Title: Digital Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment in Emerging Economies: Challenges, Opportunities, and Institutional Perspectives
Authors: Merith Ifeoma Anaba Leonard Achile Ogwuche Sunday Musa Onalo
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
Pages: 27-42
Publication Date: 2025/10/28
Abstract:
This study examines the role of government policies in shaping entrepreneurial practices and youth employment outcomes within Abuja between 2015 and 2025, emphasizing the mediating influence of digital entrepreneurship. Anchored in institutional and innovation theories, the paper explores how regulatory frameworks, taxation policies, access to finance, infrastructure development, and anti-corruption measures affect entrepreneurial performance and employment creation among youths. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through surveys and key informant interviews with entrepreneurs, policy actors, and institutional stakeholders. Findings reveal that digital access, educational attainment, and institutional support significantly enhance entrepreneurial engagement, while policy inconsistencies and infrastructural gaps hinder growth and inclusivity. The study highlights digital entrepreneurship as a transformative mechanism that bridges skills, innovation, and job creation in emerging economies. It concludes that fostering digital literacy, strengthening institutional quality, and aligning public policy with entrepreneurial realities are crucial for sustainable youth employment. The paper recommends a coordinated strategy integrating digital ecosystem maturity, financial inclusion, and regulatory efficiency to stimulate innovation-driven entrepreneurship and socio-economic mobility in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory and similar contexts across Africa.