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Analysis of accessibility of finance by women entrepreneurs in Abia State, Nigeria: a case study of small and medium scale enterprises
Abstract
This study analyzed the effect of accessibility of finance on the growth of women entrepreneurs in Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the factors affecting accessibility of finance among women entrepreneurs and to determine the effect of accessibility of finance on the growth of women entrepreneurs in Abia state. A structured questionnaire was administered to 60 respondents using simple random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used in analyzing data. The study showed that majority of the respondents were less than 40years old, had tertiary education, and are married with small household sizes. The regression result showed that business experience, membership of cooperative society, source of credit and educational qualification were positive and significantly related to the accessibility of finance while type of business ownership and interest rates were negatively and significantly affected women‘s access to finance at different levels. However, the type of business they engage in did not significantly affect their ability to access financial aid. The result of the simple regression showed that amount of credit had a significant effect on the growth of the businesses while negative intercept of -147333.33 indicates that finances are not sufficient for the businesses, implying that there is still room for growth. The study thus recommended, based on the findings, that women entrepreneurs should be trained by relevant government and non-government agencies which will encourage them to register their business and also join existing self-help groups or form new ones in order to present a recognizable front for accessing funds from creditors.
Keywords: Accessibility, Financial aids and Women Entrepreneurs
