ABSTRACT
The study investigated the awareness and relevance of infopreneurship opportunities among LIS students of university of Benin. The study aimed to find the level of awareness of infopreneurship among LIS undergraduate in university of Benin, To explore and outline the various types of infopreneurship opportunities available to LIS undergraduate of university of Benin, To investigate the types of entrepreneurial skills possessed by Library and Information Sciences students, To identify the useful and relevance of infopreneurship to LIS undergraduate of University of Benin as a profession to look into, To identify the challenges affecting infopreneurship in Nigeria, and also provide strategies to tackle these challenges facing infopreneurship in Nigeria. The study utilized the descriptive survey research design and the sample size of the study consisted of 106 respondents who responded to the questionnaire instrument used to gather data. The collected data was analysed using frequency tables, percentages and mean statistics. The findings from the study indicated that the level of awareness of infopreneurship among LIS undergraduate of University of Benin is high, in the sense that, majority are familiar and also have a good understanding about the concept infopreneurship. Fewer percentage received formal training or attended class of infopreneurship in school while a large percentage came across articles, videos and other media discussing infopreneurship. This finding corroborates the assertion of undergraduate students who are in the field of library and information science may actively seek out infopreneurship opportunities available within their field, appreciating the benefits of infopreneurship in Nigeria. And freelancing, Book vending, editing services, indexing/abstracting services, information brokerages, digital publishing, Translation services, library consultancy and cataloging services are the various type of infopreneurship opportunities available in Nigeria, of which, the study revealed that book vending is the most common type of infopreneurship that the students are aware. The study also revealed that LIS undergraduate student need to possess for these infopreneurship opportunities available; digital literacy skill, managerial skills, research skills, analytical skills marketing skills, communication skills and writing skills. And the study reveals that LIS students need to possess high digital literacy skills that can assist them to be more effective in their infopreneurial activities. This was due to the fact that information services are now digitally based due to advance in technology and benefit of infopreneurship education to LIS undergraduate of UNIBEN; to give employment, to earn profit and to contribute to the national development. And the study reveals the benefits of infopreneurship education to LIS undergraduate is to give employment. Based on the findings, challenges affecting infopreneurship in Nigeria are inadequate government policies and laws, funding, epileptic power supply, piracy and infringement, inadequate infrastructure and lack of awareness about the potential of infopreneurship. And the study reveals that funding is the major challenges hindering the operation of infopreneurship in Nigeria and the the study therefore recommended amongst others effective government policies and laws, school curriculum should be updated to the current trend in infopreneurship, infopreneurship education should be taught in all levels of LIS, subsides cost of equipment and government and schools should organize training in form of workshop to educate students on the necessary skills needed for Infopreneurship. And the student reveals that effective government policies and law to regulate the activities of infopreneurship in Nigeria is a good strategic to tackle the challenges affecting infopreneurship in Nigeria.
