The design and impact of an apprenticeship-based entrepreneurship intervention in Nigeria

This project, implemented in collaboration with Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, seeks to advance knowledge on the design and effectiveness of policies and interventions aiming to spur youth entrepreneurship and decent employment.

Using a randomized control trial, the project will assess the impact of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development program, an apprenticeship-based entrepreneurship intervention in Nigeria implemented under the National Youth Services Corps scheme. This impact evaluation study will be complemented with a desk study and qualitative analyses (based on focus group discussions and key informant interviews) to investigate structural and institutional barriers influencing gender equality in enterprise development in Nigeria. The evidence generated will shed light on the effectiveness of apprenticeship and work-based learning as a way to encourage entrepreneurship and to reduce the burden of unemployment. With this evidence, it is hoped that governments and other relevant actors will learn how to design better and more inclusive interventions that will address the needs of potential women and men entrepreneurs.

The project is part of a cohort of IDRC-supported projects aimed at boosting decent employment for Africa’s youth. This focuses on two niche areas: soft and digital skills, and apprenticeship and mentorship models that work for youth. Developed as part of a collaborative effort between IDRC, the Dutch Knowledge Platform on Inclusive Development Policies (INCLUDE) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the goal is to provide practical guidance and tools for policymakers and practitioners to help realize aspirations for large-scale positive change through a coordinated effort.