ISSN 2360-7963
Abstract
This study investigates how entrepreneurship education (EE) contributes to building entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) among Nigerian undergraduates, emphasising confidence as a pivotal outcome of learning. Guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour, and Kolb’s experiential learning model, the study adopts a cross-sectional survey of 300 students drawn from public and private universities in Southwestern Nigeria. Data were collected through a validated, structured questionnaire (Cronbach's α ≥ 0.78) and analysed using regression models to explore relationships between curriculum design, educator effectiveness, experiential learning, and ESE. Findings reveal significant demographic patterns: the majority of respondents were male (60%), undergraduates (75%), and aged 18–25 (60%), highlighting the importance of targeting younger students at formative educational stages. Results demonstrate that EE substantially enhances students’ confidence in entrepreneurial tasks, with the highest gains recorded in opportunity identification (+1.09), business plan development (+1.08), and resilience in recovering from failure (+1.15). Regression analysis shows that for every unit increase in curriculum depth and breadth, students’ ESE scores rise by 0.428 units (p < 0.01), with curriculum quality explaining 40.4% of the variance in self-efficacy. Tracking graduates’ career paths further indicates that 65.3% pursued entrepreneurship, predominantly in social enterprise (27.7%), technology (23.7%), and agriculture (18.7%). This underscores the long-term efficacy of EE in fostering sustainable entrepreneurial careers. The study concludes that effective EE must integrate experiential infrastructures, industry linkages, and faculty development to cultivate mastery experiences that build confidence and resilience. By strengthening ESE, Nigerian universities can better prepare graduates for venture creation, job generation, and economic transformation.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship Education, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, Experiential Learning, Nigerian Universities, Curriculum Design, Youth Empowerment