A Review of Business Education Curriculum and Entrepreneurial Competency Development for Graduate Self-Reliance in Nigeria

Mansur Adam Saidu, Abdulmutallib Umar Baraya

Abstract


Business education is expected to prepare graduates with the knowledge, practical skills and entrepreneurial competencies required for employment, enterprise creation and economic independence. However, the extent to which business education curricula adequately prepare Nigerian graduates for these outcomes remains an important concern. This review examines the relationship between curriculum relevance, instructional practices, entrepreneurial competency development and graduate self-reliance in Nigeria. It synthesises literature addressing curriculum content, accounting and management education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, practical learning, educational technology, institutional capacity and enterprise performance. The review also considers contextual factors, including access to finance, institutional resources, mentoring and market opportunities, that may influence the translation of acquired competencies into entrepreneurial action. The reviewed literature provides a basis for understanding curriculum relevance and instructional practices as important dimensions of competency development, while highlighting the distinction between perceived competence, entrepreneurial intention and demonstrated enterprise outcomes. An integrative conceptual framework is proposed to explain the potential relationships among curriculum and instructional inputs, entrepreneurial competencies, self-efficacy and graduate self-reliance. The review identifies priorities for curriculum reform, experiential learning, institutional collaboration and future empirical research. 


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