IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT CREATION IN AGBOR METROPOLIS.

This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurial development on employment creation in Agbor Metropolis, Delta State, Nigeria. In response to persistent youth unemployment and underutilization of entrepreneurial potential, the research focuses on four core dimensions: entrepreneurial education, training, skill acquisition, and empowerment schemes. Adopting a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 100 beneficiaries of the Delta State job creation empowerment programs between 2021 and 2024. The analysis, conducted using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression models, revealed that all four dimensions significantly and positively influenced employment creation. With an adjusted R² of 0.56, the findings confirm that entrepreneurial development accounts for a substantial proportion of employment growth in the region. The study concludes that entrepreneurship serves as a viable tool for addressing unemployment, stimulating economic development, and promoting youth self-reliance. It recommends stronger government policies, improved access to finance, integration of practical entrepreneurship into education, and inclusive empowerment initiatives. The study contributes to knowledge by providing localized empirical evidence supporting the Human Capital Theory and offering policy-relevant insights into sustainable job creation. Implications for further research include longitudinal studies, sector-specific analyses, and a deeper exploration of digital entrepreneurship, gender inclusion, and green enterprise opportunities