GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

                                                                            ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between economic hardship and the intention to quit among entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Correlational survey design was adopted for this study carried out in Akwa Ibom State. The targeted population for the study comprised of all entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 60 entrepreneurs each from the three senatorial districts in Akwa Ibom State and it gave a sample size of 180 respondents. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire entitled “Economic hardship and Intention to Quit Entrepreneurship Questionnaire (EHIQEQ)”. Face and content validation of the instrument was carried out by an expert in test, measurement, and evaluation the instrument’s accuracy for the study under consideration. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0.79 and this was high enough to justify the use of the instrument. The researcher subjected the data generated for this study to appropriate statistical technique such as percentage analysis used in answering the research questions. The result of the findings revealed that there is high effect of economic hardship on entrepreneurs’ intention to quit business in Akwa Ibom State and also that financial constraints and business continuity is the greatest reason why entrepreneurs quit business in Akwa Ibom State The study concluded that understanding how economic hardship influences entrepreneurs’ intention to quit is vital for supporting entrepreneurship and fostering economic resilience. One of the recommendations was that the Federal Government should establish financial support programs and tax incentives specifically targeted at entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State.

KEYWORD: Economic, Hardship, and Entrepreneur