INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS ON THE ENTREPRENEURAL SUCCESS OF FEMALE ENTRPRENEURS IN ILORIN METROPOLIS

Abstract

The entrepreneurial performance of women is influenced by various socio-cultural factors, yet limited research has examined how these factors affect female entrepreneurs in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State. This study investigated the influence of socio-cultural factors on the entrepreneurial success of female entrepreneurs in Ilorin Metropolis. Specifically, the study examined the influence of ethnicity, marital status, religion, level of education, and family background on the success of female entrepreneurs five research questions, and five null hypotheses. It was anchored on Cultural Context Theory of Lev Vygotsky and Human Capital Theory of Becker and Rosen. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, with the population comprising all female entrepreneurs in Ilorin South, Ilorin West, and Ilorin East Local Government Areas. Due to the absence of official data, a sample size of 384 female entrepreneurs was determined using Cochran’s formula for an infinite population, with 128 respondents selected from each local government using accidental sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire titled Influence of Socio-cultural Factors on the Success of Female Entrepreneurs (ISFSFEQ). The instrument was validated by three experts and subjected to a pilot study, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.99. Means and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions, while null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that ethnicity (mean = 2.89), marital status (mean = 2.98), religion (mean = 2.89), educational level (mean = 3.11), and family background (mean = 3.11) all influence the entrepreneurial success of female entrepreneurs to a high extent. Furthermore, the ANOVA results indicated no significant differences in perceptions of these influences across relevant demographic categories: ethnicity F (2, 357) = 0.137, p = .872; marital status F (3, 356) = 0.082, p = .995; education level F (6, 353) = 1.089, p = .369; religion F (2, 356) = 1.625, p = .183; and family background F(2, 357) = 1.304, p = .273. The study concluded that socio-cultural factors significantly affect female entrepreneurial success in Ilorin, highlighting the importance of supportive ethnic networks, family, religious, and educational environments. It is recommended that government agencies, entrepreneurship support institution, religious organizations, educational institutions, NGOs, and family members actively support female entrepreneurs through policies, training, mentorship, and culturally sensitive interventions to enhance their business outcomes

Keywords: Female entrepreneurs, Ethnicity, Marital status, Socio-cultural factors, Entrepreneurial success, Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria