Technopreneurship and Employment Generation: Evidence from Management Science Graduates in South-East Nigeria

This study examined the effect of technopreneurship on income generation among management sciences graduates in South-east Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to determine the extent to which digital skill acquisition and access to technology affect earned income. A crosssectional survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised management sciences graduates in South-east Nigeria, from which a sample of 384 respondents was selected using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using multiple regression to test the stated hypotheses. The findings revealed that: digital skill acquisition has a positive and significant effect on earned income of management sciences graduates in South-east Nigeria (β = 0.570, p = 0.000); access to technology has a positive but non-significant effect on earned income of management sciences graduates in South-east Nigeria. (β = 0.044, p = 0.404). In conclusion, management sciences graduates who possess digital proficiencies are better equipped to identify and seize opportunities in online marketplaces, remote freelance jobs, e-commerce, and digital consultancy, which are becoming more accessible due to global digitalization. The study recommends that Universities and other higher education institutions offering management sciences programs in South-east Nigeria should integrate practical digital skill acquisition into their curriculum and this should go beyond theoretical ICT courses to include hands-on training in digital marketing, data analysis, e-commerce, content creation, and web development.