Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Mentorship Programs has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with job creation of youth entrepreneurs. This growing interest reflects the recognition that mentorship programs does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Lagos State.

Lagos State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on mentorship programs, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with job creation of youth entrepreneurs, particularly within Lagos State. Many organizations continue to make decisions about mentorship programs without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect job creation of youth entrepreneurs. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Mentorship Programs on job creation of youth entrepreneurs in Lagos State.
2. To assess the extent to which mentorship programs influences job creation of youth entrepreneurs within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with mentorship programs in relation to job creation of youth entrepreneurs.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing mentorship programs in order to improve job creation of youth entrepreneurs.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of mentorship programs on job creation of youth entrepreneurs in Lagos State?
2. To what extent does mentorship programs influence job creation of youth entrepreneurs within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with mentorship programs in relation to job creation of youth entrepreneurs?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize mentorship programs in order to improve job creation of youth entrepreneurs?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around job creation of youth entrepreneurs. For managers and practitioners within Lagos State, the study provides practical insight into how mentorship programs can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on entrepreneurship by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this BSc study confines itself to Lagos State, focusing specifically on how mentorship programs relates to job creation of youth entrepreneurs within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.