





































 

VOL. 11, NO. 2 
FALL 2022 

 

Entrepreneurial Engagements 
Its Motivations and Challenges Among Undergraduate 

Students of Nsukka Arts School in Nigeria 

Chikelue Chris Akabuike 

University of Nigeria 

 

ABSTRACT: This study addresses the experiences of undergraduate entrepreneurs, including 
what motivates them, their challenges, and how they navigate both entrepreneurial activities 
and academic work. Using a snowball approach, a qualitative research design involving fifteen 
purposively selected respondents from among the sculpture students of the Nsukka Art School 
was used as a case study. Data collection and analysis were conducted using a semi-structured 
interview and a thematic analysis approach, respectively. Findings show that respondents are 
actively involved in entrepreneurial deeds within multiple non-sculpture related fields such as 
painting, graphic, communication design, T-shirt printing, portrait making, and utility wood 
sculptures. They are motivated by the quest to address personal financial constraints. Such 
entrepreneurial quests, however, expose them to specialization and operational, marketing, 
and managerial challenges. It is recommended that policymakers in academia, industry, and 
government work together toward repositioning student entrepreneurs by creating the 
enabling environment for economic growth. While a further study is needed to understand how 
undergraduates navigate their managerial challenges, the nuanced performance and difference 
in age and gender is noteworthy. KEYWORDS: entrepreneurial activities, motivation, 
undergraduates’ challenges, Nsukka Art School. DOI: doi.org/10.34053/artivate.11.2.172 

Introduction 

For decades, textual evidence has shown that entrepreneurship contributes greatly to 

national development (UNCTAD 2004; Smith 2010, Patten, 2016). Hence, some African 

countries, like Ghana, have witnessed positive economic transformation and evidence of 

improved unemployment rates, which are due to students’ engagement with 

entrepreneurship activities (Tsikata, 2001; Bani, 2003; Quaidoo, 2018; Arthur & Adom, 

2019). Nigeria, however, is yet to utilize its students’ entrepreneurial capacity. 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

2 

Consequently, there has been an increase in youth unemployment and an inclination 

towards illicit means of making money—an avoidable development which may be 

countered by the utilization of opportunities like wood sculpture and other students’ 

entrepreneurial practices (Akabuike, 2021a; Akabuike, 2021b; Ngwu & Akabuike, 2019; 

Ellis, 2017; Amsami, 2014). The Ghanaian government, on the other hand, has continued 

to “promote entrepreneurship, especially among the youths with the introduction of 

initiatives such as the Campus Business Pitch” (Naa, Arthur & Arthur, 2020, p. 84; Tanko, 

2019). Furthermore, the Tertiary Students’ Entrepreneurship Initiative (Mohammed, 

2019) suggests that promoting students’ entrepreneurial activities can reveal their 

entrepreneurial capabilities (Bergmann, Hundt & Sternberg, 2016). Naa et al. also argue 

“…that the student entrepreneur gains entrepreneurial learning experiences that position 

students for better navigation in full-time entrepreneurship at a future date” (2020, p. 84). 

Fatoki (2014) has also argued that some successful entrepreneurs today started in 

university environments. This emphasizes the important roles played by both the 

student’s environment and a university education in nurturing entrepreneurial growth 

and ideas. The Ghanaian experience offers the need for investigations into other African 

countries, especially Nigeria, in which its untapped students’ entrepreneurial activities 

could do a lot to assuage the country’s economic peril.  

Art entrepreneurs contribute to the economic development of any nation. They do so 

through their unique level of creative input, involvement in innovative engagements, and 

revenue generation (Philips, 2010; Ngwu & Akabuike, 2019; Akabuike, 2021; Thurik, 

1999). As such, there is a need for its critical study in tertiary institutions where the youth 

constitute what scholars call the “creative city.” In recent times, however, studies have 

focused on understanding the students’ entrepreneurial intentions for future 

entrepreneurial activities rather than on their current entrepreneurial engagements, 

motivations, and challenges (Marchand, Hermes & Sood, 2015; Appiah-Nimo, Ofori & 

Arthur, 2018). This is arguably why the concept of student entrepreneurship is 

underdeveloped in Africa (Naa et al., 2020), and particularly in Nigeria (Akabuike, 2021a 

& 2021b).  

Student entrepreneurship involves active innovative engagements in revenue 

generation through entrepreneurial activities by individuals studying full-time at a 

university (Marchand et al., 2016). Other scholars argue that (among professional artists) 

what may constitute entrepreneurial activities may not always be innovative 

engagements and revenue generation but also self-management, self-marketing, and self-

actualization activities that help professional artists to market their identity and sell their 

artwork to the world (Beckman & Essig, 2012; Pollard & Wilson, 2014; Chang & 

Wyszomirski, 2015; Rivetti & Migliaccio, 2018). As a fledgling and expanding subject 

(Shoshanah et al., 2018), arts entrepreneurship caught the attention of gatekeepers in the 

entrepreneurship fields in the early 2000s (Caves, 2000; Rentschler, 2003; Mulcahy, 2003) 

and provoked a wide range of art entrepreneurial definitions.  

Whereas to some the term arts entrepreneur is related to business in a similar context 

and with the same guiding principles that determine success in a normal 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

3 

entrepreneurship vernacular (Beckman, 2007; Wyszomirski & Goldberg-Miller, 2015), 

McNicholas (2004), for example, refers to it as cultural entrepreneurship. Yet, according to 

Essig (2015), this is a brand new discipline with a scope beyond corporate management 

and the potential for a more socially relevant and public value standard. The lack of 

consensus on the definition has forced scholars of arts entrepreneurship to draw on ideas 

from other fields of study for the conceptual frameworks, models, hypotheses, and 

findings of their research (Preece, 2013; Essig, 2015; White, 2017). The numerous sectors 

of arts entrepreneurship, including arts administration and policy, non-profit 

management, and the business world—alongside the different parameters of their 

respective disciplines—is why the term has so many varied definitions.  

That said, Beckman (2014) advocates the need to define the term arts 

entrepreneurship because doing so will assist to distinguish between what is and is not the 

practice. Moreover, there are not many texts that encourage the idea of art as an 

entrepreneurial endeavour in African discourses, and there is not much literature on the 

theories that should guide entrepreneurship study, education, and practice (Akabuike, 

2021a & 2021b; Chandler & Lyon, 2001; Baumol, 1993; Bull & Willard, 1993; Cooper, 1993; 

Bygrave & Hofer, 1991).  

These developments may have resulted from a dearth of qualitative documentation 

of academically trained artists and their entrepreneurial engagements and perspectives 

in the creative and cultural industries. These gaps may have also contributed to the severe 

unemployment that young people currently experience in various African countries, 

particularly in Nigeria where youth internet fraud is now prevalent (Akabuike, 2021b; 

Ellis, 2017). Since this is a new field, academics have called for a clearly defined and widely 

accepted concept. However, it is hoped that as the discipline develops, a consensus will 

eventually emerge. Nevertheless, there is a consensus that arts add value, and this, on the 

other hand, is a key element in the context of arts entrepreneurship. This is a concept that 

has the totality of monetary benefits alongside the added value of cultural and intellectual 

productions (Frey, 2005).  

This partially captures the reality of the connection between Nsukka Art School (NAS) 

students’ underlying needs for entrepreneurial art. Chang, Wyszomirski, and Essig (2015) 

emphasise arts entrepreneurship as a medium for accomplishment via the deployment of 

ingenuity with limited resources. To this extent, there is a need to anchor theories on 

“tested and observable situations” (White, 2019, p. 47).  This is what the current study sets 

out to achieve. Accordingly, the study relies on the foregoing arguments to explore the 

nexus between the activities of undergraduates of the NAS at the University of Nigeria, 

Nsukka. This will help to nuance what constitute entrepreneurial activities among 

undergraduates of the NAS, what motivates them, and how they navigate their academic 

pursuit and other challenges that confront them.  

The findings may be similar to those of either Naa et al. (2020), in Ghana, or to 

Ndirangu and Bosire (2004), in Kenya, wherein students undergo entrepreneurial 

experiences as a survival strategy. This is under the assumption that Nigeria’s present 

economic state may be compared to both Ghana and Kenya before the economic 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

4 

resuscitation occurred following students’ entrepreneurial education. It may be that the 

steep unemployment level makes it difficult for some parents to take care of their 

children’s educational needs. Additionally, low-paying jobs arguably underscore the need 

for undergraduate entrepreneurship. Therefore, there is a strong need to explore 

undergraduate entrepreneurship with the aid of a qualitative method not only into what 

they do but also into why and how they do them (Dana & Dana, 2005). This call echoes 

Nabi et al., (2010) who specifically suggest the need for more in-depth and qualitative 

research to understand the stories and circumstances surrounding entrepreneurial 

students.  

The exploration of these assumptions using the NAS undergraduate entrepreneurs as 

a case study will aid our understanding of the needs of undergraduate entrepreneurs, as 

well as provide sustainable feedback on their engagements, motivations and challenges, 

failures (if any), disappointments, and successes. Elsewhere, scholars have identified 

some of the challenges entrepreneurs face, including poor statistics on the survival rates 

of enterprises, especially start-ups and micro, small, and medium-sized (MSME) 

businesses (Naa et al., 2020; White, 2019; Essig, 2012). However, considering the pressure 

to meet their academic demands and other specific limitations like access to resources 

and expertise, the challenges that the undergraduates encounter concerning 

entrepreneurship could be markedly different (Fatoki & Garwe 2010; Fatoki, 2014). In all, 

a good understanding of undergraduates’ entrepreneurial endeavors will give useful 

insight for proper policy developments that will encourage personal hard work and the 

ability to benefit society.  

Background  

Students’ Entrepreneurial Engagements   

There is evidence in the literature of students’ active participation in entrepreneurship 

(Sugiarto et al., 2014; Nenzhelele et al., 2016; Naa et al., 2020). While some of their 

involvements are an offshoot of academic experiences (Bathelt et al., 2010), others are the 

outcome of partnerships with bodies that encourage entrepreneurship (Akabuike, 2021a; 

Pittaway et al., 2011; Pittaway et al., 2015; Ngwu & Akabuike, 2019). In other instances, 

some have merely stumbled into opportunities and have capitalized on them (Ndirangu & 

Bosire, 2004; Fatoki, 2014; Fini et al., 2016). The undergraduate entrepreneurial 

involvements usually occur within the university environment with members of the 

university community as the target market (Ndirangu & Bosire, 2004). The services 

rendered include (but are not limited to) businesses in the production of general art, 

graphic design, fashion design, video games, architecture, T-shirt branding, and 

communication design (Anderson, 2014; Protogerou, Caloghiru & Markou, 2015). All these 

endeavors contribute to economic development (Adebayo & Jenyo, 2013). The ongoing 

circumstances gives rise to an assumption that visual arts provide countless opportunities 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

5 

and increases confidence for interested undergraduates who indulge in entrepreneurship 

(Akabuike, 2021b; Bell & Bell, 2016). Such indulgence might culminate in a full-time 

entrepreneurial engagement after graduation (Nenzhelele et al., 2016). This can, 

therefore, help to curb the present economic hardship in Nigeria. These assumptions, 

however, remain to be confirmed by the undergraduates of the Nsukka Art School. 

Drive for Undergraduates Entrepreneurs  

Scholars have observed that the need for financial gratification is the primary factor that 

drives undergraduates into entrepreneurship (Naa et al., 2020; Fatoki, 2014; Kirkwood, 

2009; Bensing et al., 2009; Ndirangu & Bosire, 2004; Carter et al., 2003). Apart from 

financial reward, other reasons include opportunity, the desire for independence, the 

quest to conquer challenges and achievement, family financial security, and job 

satisfaction and security. Robichaud et al. (2001) group these under intrinsic and extrinsic 

broad categories. Krishna (2013) categorizes them as internal and external influences, 

while Charles and Gherman (2015) refer to them as push or pull factors.  

Elsewhere, scholars have identified both family and peer influences as the primary 

driving force for students’ entrepreneurship in Italy (Fini, Meoli, Sobrero, Ghiselli & 

Ferrante, 2016). In Africa, scholars have identified the need to survive and overcome 

financial difficulties rather than an opportunity for career building as the major reason for 

students’ entrepreneurial quests (Naa et al., 2020; Ndirangu & Bosire, 2004). 

Notwithstanding these efforts by students, it has been observed that the revenue 

generated from these experiences is usually insufficient to meet their financial needs. This 

was corroborated by Naa et al. (2020) in their recent study of Ghana. Another study in 

South Africa has shown that most undergraduate entrepreneurs are driven by financial 

challenges (Fatoki, 2014). The current article tests these assumptions among the 

undergraduates of the Nsukka Arts School.    

Academic Work Balance and the Challenges of Undergraduate 

Entrepreneurs 

Embarking upon entrepreneurial practices always comes with a lot of challenges (Naa et 

al., 2020). These challenges, which are grouped under technological, marketing, financial, 

production, and managerial factors, confront students as well as general entrepreneurs 

(Sugiarto, 2014). Textual evidence shows that access to finance, lack of business 

managerial skills, poor networking, and labour costs are the major challenges facing 

undergraduate entrepreneurs (Fatoki & Garve, 2010; Fatoki, 2014; Naa et al., 2020). 

However, unlike the challenges of lack of technical and managerial skills in Africa, the 

difficulties confronting student entrepreneurs in developed countries, like Italy, include 

high taxation and excessive bureaucracy (Fini et al., 2016). Other difficulties include low 

self-confidence in student entrepreneurs, cultural diversity among those working in 

groups, and poor commitment of group members (Bagheri & Pihie, 2011).  



ARTIVATE 11.2 

6 

However, Ndirangu and Bosire (2004) observe that the challenge of balancing 

entrepreneurial activities and academic work remains the topmost need of undergraduate 

entrepreneurs. Elsewhere, Abamba, Lawanson, and Sobowale (2017) observe that student 

entrepreneurial engagement has no significant or adverse effect on their academic 

performance. Ndirangu and Bosire (2004) corroborate this point by noting that only a few 

student entrepreneurs felt negatively impacted by their academic work. On the contrary, 

Fini et al. (2016) think that students who are not entrepreneurs performed better in terms 

of their ability to complete their studies on time. Also, their final grades seem better than 

those of the student entrepreneurs. According to Ndirangu and Bosire (2004), some 

student entrepreneurs have devised means of balancing their entrepreneurial activities 

and schoolwork. These include their ability to take advantage of periods of higher 

business opportunity, such as the start of the semester when students still have money, 

during celebrations like Saint Valentine’s Day when students give away presents, and 

during periodic events like birthdays and anniversaries. Students also account for the 

deficit of missed lectures by copying notes from colleagues, studying long into the night, 

and soliciting assistance from friends, family, business partners, and employees to assist 

with running their businesses while they are in school (Ndirangu & Bosire, 2004).  

Purpose of the Study 

The main purpose of the study is to ascertain what constitutes entrepreneurial 

engagements among the undergraduate students of Nsukka Arts School (NAS), University 

of Nigeria, Nsukka. Specifically, the study set out to determine:  

1. The type of entrepreneurial engagements undertaken by undergraduates of NAS.  

2.  The motivational factors for student entrepreneurship. 

3. The challenges faced by undergraduates of different abilities who engage in 

entrepreneurial activities. 

Research Questions 

1. What types of entrepreneurial engagements do undergraduate students of NAS 

undertake? 

2. What are the levels of motivational factors in NAS undergraduate 

entrepreneurial engagements? 

3. What challenges confront NAS undergraduate students of entrepreneurship? 

Methodology 

Relying on a case study, the methodology applied a qualitative research design to offer a 

thorough understanding of a given social unit (Nworgu, 2015). This design was deemed 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

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appropriate for this study because it focused primarily on a target group. The area of the 

study was the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu State, Nigeria. The study focused on 

undergraduate students of the Nsukka Art School. The population of the study included a 

total of fifteen participants drawn from third and final-year undergraduates of the visual 

arts sculpture section. Yin (2009) recommends the qualitative research approach for 

studying a specific topic in detail. In terms of the number of participants, Adler and Adler 

(as cited in Baker, Edwards & Doidge, 2012) have further suggested that a sample size 

between twelve and sixty is usually appropriate in qualitative research.  

Moving on, these fifteen students were purposively selected from the third and 

fourth-year classes for their active involvement in the provision of art services to the 

Nsukka environment. The entire population was sampled using a purposive and snowball 

approach since it was small and manageable. While, nine respondents were sampled from 

the final-year class, six were sampled from the third-year class. Once the first respondent 

in each class was selected purposively, snowball sampling, as prescribed by Naderifar, 

Ghaljaei, and Goli, (2017), was used to gain access to the rest of the respondents. This 

approach is most useful because it granted me access to those respondents who ordinarily 

may not have openly conversed with me. I applied it here because most of the students 

hide their entrepreneurial experiences from their teachers for fear that they be perceived 

as neglecting their academic assignments. Data saturation as prescribed by Saunders et 

al. (2018) was used as the guiding principle for the sample size determination. Hence, data 

collection was halted at the point where no new data emerged from the interviewees’ 

responses.  

Data collection was carried out with the help of a semi-structured interview guide. 

Data were also drawn from participant observation as respondents physically interacted 

with me for half an hour daily over three months, from February 2021 to May 2021, at the 

University of Nigeria, Nsukka. This was supplemented with follow-up interviews during 

and immediately after that period (June 2021). This allowed me to address any gaps 

identified in the analysis. The interview was considered the most appropriate instrument 

for data collection in this study because it created room for respondents to express their 

views and experiences freely and in detail (discussed further in Milena et al., 2008). These 

undergraduates shared their entrepreneurial engagements which enabled me to assess 

what constituted their entrepreneurial activities, their motivations, and the challenges 

that they experienced as students during the practice.  

The qualitative research design used for analysis here aligns with the position of 

scholars like Naa et al. (2020) and Hindle (2004), who advocate for an interpretivist 

epistemological stance and an ontological position of relativism with an emphasis on 

understanding and interpreting the stories of individuals, rather than proving a point or 

generalizing. Data analysis, therefore, involved open and axial coding and thematic 

strategies, as prescribed by Creswell (2005). In what follows, I present an overview of 

emerging key issues in relation to the theoretical and empirical literature; I also discuss 

the findings and offer conclusions and recommendations.  



ARTIVATE 11.2 

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Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 

As part of the eligibility criteria, the subject had to be studying fine and applied arts within 

the sculpture section at Nsukka Art School as well as be engaged in entrepreneurial 

activities. To be exposed to the research instrument (questionnaire and interview 

sessions), they had to be in their third and fourth years and not be on an industrial 

attachment at the time of this research. Students’ family members, sponsors, and staff of 

the department were excluded from the study. Undergraduates who were studying fine 

and applied arts in other sections, like textiles, painting, graphics, and fashion, were also 

excluded from the study.  

Result Presentation and Analysis 

Demographic Details of Undergraduate Respondents 

Respondents’ demographic details varied only slightly in characteristics such as age, 

gender, and year of study. Regarding age, eleven out of fifteen respondents fell within 

sixteen to twenty-five years old, while the remaining four respondents were slightly older: 

between twenty-six and thirty years old. 

The male undergraduates dominated the sample: eleven out of the fifteen 

respondents were males. This gender representation is poor considering the entire female 

population in the department and university. This may be because sculpture is perceived 

as masculine. However, the study shows that the four female representatives were 

steeped in entrepreneurial activities. It could be deduced, however, that they were 

exposed to entrepreneurial experiences during their third-year, second-semester 

industrial attachment. Of the fifteen respondents, only nine of them had completed their 

industrial attachment at the time of the study.  

Students’ Entrepreneurial Engagements  

Of the fifteen entrepreneurial activities performed by the students, only three 

respondents engaged in graphics and communication design, T-shirt printing, fashion 

design, and 3D /signboard design. Twelve students engaged in portrait making, painting, 

and metalwork, and thirteen engaged in utility woodwork sculptures. Whereas fifteen of 

them engaged in other sculpture commissions, fourteen engaged in modelling and casting. 

Two respondents engaged in make-up designing, while another two engaged in designing 

and printing works. The entrepreneurial activities that seemed least favored were knitting 

and weaving, calligraphic writing, and engraving: only one person was involved with 

them, respectively. 

Respondents’ Reasons for Engaging in Entrepreneurial Activities  

The various factors that motivate the students to delve into entrepreneurship were 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

9 

captured in their responses. Six engage in it for fun, and fifteen do so to improve their 

skills and finances, as well as strengthen their desire for independence.  The need to help 

others is the least motivating factor because only one respondent engages in 

entrepreneurial activities for that purpose. However, fourteen respondents do so to assist 

their parents/sponsors with extra income. Eleven respondents derive job satisfaction 

from entrepreneurial engagements. The interviews also revealed the desire to be well 

equipped with the right energy, zeal, technical know-how, and ability to face the 

challenges of running an art studio upon graduating. Findings from twelve out of fifteen 

respondents show that the desire to make extra money independent of their sponsors is 

a motivating factor. This dovetails with their desire to be able to handle their day-to-day 

financial needs as well as to contribute to the financial wellbeing of their respective 

families. 

Respondents’ Challenges as Undergraduate Entrepreneurs  

The students encounter serious challenges in some areas of their practice. Although two 

respondents find it difficult to execute work from other areas of the department, only two 

find it easy to market their work. This is why only two said that “they do not need 

managers to handle the marking aspect of their studio production.” However, fifteen of 

the respondents always find the necessary contacts to help them accomplish a given work. 

Other challenges not captured in the questionnaire (but revealed during the interview) 

include the risk of monetary involvement—that is, financial challenges to execute private 

works and display them for sale, as well as lacking an adequate venue to do so. In addition, 

there is the problem of a paucity of funds to purchase various materials and machines to 

facilitate work production. The risk of funding a piece of work that is not demanded 

remains a constraint, even as they battle with poor patronage and a lack of ready buyers 

after production. There is also the challenge of inadequate funds and capital to produce 

the kind of art that they have in mind.  

Another challenge is working overtime to meet academic deadlines and other 

assignments. The academic modules which encourage multiple classes per day sometimes 

limit the respondents from undertaking other tasks. However, when the workload 

increases, they end up not properly executing both classwork and contracts; and this also 

leads to ill health. This is clearly a challenge that reflects their inability to effectively 

manage time. Having late and sleepless nights to satisfy all pending workloads can be very 

tasking, and it arguably leads to physical stress during the day. It also causes issues of 

punctuality for classes and important school meetings. Satisfying deadlines becomes 

challenging as they must combine the acquired work with their school workload. Sharing 

entrepreneurial activity time with academic workload results in late submissions of 

poorly finished assignments. The inability to deliver work on time to their clients 

sometimes hampers the relationship between the client and business owner. This 

adversely affects their schoolwork and often leads to a loss of general focus. Another 

challenge is insufficient space to work. This includes the problem of sharing the limited 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

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studio space with other students.  

Discussion 

The foregoing presents the entrepreneurial engagements of undergraduate students of 

Nsukka Art School, their motivations and their challenges. The reasons that students risk 

their mainline academic work to engage in entrepreneurial activities include financial 

constraints, validation (Naa et al., 2020; Fatoki, 2014; Kirkwood, 2009; Benzing et al., 2009; 

Ndirangu & Bosier, 2004; Carter et al., 2003), and assumptions. This, therefore, 

corroborates my earlier position that Nigeria needs to borrow a lead from countries like 

Ghana and Kenya where students’ entrepreneurial activities boost the economy for both 

the students and the country. For this to thrive properly, time and other factors, including 

the possibility of tweaking the present academic curriculum and calendar, should be 

considered. The status quo does not afford the students enough time to engage gainfully 

in entrepreneurial activities.  

It is observed that although the respondents are sculpture students, they also engage 

in other areas of fine and applied arts endeavors, which gives them a wider range of 

entrepreneurial opportunities. It is also noted that in the quest for knowledge and skill 

acquisition, the NAS undergraduates explore beyond the skills acquired within the 

curriculum. They specifically covered areas like knitting, make-up, weaving, calligraphic 

writing, and engraving, even though only very few engaged in these areas. This supports 

the argument by Akabuike (2021a,b), Ngwu and Akabuike (2019), Protogerou et al. (2015), 

Adebayo and Jenyo (2013), and Anderson (2014) that the visual arts provide ample 

opportunities for entrepreneurial activities. Apart from the financial gratification, other 

students’ entrepreneurial motivating factors reside within the boundaries of fun, skill 

acquisition, the quest for independence, job satisfaction, and self-actualization. The 

finding shows that the respondents utilize this entrepreneurial opportunity to gather 

experience for the future (Bell & Bell, 2016).  

The findings show that other challenges include the issue of specialization and 

operational abilities, as well as marketing and managerial skills (Fatoki & Garve, 2010; 

Fatoki, 2014; Sugiarto, 2014). Significantly, the challenges of high taxation and excessive 

bureaucracy that Fini et al. (2016) emphasized elsewhere were completely absent in this 

study. This may be because of the relaxed taxation policies in many African states. The 

findings reveal the need for better university management, well-meaning individuals, 

extra effort from the teachers, and the society at large to develop an enabling environment 

that will foster entrepreneurial development for undergraduate entrepreneurs. 

Considering the respondents’ ages—youths in their prime who are filled with ambition 

and energy—granting them the opportunity to develop their full potential is of paramount 

importance to society.  



ARTIVATE 11.2 

11 

Recommendations  

Based on the above, the following recommendations are made. 

1. That policymakers in academia, industry, and government work together 

towards repositioning student entrepreneurs by creating an enabling 

environment for economic growth. 

2. An entrepreneurial study should be encouraged in undergraduates’ curricula, 

whether in private universities or government-owned institutions. This will 

promote the popularity of entrepreneurial activities among youths and 

undergraduate students.  

3. Hold regular workshops for teachers, parents, and other relevant stakeholders. 

These will facilitate the training and motivation of undergraduate entrepreneurs 

along the lines of entrepreneurial endowment and value for their creative 

abilities.  

4. Teachers ought to be inspired enough to foster a passion for creative arts 

instruction in secondary schools. Additionally, this will enhance the societal 

values of history and culture, as well as the associated benefits.  

5. Government, parents, and society should discourage acquiring paper credentials 

at the expense of practical courses like fine and applied arts, music, theatre, and 

film studies. If done so, this will free undergraduate entrepreneurs to participate 

more in activities that will support young people who are self-employed and 

employers of labor for the nation.  

Recommendations for further studies 

Further study is needed to understand how undergraduates navigate their managerial 

challenges, given the nuanced performance and difference in age and gender. The role of 

gender is a potential aspect to fully explore, including whether or not larger samples of 

female students will be needed to enable generalizations among visual arts. Also, the role 

that third-year industrial attachment plays in entrepreneurial activities is yet to be fully 

explored.  

Another issue is the balancing of their academic and entrepreneurial work. Granted 

that the current respondents are art students whose core study is geared towards 

entrepreneurship, a separate study, therefore, can investigate the implications of 

entrepreneurial activities on non-arts students to, among other things, know how they 

survive, juggle entrepreneurship, and interface with their academic work.  

Further study is also needed to ascertain the implication of entrepreneurial activities 

on others like history and education majors of fine and applied arts at the University of 

Nigeria, Nsukka. Since their training tends away from entrepreneurship, there is need to 

know how they navigate financial difficulties and needs. Also, the effect of 



ARTIVATE 11.2 

12 

entrepreneurship on students’ academic (final) year results remains unexplored. The 

exploration of these gaps will help to determine the best approaches to students’ 

entrepreneur policies by policymakers. This can be achieved by providing grants and 

scholarships for students of fine and applied Arts. This will not only ease the financial 

burden on them but also afford them the privilege to explore other creative areas and 

contribute to the country’s economic growth.    

Conclusion  

The findings of the study have shown that undergraduates of Nsukka Arts School (NAS) 

engage in multiple art-related fields, ranging from sculpture to painting, graphics, fashion, 

utility wood, and calligraphic writing. From the findings, it can be resolved that financial 

constraint is the topmost motivational factor in student entrepreneurs. They delve beyond 

their areas of specialization and into other areas of interest as long as there is some 

accruable financial benefit to claim with minimal risk to their academic work. 

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Adebayo, O., & Jenyo, G. K. (2013). Embarking on 
entrepreneurial activity in the textiles and 
clothing industry as the only way to economic 
growth in the sector. British Journal of Arts 
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Cover image: Staff from the Nsukka Art 
School sculpture section, Department of Fine 
and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, 
Nsukka. Photo by Ekene Anikpe.

 


	Introduction
	Background
	Students’ Entrepreneurial Engagements
	Drive for Undergraduates Entrepreneurs
	Academic Work Balance and the Challenges of Undergraduate Entrepreneurs

	Purpose of the Study
	Research Questions

	Methodology
	Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

	Result Presentation and Analysis
	Demographic Details of Undergraduate Respondents
	Students’ Entrepreneurial Engagements
	Respondents’ Reasons for Engaging in Entrepreneurial Activities
	Respondents’ Challenges as Undergraduate Entrepreneurs

	Discussion
	Recommendations
	Recommendations for further studies

	Conclusion

