Impact Analysis of Violent Conflict and Enabling Business Environment on Entrepreneurial Performance in North East Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

The issues of countless loss of lives, properties and closing down of business operations as a result of violent conflict in Nigeria despite enabling business environment and efforts of the Nigerian Government towards entrepreneurship development necessitates this study. The study investigates the impact of violent conflict and enabling business environment on the entrepreneurship performance in Nigeria with a particular reference to North East Zone of Nigeria. The paper adopts a survey research method in order to enhance empirical investigation. Random sampling was used to select 705 entrepreneurs in six (6) states across the North-East Zone. The structural questionnaire was used to obtain primary data while pair test was used to analyze the data. The calculated ttest value for annual sales volume and annual profit volume during violent conflict period and during violent conflict-free period with enabling business environment indicates high significant impact of enabling business environment without violence on good entrepreneurial performance. Thus, it was found that violent conflict leads to low business performance, unnecessary closing down of businesses, and reduction in number of employees, unemployment and high level of poverty among entrepreneurs in the zone. In order to maintain peace and improve entrepreneurship performance, the study recommends, among others, that political thugs in the society should be identified, call to order, given proper orientation and reformation towards gaining employment opportunities. Also, people should learn to forgive and forget past injustices in order to avoid reprisals while maintaining adequate enabling business environment.