WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Women entrepreneurs are pivotal to economic development through job creation, innovation, and poverty reduction. Nevertheless, their potential in Nigeria is constrained by challenges such as inadequate access to finance, limited asset ownership, and socio-cultural barriers. This study examined the relationship between women’s entrepreneurship and economic growth in Anambra State, Nigeria, focusing on financial access and asset ownership. Employing a descriptive survey design, the study targeted 1,325 registered female SME owners, from which 307 respondents were proportionately selected using Taro Yamane’s formula. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed significant positive relationships between access to finance and economic growth (r = 0.573, p < 0.05), and between asset ownership and economic growth (r = 0.611, p < 0.05). The study concludes that women’s entrepreneurship substantially drives economic progress when supported by financial inclusion and property rights. It recommends gender-responsive credit policies, flexible collateral requirements, and legal reforms to expand women’s access to assets and productive resources, thereby strengthening inclusive and sustainable development.