Women's Entrepreneurship and Improved Family Lifestyle in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

"Women's entrepreneurship is an important source of employment and potential growth, not just for the economy but as a means of improving family lifestyle. Hence, this paper evaluated women's entrepreneurship and its impact on improved family lifestyle in Abia State, Nigeria. The objectives were to ascertain the motivation behind women’s involvement in entrepreneurship and to find out if women entrepreneurs increase the level of family income. A survey design was used, while a multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted. Data were analyzed using percentage and weighted mean, while results show that, that the motivation behind women’s involvement in entrepreneurship included financial need (41.1%), self-independence (33.8%), becoming employers of labour(6.9%), serving as role models to their children (4.2%), being able to assist in the spouse/family’s business(3.3%), among others. Also, women entrepreneurs were able to increase the level of their family income through involvement in several enterprises ranging from agriculture (3.5), support for spouse business (3.5), personal enterprise (3.9), skill acquisition (3.7), and provision of essential services (3.6). The paper, therefore, recommended that there is a need to encourage financial adequacy, self-independence, and support for spouse/family’s businesses among women. More importantly, women should strive to become employers of labour, and be role models to their children, especially as it concerns increasing the family’s income and ensuring their welfare."