WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN ABEOKUTA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OGUN STATE.

Abstract

There is a tremendous increase in the number of women who are now interested in becoming small business owners, starting up a business of their own. Women entrepreneurship in the informal sector has remained untapped source of job creation, business and financial opportunities, innovations and economic development globally. In view of this, the paper is examining the role of entrepreneurship development in enhancing women empowerment within Abeokuta South Local Government of Ogun State. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were adopted. The study made use of primary data that was collected through structured questionnaire; and it was administered to two hundred and ten (210) female micro finance banks’ customers who were selected through purposive sampling. Analysis of the data gathered was carried out using descriptive and multiple linear regression analysis with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The result showed that women entrepreneurs were faced with various challenges such as capital, gender differences, meeting family needs etc. The paper concludes that entrepreneurship development will have a great impact on women empowerment if the society can bridge male-female education gap, create opp