INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA: ROLE OF HUMAN PERSONALITY

Abstract

This research was carried out to investigate indigenous entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development of indigenous entrepreneurs in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The study anchored on symbolic interaction theory and used cross sectional survey research design with a population of 30,450 indigenous entrepreneurs and stratified sampling technique was adopted. Primary data was obtained from questionnaires after validity and reliability tests were conducted and the responses obtained from the administered questionnaires were analysed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis. The results from the multiple analysis revealed that business performance positively and significantly affect human capital investment and sustainable development index of indigenous entrepreneurs in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; community impact positively and significantly affect human capital investment and sustainable development index of indigenous entrepreneurs in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; innovation and adoption positively and significantly affect human capital investment and sustainable development index of indigenous entrepreneurs in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; cultural authenticity positively and significantly affect human capital investment and sustainable development index indigenous entrepreneurs in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; and economic empowerment positively and significantly affect human capital investment and sustainable development index of indigenous entrepreneurs in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The study also suggested human personality positively and significantly moderates the relationship between indigenous entrepreneur and sustainable economic development. The study concludes that indigenous entrepreneurship influences the sustainable economic development in Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Consequently, the study recommends amongst others that policy makers should recognize the relevance of indigenous entrepreneurship in fostering and stimulating economic development through the creation of wealth of indigenous people with a given community.