Assessment of Online Mobile Technologies on Entrepreneurial Growth among Small Scale Business Owners in North Central, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026310Abstract
The rapid advancement and penetration of online mobile technologies have transformed the entrepreneurial activities among small businesses in Nigeria. This study investigates ways of leveraging online mobile technologies in enhancing entrepreneurial growth among small businesses in North Central, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research. The population of the study was 7,245 registered small businesses in Niger, Kwara, and Nasarawa States. The Krejcie and Morgan table was used in determining the sample size of the study, which was 364. The study utilized a structured questionnaire in data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts and pilot tested using 100 small businesses in Kaduna State. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the reliability of the instrument, which yielded an index of 0.83. The statistical tools used in data analysis were percentage, frequency table, mean, and standard deviation, while the t-test was used in testing null hypotheses at an alpha level of 0.05 significance. The study revealed that small business owners frequently make use of online mobile technologies for basic business activities, such as communicating with customers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as for advertising through social media platforms. The study also reveals low online mobile technologies usage for tracking sales, managing expenses, and learning new business skills. Based on the findings, the study concludes that small business owners in North Central Nigeria frequently use mobile technologies for basic business activities, such as communication with customers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as informal advertising through social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. Government, NGOs, and entrepreneurship support institutions should organize training programs to improve digital literacy among small business owners.
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