Relational Analysis of Child Labour and Juvenile Entrepreneurship in Nigeria

This paper examines the relationship between child labour and juvenile entrepreneurship, The specific objective of the study is to determine the extent to which child labour leads to juvenile entrepreneurship. Considering the economic situation of present day Nigeria, absolute abolition of child labour in Nigeria is impossible and will lead to further hardship for parents/families that depend on the supportive income of these children. Some children involved in child labour have become juvenile entrepreneurs, therefore as alternative to child labour the nation should encourage and implement juvenile entrepreneurship to reduce the pandemic of child labour. Some of the successful entrepreneurs in our society were involved in one form of child labour or the other. This proves that some of the children who were the victims of child labour developed entrepreneurial spirit and skills that now manifest in their role as successful businessmen, industrialists and politicians. The methodology used in this study is desk research and oral interview. It is observed that child labour has helped in developing the entrepreneurial skills of some children through the hard way. It has also been used as way out of abject poverty for poor parents. Further observations indicate that bsolute abolition of child labour in Nigeria is impossible and will lead to further hardship for parents/families that depend on the supportive income of these children. The study therefore recommends that governments at Local, State and Federal levels should provide educational facilities where such children can receive formal education for at least two to four hours every day. The programme should be made flexible enough to accommodate their other entrepreneurial schedule. The study further recommends that children who are victims of child labour should be encouraged to learn useful skills that may lead them to becoming great entrepreneurs.