Effect of entrepreneurship education on access to finance among youth in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan

Entrepreneurship education has increasingly become a key driver for economic growth, employment creation, and poverty reduction, particularly in developing and post-conflict countries. The study aimed at establishing the relationship between entrepreneurship education and access to finance. The study adopted correlational research and collected data from a sample of 378 (94.5% response rate) youth respondents involved in entrepreneurship education programs in Central Equatoria State using a self-administered questionnaire. Pearson Correlation, ANOVA tests of linearity, and simple linear regression were used to analyze the relationship between entrepreneurship education and access to finance. The study established that entrepreneurship education positively and significantly influenced access to finance. This study concluded that there is a positive and significant relationship between entrepreneurship education and access to finance. It is therefore recommended that the Government of South Sudan should strengthen youth financing schemes and establish accessible loan facilities for young entrepreneurs, while financial institutions develop youth-friendly lending mechanisms with reduced collateral requirements. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Education, Access to Finance, Youth, South Sudan.