AN ASSESSMENT OF THEEFFECT OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION ON ECONOMICEMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN BOKKOS LOCAL GOVERNMENTAREA, PLATEAU STA TE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The study examined the effect of financial inclusion on the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the influence of credit facilities and savings services on women's economic empowerment. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. A population of 550 women entrepreneurs was used, from which a sample size of 232 was determined using Yamane's (1967) formula. Out of the 232 questionnaires distributed, 223 valid responses were retrieved and analyzed, representing a response rate of 96.1%. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression with the aid of SPSS version 26. The findings revealed that credit facilities exert a positive and statistically significant effect on women economic empowerment (β = 0.247, t = 5.103, p < 0.05). Similarly, savings services significantly affect women economic empowerment (β = 0.285, t = 6.054, p < 0.05). The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.288) indicates that the explanatory variables jointly account for 28.8 percent of the variations in women economic empowerment. The study concludes that financial inclusion contributes significantly to women's economic empowerment in Bokkos Local Government Area. The study recommends that financial institutions should provide affordable credit and strengthen women-oriented savings programmes to promote business growth and economic independence.