DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A STRATEGY FOR CURBING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Technological advancements had created an avenue for digitisation and the development of information and communication technologies (ICT). This had created incredible potential and benefits in electronic commerce (E-commerce) and entrepreneurial skills, especially among youths. The study's main purpose was to explore digital entrepreneurship as a panacea for reducing Nigeria's youth unemployment rate and providing new jobs. The study focused on the effect of ICT on job creation, the extent to which e-commerce contributes to employment creation and the influence of programmes geared towards spurring entrepreneurship training on line.  The study further tested null hypothesis to determine if there was no significant relationship between digital entrepreneurship and employment creation. 110 owners of small firms were surveyed to investigate how ICT, e-commerce, and online training programmes had aided in the creation of jobs in Lagos state through descriptive tools and multiple regression technique. The study findings showed that in Lagos state, ICT and e-commerce had substantially contributed to job creation and aided in disseminating commercial activities to a wide range of customers. The findings also showed that many people gained a wide range of skills through online training programmes. The study recommended the advancement of e-commerce through a reliable and affordable telecommunication network, provision of access to training platforms, and affordable prices of various e-commerce training programmes.