Self-Efficacy as Predictor of Entrepreneurial Engagements among Youth Samples

Abstract

Entrepreneurial engagements have been receiving awareness as a potential panacea to unemployment situations in Nigeria. Studies have used different predictors to investigate youths’ entrepreneurial engagements with varied results. This study examines the predictive role of self-efficacy on entrepreneurial engagements among youth samples in Rivers state, Nigeria. Cross-sectional survey design was adopted while a purposive sampling method was used to select the study population. Data were collected from 219 participants using validated questionnaires and analyzed with simple linear regression to test one hypothesis that was accepted at p <. 001 level of significance. The result demonstrates self-efficacy having a significant relationship with entrepreneurial engagement among study participants, R2 = .387, F (1, 218) = 39.48, p < 0.001. Furthermore, the result indicates self-efficacy independently predicted entrepreneurial engagement among study participants (β = .622, p <.001). The study concludes that self-efficacy is a strong predictor of entrepreneurial engagements among study participants. The study recommends that government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and higher institutions should design and implement entrepreneurship development programs that would enhance self-efficacy among potential entrepreneurs.