Authors: OGRA Olatunbosun Abiodun Emmanuella, ONYEDIKACHI, Oluchi Jemimah
Abstract: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are widely recognised as important drivers of economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development, especially in rural communities where formal employment opportunities are scarce. This study explored how financial inclusion, government policy support, and technology adoption influence MSME growth and contribute to the revival of rural economies in Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. A convergent parallel mixed-methods approach was adopted. For the quantitative component, structured questionnaires were administered to 150 MSME operators. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. Complementing this, qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 12 key stakeholders and examined using thematic analysis. The regression results revealed that all three factors had statistically significant positive effects on MSME growth. Technology adoption emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.612, p < 0.001), followed by government policy support (β = 0.311, p = 0.047) and financial inclusion (β = 0.287, p = 0.049). Collectively, these variables accounted for 58.4% of the variance in MSME growth (R² = 0.584, Adjusted R² = 0.575, F = 68.42, p < 0.001). The study concludes that technology adoption stands out as the most powerful driver of MSME performance in the study area. It recommends integrated interventions aimed at improving digital infrastructure, expanding financial inclusion, and strengthening policy implementation to foster sustainable rural economic revival in Etche and similar communities across Nigeria.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21638167
