The Influence of Entrepreneurship Education on the Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students in Katsina State, Nigeria

This study attempts to determine the influence of Entrepreneurship Education (EEd) on the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Katsina State, Nigeria. The study is guided by the following specific objectives: to examine the nature of entrepreneurial education being acquired by the students to determine the extent of influence of the acquired education on the students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy and to determine the extent of influence of the acquired education on student’s entrepreneurial mindset. Secondary and primary sources were used in generating data for the study. Using stratified and random sampling techniques, data was generated by means of a structured questionnaire administered to 400 students across the three universities in the State. Descriptive statistics as well as simple regression was used in analysing the data collected from the respondents. Findings revealed that students fairly agreed that they have acquired education in major areas of entrepreneurship encompassing creativity, innovation, and venture creation and that EEd has a significantly positive influence on their entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial mindset. The study recommends that university managements should devise means of an adequate follow-up of their graduates to ensure the translation of their entrepreneurial intentions into venture creation, while entrepreneurship education lecturers should pay special attention to the area of venture creation as the students do not seem to be very optimistic in their ability to translate business opportunities into business projects/ventures.