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GROWTH CONSTRAINTS OF SMALL SCALE ENTERPRISES IN
NIGERIA
A CASE STUDY OF ABA URBAN
ABSTRACT
This study was
intended identify the constraints, those factors which impede the performance
of small scale enterprises. The study was carried out in Aba Urban area in Abia
State. A total of 400 small scale
enterprises considered for this study. However, a total of 128 firms were
actually used. The firms were selected based on stratified sampling method
using the criteria of product grouping. Research questions guided the study.
Structured questionnaire, complemented with personal field observation the data
collected. The study showed that finance, infrastructure, exemplified by
irregular electric power supply, restricted market and managerial deficiency were
the major factors, which impede the performance and growth of small scale
enterprises. Based on the above findings, it was recommended that banks
streamline their lending requirements to suit or favour small scale borrowers;
that electric power supply be improved upon; that government through it
agencies patronize the products of small industries and that government step up
special and harmonized incentive package to small scale enterprises.
LIST OF TABLES
Table I Sampling procedure 20
Table II Summary of
questionnaire responses 22
Table III Summary of data analysis 23
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Acknowledgement iii
Dedication iv
Abstract v
List of Tables vi
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
Statement of problem 1
Aims and objectives 6
Research questions 8
Method of study 8
Significance of the study 9
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER
THREE: STUDY METHODOLOGY
Sampling procedure 18
Data collection 21
Method of data analysis 21
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS
Summary of analysis 24
Interpretation of result 30
CHAPTER
FIVE: MAJOR FINDINGS
Summary 32
Conclusion 33
Limitations of the study 34
Recommendations 35
Appendix I Arithmetic mean calculation 38
Appendix II Questionnaire 41
Appendix
III. Government
policies and incentives small and medium enterprises
Appendix
IV. Importance of small
scale enterprises 43
Bibliography 53
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Over
the years term Small Scale Enterprises (SSE) unique or universally varying
interpretation or definitions. Consequently, there is no unique or universally
accepted definition for this term. It is recognized that the definition changes
over a period of time and depends to a large extent on a country’s level of
development. The definition varies from country to country and industry to
industry. More so, as inflation eats into the value of our domestic currency
the monetary yardstick employed previously in defining a small scale enterprise
soon becomes obsolete. A cursory look at some of the evolving definitions given
to small scale enterprises will drive home the point being made here. This
variety of definitions is probably due to differences in policy focus by
different government agencies in Nigeria.
ü In
its 1989 credit guidelines to banks, the central bank of Nigeria stated that in
the case of commercial banks, small scale enterprises are those with annual
turnover not exceeding N500, 000. In the case of merchant banks, they are
enterprises with capital investment not exceeding N2.0 million.
ü In
the federal ministry of industry guidelines to the Nigeria bank for commerce
and industry (NBIC), small scale enterprises are defined as those with the
total cost not more than N500, 000 (excluding) cost of land but including
working capital. The NBCI, in its regular operations has adopted the definition
of small scale as those with cost of capital not in excess of N750, 000
(excluding cost of land but including working capital).
ü The
center for industrial research and development (CIRD) at the Obafemi Awolowo
University, IIe-Ife defines as small scale, those enterprises with total assets
in capital equipment, plant and working capital not exceeding N250, 000 and
employing not more than 50 full time workers.
ü The
Nigeria industrial development bank defines as small scale enterprises with
project caot (investment and working capital) not exceeding N750, 000.
ü The
introduction of the structural adjustment programme (July 1989-June 1988) and
with it, the realignment of the naira exchange rate raised production costs,
particularly of high dependent industries. The higher operational costs as a
result of the depreciation of the naira motivated the World Bank to consider a
definition closely related to present day cost price configuration. It
described micro-enterprises as those with fixed assets (including land) plus
cost of the investment project below N400, 000 in constant 1998 prices. Small
and medium scale enterprises are those with fixed assets (excluding land) plus
cost of the investment project exceeding N10.0 million in constant 1988 prices.
This definition was to guide the disbursement of $270.0m loan assistance to
Nigeria’s small and medium scale businesses.
ü The
national economic reconstruction fund NERFUND, 1993 classified an enterprise to
be small scale if its fixed assets (excluding land) were not in excess of
N10.0m.
ü In
its credit guidelines to bank in 1991, central bank of Nigeria, CBN, defined a
small scale enterprise as a company whose capital investment (including land
and working capital) does not exceed N10.0m or hose turnover was not more than
N25.0m per annum.
ü The
national council on industry defined small scale enterprise as any enterprise
whose total cost (including working capital but excluding the cost of land)
falls between N1.0m and N4.0m and whose staff strength is between 11 and 13.
It
could be seen from the above that the definition of small scale enterprise
revolves around investment outlay, labour employment and output. Accordingly,
small scale enterprises are usually characterized by low levels of investment
and turnover, simple technology and a few employees and managers. It is usually
of sole proprietorship or partnership, though some are often registered as
limited liability companies. It has centralized management and administration,
limited sources of medium and long-term capital and high mortality rate.
Regarding
the case of its formation, small scale enterprise does the economic landscape
of Nigeria the rural areas not exempted. Small scale enterprises are dynamic,
flexible and adapt more easily to new market conditions. They represent the
foundation head of vitality for the national economy. It is generally believed
that small scale enterprises came into existence as an aftermath of the
indigenization policy of the 1970’s. The main objective of the indigenization
policy of the 1970’s was raising the proportion of indigenous ownership of
industrial investment in the country. The policy was seen as complementing
political independence, which is in line with the strong belief that political
independence would be meaningless without a god measure of economic independence.
The policy gave adequate opportunities for indigenous participation in economic
activities.
In
a dogged effort to achieve a more self-reliant economy, Nigeria pursued and
import substitution strategy; a strategy of manufacturing locally those
consumer goods it imported previously. Aided by the indigenization decrees of
the 1970’s and measurable protectionist policies, industries mushroomed all
over the place.
Small
scale enterprises therefore, cannot be divorced from the industrialization drive
of the managers of Nigeria economy. The economic realities of the precipitous
decline in oil earnings in the 1980’s necessitated a policy re-direction aimed
at re-aligning domestic production pattern with the local resource base. Hence
the promotion of small scale enterprises. Small scale enterprises were
recognized by the government as far back as the early 1970’s as one of the
means of achieving industrialization. The focus on small scale enterprises was
predicated on their impact and potential contribution to broad-based economic
growth and development as well as their catalytic effect in achieving macro-economic
objective such as employment, diffusion of economic power and promotion of
indigenous technology. Through a network of intricate linkages with large scale
enterprises, small scale enterprises are capable of enhancing a diversified
production base.
The
growing importance of small scale enterprises in Nigeria can be appreciated by
looking at the pride of place it occupied in many national development plans.
For instance, in the second national development plans the government stated
that it was its policy to give active support to the promotion and development
of small initiated by government to enable them attain their objectives. This
culminated in the establishment of the Nigerian industrial development bank
(NIDB). The fourth national development plan (1980-85) stated that the
objective of mounting special assistance programme for the development of small
scale enterprise was for them to serve as a necessary tool for the development
of the Nigeria entrepreneurs. Government interest in this sector is suggestive
of the fact that government sees the sector as growth generating.
Small
scale enterprise could be factory or non-factory oriented. Factory type refers
to small manufacturing concerns. Non-factory type refers to both traditional
and modern artisan establishment. Service providers or facilitators such as
transporters fall under the non-factor category.
For
the purpose of this study, the interpretation given to a small scale enterprise
is a firm engaged in the manufacture or fabrication of materials whose capital
base (excluding land) is less than N2.5m and employment strength of less than
50 persons.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Small
scale enterprise engaged in manufacturing, are replete with tales of woes in
terms of performance, despite of governments incentives (see annex III) to
them. This situation must have compelled Olumu (1985) to state that small scale
enterprises in the developing countries hardly grow beyond a certain point as
if there are physical barriers that are impossible for them to assail. In other
words these enterprises continually remain small against the expected growth
and expansion.
Small
scale enterprise is among other things expected to provide raw materials and
semi-finished products to large scale enterprises. As at today, the large scale
enterprises source a greater percentage of their raw materials from outside our economy since the
small scale enterprises cannot meet their requirements. Cookey (1998) quoting
Anywanwu et al (1997) observed that the contribution of this sector to the nation’s
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been on the decline. In 1981 its contribution
was 10% in 1991 it was 8.5% while in 1994 it slides further down to 8.4%.
Many
of these small scale enterprises are closing shop or retrenching their workers
thus compounding the unemployment problem in the country. Fakorede (1988) found
that more than 720 small scale enterprises folded up in Lagos state alone. The
story is not different in other states of the country.
The
civilian administration of Obansanjo since 1999 has spent a colossal sum of
money to ensure a steady provision of energy (electricity). Instead of regular
power supply, firms experience more epileptic electricity supply. Consequently,
machines in some firms idle away. The provision of sizeable generators cannot
be contemplated, as the cost is well beyond the financial resources at their
disposal.
Financial
institutions are not helping matters. In spite of central bank of Nigeria (CBN)
instruction to them to allocate a sizeable percentage of their loanable fund to
small scale enterprises, banks are cautious in complying with this instruction
preferring instead to pay attendant penalties. Banks set conditions extremely
difficult to meet all in an attempt to avoid extending loans to small scale
enterprises. To buttress banks reluctance to extending loans to SMEs, Mr.
Erastus Akingbola, Vice Chairman and Chief executive officer, intercontinental bank
PLC opined that most SMEs do not have bankable projects.
1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The
purpose of this study is to identify those factors which impede the performance
of small scale enterprise thus disenabling them to fulfill their role in the
overall economic development of Nigeria. Especially the study is aimed at
1. Identifying
the constraints which militate against the performance of small scale
enterprises.
2. Analyzing
how the identified constraints actually impinge on the performance of the small
scale enterprises and
3. Drawing
policy implications to tackle the identified constraints.
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This
study will be guided by the following research questions:
1. Do you
agree that the operating environment in terms of infrastructure especially
power supply is conducive for the growth of your establishment.
2. Bank
readily extends medium and long term credit to your kind of business. Do you
agree?
3. It is
difficult getting people with requisite skills to run your business. Do you agree?
4. Restricted
market impedes your expansion prospects. Is this true?
5. Sourcing
foreign inputs is cumbersome. Is this true?
6. Managerial
deficiency hinders the growth of your business. Do you agree?
1.5 METHOD OF STUDY
The
method of study shall be sample survey. Questionnaire items shall be given to
select small scale enterprises chosen through a sampling procedure. Information
supplied by respondents to the questionnaire shall be analyzed and interpreted.
Where applicable interviews and personal field observation shall complement the
information supplied by respondents. Arithmetic mean shall be employed to
interpret the data obtained from the questionnaire.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
study seeks to bring to the fore for development and the necessity on the part
of government to encourage them play or discharge their roles in the economy.
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