IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES ON INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION AMONG YOUTHS IN NASARAWA STATE: A STUDY OF LAFIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

ABSTRACT The study examines the impact of entrepreneurship development programmes on income and employment generation among youths in Nasarawa State with particular focus on Lafia Local Government Area. The study is anchored on risktaking theory of Richard Cantillon and John Stuart Mill. The theory sees entrepreneurship as a mental education that stimulates individuals to take moderate or calculated risk for which they stand to enjoy stream of benefits, and also people taking big risk have to contend with a great responsibility. The study employed both primary and secondary methods of data collection. The study found out that there is effectiveness of entrepreneurship programmes in Nasarawa State; the major obstacles experiences by the entrepreneurship programmes in Nasarawa State are inadequate basic infrastructure, financial problems and policy inconsistency. In conclusion, from the empirical result obtained from various entrepreneurs of Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, the study found that entrepreneurship development programmes plays insignificant impact on generating employment in Nasarawa State but it plays a significant impact on income generation by the entrepreneurs in Nasarawa State. The study recommended among others that massive enlightens of citizens more especially those that have knowledge to engage themselves in entrepreneurship business which in the long run would provide employment to other citizens, thereby reducing rate of unemployment.