DIGITAL INNOVATION, SMALL BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MOTIVATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATES: EVIDENCE FROM THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, ILARO

Abstract

This study examines the influence of digital innovation on small business and entrepreneurial engagement of undergraduates in the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. The population comprised all students in the Institution and survey approach involving the use of questionnaire was adopted for data collection. A four-point likert questionnaire was used for a two-week online survey via Google Form in which 421 students participated. Data collected were analysed with frequency count and percentage while the hypotheses were tested with linear regression at 0.05 level of significance on SPSS Version 25. The results showed that digital platforms offer a number of entrepreneurial opportunities to youth undergraduates and that it facilitates small business engagement orientation and motivation for entrepreneurial engagement among the students. It was concluded that different platforms and applications offered by digital innovations play significant role in engendering small businesses orientation and entrepreneurial inclinations among undergraduates. The study recommends, among others, that youths in tertiary institutions should make productive use of digital platforms and channel their use of such platforms for entrepreneurial activities and productive engagements.