ABSTRACT
The generation of employment opportunities
through entrepreneurship which brings about economic growth and development
cannot be overemphasized. As at 2008, the small and medium enterprises sector
provides, on average, fifty percent of Nigeria’s employment and fifty percent
of industrial output. Therefore, this study critically assesses the role of
entrepreneurship in employment generation in Nigeria, using Plateau State as
the case study. To achieve this, the study employs chi-square method of data
analysis. Primary data were obtained through the administration of 150
questionnaires to some selected business across the state. Two hypotheses were
tested at five percent level of significance and the results shows that
entrepreneurship plays a significant role in employment generation and
employment generation in turn plays a significant role in economic development
in Plateau State. In view of this, the study made some useful and practical
recommendation to be adopted in order to encourage entrepreneurship for greater
employment generation among which are; implementation of power sector reforms
and stabilization of the power sector, control of religious, ethnic and
political crisis, development of infrastructure such as roads, schools and
vocational training centers and provision of free land in industrial estate to
entrepreneurs.