Effect of Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurial Motivation Among Students of Federal Polytechnics in North-West Nigeria

Entrepreneurial motivation refers to the internal drive and external influences that inspire individuals to initiate and sustain business ventures. It is a vital component in fostering innovation, job creation, and economic growth (Quizlet, 2024). Globally, entrepreneurship is recognized as a key catalyst for economic development and sustainable progress, contributing to poverty reduction and youth empowerment (Brattström & Wennberg, 2022). Entrepreneurship education has emerged as a strategic tool for cultivating entrepreneurial mindsets and competencies among students. It equips learners with theoretical and practical skills essential for venture creation and management. However, in Nigeria, the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education remains constrained by challenges such as inadequate facilities, limited practical exposure, and weak institutional support (Metu & Nwokoye, 2014). Consequently, many graduates lack the motivation and readiness to establish their own enterprises, contributing to the persistently high rate of youth unemployment (Saiwaai, 2022). To address these challenges, higher education institutions are encouraged to adopt a comprehensive approach to entrepreneurship education that integrates education for entrepreneurship (skills development), in entrepreneurship (practical experience), and about entrepreneurship (theoretical knowledge) (Hoppe, Westerberg, & Leffler, 2017). Despite these pedagogical efforts, the relationship between entrepreneurship education and students’ entrepreneurial motivation remains underexplored within Nigeria’s polytechnic system (Cui et al., 2021). Yusuf, Abdulmalik, and Zungwe (2020) assert that entrepreneurship education in higher institutions aims to instill entrepreneurial attitudes and skills that motivate students toward self-employment. Nonetheless, despite its inclusion as a core course in Nigerian higher institutions, many students still aspire to white-collar jobs rather than venture creation, suggesting that entrepreneurship education may not be achieving its intended motivational effect among polytechnic students. The inability of students to translate entrepreneurial inclinations into actual business pursuits raises concerns about its overall effectiveness. Nigeria’s persistent unemployment challenge further underscores the importance of this inquiry. The national unemployment rate among youths aged 15–34 years was reported at 42.5% in 2020, up from 34.9% in 2018, and remained at 42.5% in 2021 (National Bureau of Statistics, 2021). This situation has worsened economic hardship and social instability across the country. Moreover, the effectiveness of teaching methodologies—ranging from traditional lectures to innovative approaches such as business pitch competitions—has been shown to influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions differently (Reyes & Manipol, 2015). Despite government initiatives and curriculum reforms, students in Federal Polytechnics, particularly in Nigeria’s North-West region, remain largely unmotivated to pursue entrepreneurship as a career path. This is worrisome given the region’s high unemployment rate and limited industrial base. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to examine the effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial motivation among students of Federal Polytechnics in North-West Nigeria.

Objectives of the Study

1. To determine the effect of the entrepreneurship curriculum on students’ entrepreneurial motivation in federal polytechnics in North-West Nigeria.
2. To examine the effect of access to funding on students’ entrepreneurial motivation in federal polytechnics in North-West Nigeria.

Research Questions

1. How does the entrepreneurship curriculum affect students’ entrepreneurial motivation in federal polytechnics in North-West Nigeria?
2. How does access to funding affect students’ entrepreneurial motivation in federal polytechnics in North-West Nigeria?

Research Hypotheses

1. H??: The entrepreneurship curriculum has no effect on students’ entrepreneurial motivation in federal polytechnics in North-West Nigeria.
2. H??: Access to funding has no effect on students’ entrepreneurial motivation in federal polytechnics in North-West Nigeria.

Conceptual Clarification

Concept of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship extends beyond merely starting a business for profit; it represents a mindset focused on opportunity, innovation, and leadership (Villacci, 2023). It involves decision-making, independence, and future-oriented planning influenced by socioeconomic and technological factors (Jayawarna, Jones, & Macpherson, 2015). Entrepreneurs combine resources to create value, driving innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth. They introduce new ideas and solutions through different forms such as small business, scalable startup, large company, and social entrepreneurship (Byju’s, 2021).

Concept of Entrepreneurship Education

Entrepreneurship education refers to the process of imparting attitudes and behaviours that foster entrepreneurial intention and the ability to identify and act on business opportunities (Linan et al., 2013). It equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and mindset required to face challenges, recognize opportunities, and pursue innovative ventures (Aladejebi, 2018). It also encompasses university and polytechnic programs that teach both the theory and practice of entrepreneurship (Ginanjar, 2016), motivating students to develop small and medium-scale enterprises through creativity and innovation (Egeonu & Omeje, 2024).

Concept of Entrepreneurial Motivation

Entrepreneurial motivation encompasses internal and external factors that inspire individuals to pursue business ventures (Guerrero, Rialp, & Urbano, 2008). It includes drivers such as personal fulfilment, financial gain, social recognition, and independence, which influence entrepreneurial behaviour (Fatercapital, 2024). Intrinsic motivation, personal capacity, and supportive environments significantly affect entrepreneurial intentions and the feasibility of starting new businesses.

Entrepreneurship Education and Entrepreneurial Motivation

Entrepreneurship education enhances entrepreneurial motivation by providing the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to pursue business opportunities and foster innovation (Fayolle & Gailly, 2015). It strengthens self-efficacy and motivation through experiential learning that nurtures both intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as ambition, creativity, and mentorship (Krueger & Carsrud, 1993). Studies confirm that entrepreneurship education boosts students’ confidence and motivation to start businesses (Nabi et al., 2018; Oosterbeek et al., 2010). Its effectiveness, however, depends on teaching methods and context, with practical learning approaches proving most impactful (Hoppe, 2016; Neck & Greene, 2011).

Role of Entrepreneurship Education in Employment Generation

Entrepreneurship education promotes employment by equipping individuals with the skills and mindset to create and sustain businesses, thereby reducing unemployment (Bappah, Hashidu, & Auwal, 2024). It enhances employability through practical training and entrepreneurial thinking, as seen among postgraduate students in Southeast Nigeria (Egeonu & Omeje, 2024). Studies in developing countries also show that entrepreneurship education leads to higher employment rates, income growth, and business sustainability (Prasad et al., 2024).

Theoretical Framework

The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) by Ajzen (1991). TPB posits that entrepreneurial intention is influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. Entrepreneurship education enhances students’ attitudes by fostering a positive perception of business creation, while subjective norms, including cultural and institutional influences, shape their motivation to pursue entrepreneurship. Additionally, perceived behavioural control is strengthened through education by equipping students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and self-efficacy to start a business. Given that entrepreneurial motivation is intention-driven, TPB effectively explains how entrepreneurship education influences students’ willingness and confidence to engage in entrepreneurial activities.

Empirical Review

Chen and Yang (2022) examined how entrepreneurial role models influence college students’ entrepreneurial intentions using structural equation and regression analyses. The study found that role models positively affect entrepreneurial passion, which in turn strengthens students’ entrepreneurial intentions. It recommends that universities and government agencies emphasize the role of entrepreneurial models in entrepreneurship education. Yusuf, Abdulmalik, and Wanjuu (2020) investigated the impact of entrepreneurship education on students’ inclination toward entrepreneurship at Kaduna Polytechnic. Using a survey design and questionnaire data analyzed with Minitab 16.0, the study found that entrepreneurship education increases students’ entrepreneurial inclination, with males showing higher interest. It recommended greater exposure to entrepreneurship education to help reduce graduate unemployment. Mamman et al. (2018) investigated the impact of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Using a structured questionnaire administered to 400 students across three universities, the study found that students acknowledged acquiring key entrepreneurial skills such as creativity, innovation, and venture creation. The results indicate that entrepreneurship education positively influences students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy and mindset. The study recommends that universities establish follow-up programs to support graduates in converting entrepreneurial intentions into actual ventures.

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised students of Federal Polytechnics in the North-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria, with a total enrolment of 22,221 students. This included 11,714 ND I and 10,507 ND II students. By institution, Federal Polytechnic Kabo had 534 students, Daura 944, Kaura Namoda 3,010, Kazaure 1,583, Birnin Kebbi 2,059, while Kaduna Polytechnic recorded the highest enrolment with 14,091 students. From this population, a sample size of 378 respondents was determined using the Research Advisor (2006) sample size table. A multi-stage sampling procedure involving stratified and simple random sampling techniques was employed. The instrument for data collection, titled Entrepreneurship Education and Entrepreneurial Motivation Questionnaire (EEEMQ), was validated by two experts one from the Department of Economics and the other from the Department of Entrepreneurship, both at Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, Jigawa State. A pilot test was conducted with 35 students from State Polytechnic, Jigawa State, and the instrument produced a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.86, indicating a high level of internal consistency. Data collection was facilitated by two trained research assistants, while the hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Table 1: Gender Distribution of Respondents

Source: 2025, Survey

The result shows that slightly more than half of the respondents (51.85%) were male, while 48.15% were female, indicating a nearly balanced gender representation.

Table 2: Age Distribution of Respondents

The result shows that most respondents (44.44%) were aged 26–33 years, followed by 43.65% aged 18–25 years, while only 2.38% were aged 42 years and above, indicating that the sample is predominantly young adults.

Table 3: Level of Study of Respondents

The result shows that 54.5% of the respondents were in DN I, while 45.5% were in ND II, indicating that the majority of respondents were at the DN I level.

Table 4: Departmental Distribution of Respondents

Table 4 shows that most respondents were from Computer Science (16.93%), followed by Science and Laboratory Technology (14.55%) and Mechanical Engineering (12.17%), while the least represented departments were Statistics, Building Technology, and Banking and Finance (each 4.76%), indicating a diverse participation across departments.

Table 4: Descriptive Statistics of Students’ Current Entrepreneurial Attributes

Table 4 shows that students demonstrated relatively high levels of entrepreneurial interest (M = 3.55, SD = 0.50) and mentorship support (M = 3.51, SD = 0.59), followed by moderate levels of risk-taking (M = 3.30, SD = 0.74), creativity (M = 3.26, SD = 0.62), and opportunity recognition (M = 3.22, SD = 0.90). This suggests that respondents generally exhibit positive entrepreneurial attributes, with interest and mentorship being their strongest areas.

Table 5: Descriptive Statistics of Students’ Access and Support for Funding

Table 5 reveals that respondents reported high levels of funding skills (M = 3.56, SD = 0.54), funding awareness (M = 3.52, SD = 0.66), and funding support (M = 3.51, SD = 0.71). Funding information (M = 3.40, SD = 0.86) and funding accessibility (M = 3.34, SD = 0.73) were moderately rated. This indicates that while students are generally aware and skilled in funding-related matters, access to and information about funding opportunities remain areas needing improvement.

Table 6: Correlation Matrix of Entrepreneurship Curriculum Components and Students’ Entrepreneurial Interest (N = 378)

The correlation analysis shows opportunity recognition shows the strongest positive correlation with entrepreneurial interest (r = 0.278), followed by mentorship (r = 0.139), while creativity (r = -0.229) and risk-taking (r = -0.089) are negatively related. Overall, the relationships are weak to moderate, indicating that some curriculum components influence students’ entrepreneurial interest.

Table 7: Regression Results for Funding Awareness and Its Predictors