THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION USING CEFE METHODOLOGY TOWARDS ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES

(A PERSPECTIVE OF NIGERIA)

      Ibrahim Abubakar Mikugi; Usman Baba Umar and Hauwa Daniyan Bagudu

Department of Business Administration and Management, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida

Department of Banking and Finance, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida

E-mail: karison76@yahoo.com

 ABSTRACT

The economic development and transformation of any nation depends on quality of her human resources and competent entrepreneurs who possesses the innovative ability to start and manage businesses effectively. Entrepreneurship education dwells on developing understanding and capacity for pursuit of entrepreneurial behaviors, skills and attributes in widely different contexts. This competency can be achieved through practical entrepreneurship training. This paper examines the role of entrepreneurship education in economic transformation of African countries with particular emphasis on Nigeria; it review literature and two basic methods presently in used in Nigeria, the entrepreneurship education development called Entrepreneurship Education Development (EED) and the concept of CEFE methodology. The methodology used for collecting data was primary source through questionnaires, questionnaire was administered to 45 respondents who were participants during 2010 cefe entrepreneurship training in Federal polytechnic, Bida Niger State, Nigeria of which 41 questionnaires was dully completed and returned. Analysis of data was done based on returned questionnaires. Findings reveals that most respondents who were participants strongly agreed that the cefe methodology would offer better opportunity for entrepreneurship and business management than Entrepreneurship Education Development (EED) as thought in our tertiary institutions. It was reveal that business plan carried out during cefe training can impact positively on business than the one offered by Entrepreneurship Education Development (EED) curriculum as presently thought in our tertiary institutions. Conclusion was drown and recommendations given which include the need for Cefe methodology to be integrated into academic curriculum of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, without restriction to field of study or discipline, this will afford students opportunity to learn more about practical entrepreneurship and business management competencies during the period of their studies, thereby becomes job creators instead of job seekers which will eventually boost economic activities. It was also recommended that the method demands strong support from governments at all levels, federal government, state and local governments, financial institutions and industrial promotion agencies, the business and academic communities at large as most respondents reveals that the effort of government support at all levels is not satisfactory.