UNVEILING THE NEXUS BETWEEN PRACTICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SELF EMPLOYMENT AMONGST UNIVERSITY GRADUATES IN NASSARAWA STATE

Abstract

Nigerian economic landscape have been showing disturbing indices of general insecurity. restiveness amongst her teeming youths that take to infamous cybercrimes and online banking frauds in addition to kidnapping of unsuspecting citizens that hold sway in virtually all her geo political zones, sustainable economic development appeared to be a tall ambition to achieve. Analysts traced the sources of these unwholesome acts to general unemployment of the enlightened youths that have acquired tertiary educations but lost hopes of being gainfully employed by the system. With 170 universities and over 1.5 million annual university graduates offloaded into the unemployment market, the saving grace appeared to be total embracement of the tenets of entrepreneurship. With the sole objective of unveiling the relationship between practical entrepreneurship (PE) and self-employment (SE) amongst Nigerian University graduates, four variables were identified: skill acquisition (SA), Entrepreneurship Orientation (EO), Internship (1) and Entrepreneurship mindset (EM). From a population of 589 and sample size of 238, using stratified sampling technique; and Yaro Yamani sample size determination formula, Structured Questionnaire were administered in three local government areas of Nassarawa State in Nigerian North-Central geo-political zone at 70% Cronbach's reliability test. It was found that SA of graduates of Nigeria University has significant relationship with EO(r, r2. and p = 0.55,.030 and <.000) respectively; and I of Nigeria university graduates have significant relevance on EM (r, r2. and p = 0.6,.036 and <.000) respectively. The study recommended that the most potent weapon to boost self-employment amongst Nigerian University Graduates is for the Universities to make Practical Entrepreneurship compulsory at all levels in all Departments and also that all students, after practical entrepreneurship training in their first year on campuses, should be directed to register Business names of their dreams with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as steps toward self-employment.