Socio-economic influences on the ease of doing business in the Niger Delta: Evidence from small business owners and managers

Doing business with ease depends on many factors. For Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region, the ease of starting and running a small-scale business depends on so many factors. This paper aims to leverage the experiences of 103 small business owners and managers to examine the socio-economic factors influencing the ease of doing business in the Niger Delta region. Data collection was via the structured questionnaire administered via Google Form. Data analysis involved simple percentages, mean and ranking. The findings reveal that lack of power supply, getting credit and resolving insolvency are the major hindrances to the ease of doing business in the region. The study recommends setting up effective policies and programmes in the areas of attracting investment to the energy sector. The government should enlighten the masses about National Collateral Registry and its importance to business owners.