Self - Employment Among Youths in Ojo and Alimosho LGA, Lagos Nigeria: Perceptions, Attitude and Contributions – A Statistical Assessment

Abstract

This study examined the perceptions, attitude and contribution of self -employment among youths in Lagos State with the aim of ascertaining the factors that inspire perception, attitude of youth self-employment and how it impacts the youths. A survey was conducted among youths in Ojo LGA, Lagos State Nigeria using a self -designed questionnaire collect data on different factors related to youth perception, attitude and contributions to selfemployment. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistic, Chi Square test and Analysis of Variance with the aid of Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS). The result show that 57.0% of the youths agreed that self-employment development among young people is high and this was significantly associated with perception and attitude of self-employed youth (p < 0.05). However, the perception, attitudes and views on contribution of self -employment differed significantly among youths from the major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria (p < 0.05). It was therefore concluded that some demographic factors are significantly associated with perception and attitude of youths on self-employment. Also, self -employment improves the standard of living of youths and increase national income while lack of conducive business environment, high cost of doing business and lack of strong and consistent patent -law was among the factors that significantly negatively impact selfemployment drive in the country. The study recommended that the government should create a conducive business environment and work towards reduction of the high cost of doing business as a way of encouraging youths into self -employment.