ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES AND ECONOMIC SURVIVAL: A STUDY OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF FOUNTAIN UNIVERSITY, OSOGBO, NIGERIA

Abstract

The research investigated the impact of entrepreneurial activities on academic
performances of students of Fountain University, Osogbo. It made use of David
McClelland’s Need for Achievement theory. The exploratory study gathered
qualitative data from purposively selected students and lecturers. Four (4)
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) sessions were held with male and female
students, ten (10) Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with lecturers and five (5) In-
Depth interviews (IDIs) with selected student entrepreneurs identified by
referrals, academic records were examined. Data collected was transcribed and
analysed using content analysis. Findings revealed that passion for
entrepreneurship; need to augment, allowances and fear of unemployment after
graduation were the major motivating factors of being involved in business. It
also revealed that female students were more entrepreneurial than their male
counterparts were. Stringent security and movement measures put in place by
the university constituted a great impediment to operation of business on
campus. Since students are not officially allowed to own shops on campus, they
secretly keep their wares. Data ascertained that entrepreneurial activities do
not have dire consequences on student academic performance of most of the
entrepreneurs. This study also indicated the significance of entrepreneurship at
solving the problem of graduate unemployment in Nigeria.