Contextualizing female entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in Nigeria.

Onoshakpor, Chioma; Cunningham, James; Gammie, Elizabeth

Abstract

Our aim is to better understand access to finance and financial inclusion and how this impacts the development of female-run enterprises in Nigeria. In such a way, we can better understand the gendered context of entrepreneurship and the implications for business growth. This chapter adopts an interpretivist paradigm, to explore the social reality within which entrepreneurship is enacted. Qualitative data are interpreted from semi-structured interviews of ten Nigerian entrepreneurs, five males and five females. Findings reveal that, though structural support may be apparent, the entrepreneurial process of financing a business is characterised, in part, by social expectations of gender. It is this social view of entrepreneurship we provide an understanding of what it is to be entrepreneurial in practice. This chapter makes recommendations that in practice while financial institutions and policy makers may assume a 'one size fits all' approach to financial inclusion through different programs currently available for entrepreneurs though the various governmental and non-governmental institutions in Nigeria, the context of gender has implications for the nature of business activity, particularly in a society characterised by patriarchy. This study also makes practical contributions for research and for practise.

Citation

ONOSHAKPOR, C., CUNNINGHAM, J. and GAMMIE, E. 2023. Contextualizing female entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in Nigeria. In Harrison, C. and Omeihe, K.O. (eds.) Contextualising African studies: challenges and the way forward. Bingley: Emerald, chapter 2, pages 13-36. To be made available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80455-338-120231002

• Online Publication Date: Dec 12, 2023
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2023
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 13, 2024
• Publisher: Emerald
• Pages: 13-36
• Book Title: Contextualizing African studies: challenges and the way forward
• Chapter Number: Chapter 2
• ISBN: 9781804553398
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80455-338-120231002
• Keywords: Female entrepreneurship; Gender; Entrepreneurship in Nigeria; Women in business; Access to finance; Financial inclusion; Business finance in Nigeria
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1952239
• Contract Date: Apr 28, 2023