to assess the influence of risk-taking propensity, opportunity recognition capability, and entrepreneurs’ emotional intelligence on insecurity reduction. The sample size was 250 randomly selected final year degree university students. The structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data which were analysed by employing the weighted mean, standard deviation and correlation analysis. Results indicated that entrepreneurship education which emphasizes risk-taking propensity (r = .322, n = 195, P < 0.01), opportunity recognition capability (r = .252, n = 195, P < 0.00), and entrepreneur’ emotional intelligence (r = .320, n = 195, P < 0.01) has significant positive relationship with insecurity reduction. These results imply that when students are educated on risk taking propensity, more confidence will be injected into them to go into business; a training on opportunity recognition will empower the students to easily recognize business opportunities in the environment and education on emotional intelligence will improve students’ self-management skills  and  increased capacity to manage  business relationships. It is recommended that a review of current entrepreneurship education curriculum in Nigeria to incorporate findings of this study would lessen the menace of insecurity

The Role of Women Empowerment in the Development of Women Entrepreneurship in Lagos State

Women Entrepreneurs have been making a significant impact in all sectors of the economy globally through the display of originality, ingenuity, innovation, and creativity, which has enhanced productivity and by this economic growth and development can be achieved. The study examined the role of women empowerment in the development of women entrepreneurship in Lagos State Nigeria. The descriptive survey design was used for this study. One research question was used and three hypotheses were tested to guide the study. The population for the study were all women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The sample for the study was women entrepreneurs in Lagos State and a simple random sampling procedure was used to draw the 111 that participated in the study. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled “Role of Women Empowerment in the Development of Women Entrepreneurship in Lagos State” with a Cronbach alpha coefficient value of 0.75. The data were analysed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency count and percentages while Chi-Square was used for null hypotheses testing with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 21). The result from the study revealed that women’s empowerment had a significant role to play in the development of women entrepreneurship in Lagos State. The study recommends that the government and all stakeholders in the field of women entrepreneurship must join hands together to promote women entrepreneurship through adequate educational, financial and skill empowerment because the benefits the economy stands to gain from the female entrepreneurial activity are capable of transforming all sectors of the economy where these women businesses are domiciled and by extension bring about the much desired economic development of the natio

An Improvement of Load Flow Solution for Power System Networks using Evolutionary-Swarm Intelligence Optimizers

Load flow report which reveals the existing state of the power system network under steady operating conditions, subject to certain constraints is being bedeviled by issues of accuracy and convergence. In this research, five AI-based load flow solutions classified under evolutionary-swarm intelligence optimizers are deployed for power flow studies in the 330kV, 34-bus, 38-branch section of the Nigerian transmission grid. The evolutionary-swarm optimizers used in this research consist of one evolutionary algorithm and four swarm intelligence algorithms namely; biogeography-based optimization (BBO), particle swarm optimization (PSO), spider monkey optimization (SMO), artificial bee colony optimization (ABCO) and ant colony optimization (ACO). BBO as a sole evolutionary algorithm is being configured alongside four swarm intelligence optimizers for an optimal power flow solution with the aim of performance evaluation through physical and statistical means. Assessment report upon application of these standalone algorithms on the 330kV Nigerian grid under two (accuracy and convergence) metrics produced PSO and ACO as the best-performed algorithms. Three test cases (scenarios) were adopted based on the number of iterations (100, 500, and 1000) for proper assessment of the algorithms and the results produced were validated using mean average percentage error (MAPE) with values of voltage profile created by each solution algorithm in line with the IEEE voltage regulatory standards. All algorithms proved to be good load flow solvers with distinct levels of precision and speed. While PSO and SMO produced the best and worst results for accuracy with MAPE values of 3.11% and 36.62%, ACO and PSO produced the best and worst results for convergence (computational speed) after 65 and 530 average number of iterations. Since accuracy supersedes speed from scientific considerations, PSO is the overall winner and should be cascaded with ACO for an automated hybrid swarm intelligence load flow model in future studies. Future research should consider hybridizing ACO and PSO for a more computationally efficient solution model

Low-cost Car Battery Security Alert System

This is a technical article that showcases a low-cost car battery security alert system that utilizes a multi-vibrator circuit into a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) output (loud beep sound) alarm to monitor and safeguard the car battery from local theft. The entire circuitry is a simple one and low-cost in production. The incessant cases in which car batteries are stolen especially in developing countries is on the high side. And the cost of replacing car batteries is on the increase daily. Therefore, one needs to secure her car battery from street theft. Using both mechanical fastening and electronic security-based systems one could sleep with two eyes closed. The device serves as an electronic watchdog on the car battery in the car while it is parked outside the owner’s residence or elsewhere. The security system is provided with an internal rechargeable battery energizing the alarm circuitry, having a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) relay, and connected cables, with an output sound capable of alerting the neighbourhood. Whenever the car battery is disconnecting from the terminal heads or the loop cable is broken the connected alarm will be triggered and this will call the attention of the neighbourhood and the owner thereby deterring the intruder. The entire system was simulated using Circuit Wizard software with good results. The system was fabricated using discrete semiconductor devices that are relatively simple and available for operation and maintenance, packaged, and tested. The circuit voltage is 11.52 volts and draws a current of 3.79A resulting in a wattage of 44 watts. The device is affordable

Combating Cybercrime Perpetrated Via Social Media Channels Using Individual Resilience Techniques

Cybercrime is a social vice associated with modern society due to the rapid development of technology. Various studies over the years have shown that there is no society without an element of cybercrime. Cybercrime also has negative economic implications for nations and businesses globally. Over the years, several approaches have been employed to reduce the rate of cybercrime by employing various combating techniques. Hence, this study explores individual resilience techniques used in combating cybercrime perpetrated via social media channels in Abuja. Three goals and research agendas were developed to guide the research toward achieving the stated goal: a review of relevant literature, a qualitative and quantitative survey design involving about seven million, one hundred and ten thousand internet subscribers that use social media in Abuja, and a sample size of four hundred respondents from the study area were selected using the Taro Yamane purposive sampling technique. The respondents’ data were collected using a twelve-item structured questionnaire. Completed instruments of the sample size were analysed using mean values and standard deviations designed using Google Forms. The results showed that identity theft, cyberstalking, malware attacks, and cyber-casing are major cybercrimes perpetrated online by cyber attackers, and these attacks have led to harassment, child exploitation, digital piracy, and intentional damage to individuals’ online reputations. However, anti-malware, outlier detection, password managers, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are various individual resilience techniques social media users can employ to combat cybercrime on social media. Creating more awareness of cybercrime and the various individual resilience techniques required in protecting social media accounts on web-enabled devices and setting up a special task force void of bias to help cybercrime victims regain their assets were recommended

Rural Entrepreneurship Development and Poverty Alleviation: A Review of Conceptual Issues

This paper examines Nigeria's growing poverty problem, particularly in rural areas, which account for 52.1% of the country's population. Over 108 million out of 206 million people are in poverty. The paper suggests that sustainable poverty alleviation is a joint effort between public and private sectors. It advocates for promoting entrepreneurship development as a sustainable solution to this endemic and pandemic issue. The paper explores key issues related to entrepreneurship and its relationship with rural development and poverty alleviation. It also discusses the determinants of rural entrepreneurship and the environment conducive to its development. The paper also lists generic constraints faced by rural enterprises and emphasizes the importance of rural enterprise development in Nigeria. The conclusion is that promoting entrepreneurship is crucial for accelerating development in rural areas. This approach stimulates local entrepreneurial talent, creates jobs, adds economic value, and keeps scarce resources within the community