Impact of mentoring on entrepreneurial development of students in some selected universities in Southwest, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the impact of mentoring on entrepreneurial development of students in some selected Universities in Southwest Nigeria. Two issues were identified and used for the study as mentoring matter. They are: Support for setting a career path; and advancing students’ subject knowledge. The study tested the hypothesis that Support for setting a career path, as well as Advancing students’ subject knowledge does not have significant effects on students’ entrepreneurial development in selected tertiary institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. Data for this study were obtained through a purposively selected 380 students of 3 universities in the Southwest Nigeria. Structured copies of questionnaire were used to elicit information on specific issues relating to mentoring and students’ entrepreneurial development. 300 copies were valid for the analysis for the study. The data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from correlation Analysis (rs = 0.642, p=0.002), revealed that there is significant high positive correlation between support for setting a career path and students’ entrepreneurial development in selected tertiary institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. Results from Regression Analysis also show that with correlation coefficient (R) of 0.180 and coefficient of Multiple Determination (R2) of 0.032, it was observed that about 3.2% of effects of students’ entrepreneurial development may be attributed to a magnitude increase in advancing students’ subject knowledge. The study concluded by suggesting potentially effective mechanism for increasing entrepreneurship and guidance on which types of mentors to recruit and which types of individuals are most likely to increase their propensity for entrepreneurship as a result of mentorship.