SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ENABLING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

ABSTRACTS

The study examines social entrepreneurship in enabling economic opportunities for the poor in Edo state. It determines how social entrepreneurs’ activities such as employment creation, access to credit facilities and creation of avenue for skill acquisition create economic opportunities for the poor in Edo state. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The target population of the study is Next Gen Youth World International and 52 samples were selected using convenience sampling technique. Tables and percentages were used as techniques of analysing the research questions and Chi-square technique in testing the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings reveal that social entrepreneurship has broadened access to financial sources, promoted the use of social innovations in reducing social problems, grant people empowerment and social inclusion, and create jobs.The study therefore concludes that social entrepreneurship has a significant impact in enabling economic opportunities for job creation and poverty alleviation in Edo State. The study therefore recommends that there should be a process of or a program geared towards training youths in Nigeria in the act of entrepreneurship, there should be a government regulated means of entrepreneurial development sponsorship devoid of politics and for the purposes of increased job and wealth creation, there is need for increased government investment in entrepreneurship development at both secondary and tertiary levels of education.