Can Entrepreneurial Skills Development Mitigate Poverty Among Dropped Out High School Teenage Mothers in North-Central Nigeria?

Abstract

Recently, it was observed that a majority of girls dropped out of high schools due to early marriage, pregnancy, and poverty in North Central Zone of Nigeria. This led to the increase of out-of-school children which is now put at 12 million. Based on the conversation, the researcher seeks to examine whether entrepreneurial skills development do mitigate poverty among now teenage mothers in the zone. Two research questions guided the study. Furthermore, qualitative approach was used as research design for the study. Six focus groups were formed to elicit information for the study. Additionally, semi-structured interview was developed; thereafter, narrative analysis was adopted to analyse the data. It was discovered that teenage mothers were engaged in sewing and needle work, laali design, and mobile phone repairs. Similarly, it was also found that teenage mothers' acquisition of entrepreneurial skills has a great impact on their financial autonomy, poverty reduction, and improving the Nigerian economy.