ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND DIGITAL INNOVATION: DRIVING SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES GROWTH IN NIGER DELTA REGION
Abstract
This study examined the role of entrepreneurship and digital innovation in driving the growth of small
and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Recognizing SMEs as critical
engines of employment generation, income creation, and regional economic diversification, the study
investigates how key entrepreneurial and digital drivers stimulate enterprise expansion across the eight
Niger Delta states—Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, and Rivers. The population
comprised 12,480 SME operators, from which a sample size of 388 respondents was determined using the
Taro-Yamane method. Specifically, the study evaluated the effects of the number of digital start-ups,
access to venture capital, e-commerce adoption, and fintech loans on SME growth. Data were collected
using a structured instrument titled Entrepreneurship and Digital Innovation Questionnaire (EDIQ).
Descriptive statistics, including tables, charts, and frequencies, were employed to address the research
questions, while the multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses with the aid of SPSS version 26.
The findings reveal that the number of digital start-ups, access to venture capital, and e-commerce
adoption have positive and statistically significant relationships with SME growth in the region. Although
fintech loans showed a positive association, the relationship was statistically insignificant. The study
concludes that entrepreneurship and digital innovation are critical catalysts for SME growth in the Niger
Delta and recommends institutional support for structured startup promotion and digital ecosystem
development.
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Published in JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING, FINANCE & MANAGEMENT DISCOVERY WUKARI
ISSN: 2714-2574
This article appears in our peer-reviewed academic journal
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