Department of Business Administration Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University
Abstract
Entrepreneurship offers tremendous opportunities for women across the -
world by opening doors to greater self-sufficiency, self-esteem, education,
and skills required for industrialization. Hence, women are changing the
face of business ownership both locally and internationally. Their
involvement in industrialization is becoming significant especially in the
area of entrepreneur ship. However, their active participation in
industrialization in Nigeria has been militated by several factors. This
paper is, therefore, aimed at evaluating these factors so as to proffer
possible solutions that will enhance women entrepreneurs' participation in
industrialization in Nigeria. Both primary and secondary sources were
used in gathering the data required for the paper. The study surveyed four
hundred and .fifty (450) women entrepreneurs from three states (Lagos,
Ogun and Oyo) in the South-West Nigeria. Questionnaire as the research
instrument was administered to the respondents who were randomly
selected from the registered list of women entrepreneurs obtained from
NA CIMMA and some of the Local Government Areas of these States. The
findings revealed that among other factors, financial factor and
government legal and regulatory policies were identified as the major
factors that impede women's full participation in Nigerian
industrialization. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the
government, NGOs and international agencies should be committed to the
cause of strengthening and encouraging Nigerian women entrepreneurs so
as to enhance their active participation in industrializatio