ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS IN OVIA NORTH-EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BENIN CITY EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study examined the factors affecting the performance of female entrepreneurs in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. It determined how factors such as socio-cultural attitudes, family background attitudes, religious attitudes and political attitudes affect female entrepreneur performance. Four research questions and two null hypothesis guided the study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consist of 1741 registered SME'sowned by female entrepreneurs and 134 samples were selected using convenience sampling technique. The instrument was validated by three experts and tested to be highly reliable. The data collected were analysed using simple percentage, mean and standard deviation to answer

the research questions and t-test technique in testing the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings reveals among others that socio-economic factor, political factors and religion were impediments to the performance of female entrepreneurs in Ovia North-East Local Government Area. The study therfore recommended that female entrepreneurs can be encouraged by increasing female access to loan from commercial banks and creating financial inclusion programmes for females to support their business. Government should encourage entrepreneurial education and organize skill acquisition for females. Government should review Customs and Cultural traditions that limits female assets and land ownership and also husbands should be encouraged to support their wives who are into businesses.