The study examines the relationship between the Igbo Apprenticeship System (IAS) and sustainable development in Enugu State, Nigeria. The IAS popularly known as “Igba Boi” or “Imu Ahia”has historically functioned as an indigenous institution of entrepreneurship formation, skills transfer, capital incubation and social mobility in Southeastern Nigeria. Yet, despite its visibility in public discourse, it is still frequently discussed as a cultural practice rather than as a development institution with measurable implications for employment, income generation, entrepreneurship skill development, enterprise creation, poverty reduction and local economic resilience. Against this background, the study investigates how the IAS contributes to youth entrepreneurial skill development, income and livelihood sustainability in Enugu State. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach anchored on a descriptive survey design and supported by key informant interviews. The target population comprises masters, apprentices, settled former apprentices and market association leaders in selected apprenticeship-intensive commercial clusters in Enugu State. A sample of 345 respondents is drawn from an accessible population of 2,450 using Taro Yamani’s formula. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and analysed using frequency distributions, mean scores and chi-square tests. The findings revealed that the IAS significantly improves youth entrepreneurial skills development, contributes to micro and small enterprise creation, and supports income generation and livelihood sustainability. However, its developmental effectiveness is constrained by inadequate settlement, absence of written contracts, limited access to finance, uneven digital adaptation and occasional exploitative labour practices. The study concludes that the Igbo Apprenticeship System remains one of the most important indigenous pathways to sustainable development in Enugu State because it combines skills formation, mentoring, social capital and business incubation within a locally legitimate institutional framework. Nevertheless, its long-term contribution depends on institutional strengthening, fairer settlement practices, digital upgrading, gender inclusion and policy integration into state-level employment and MSME frameworks.
Ikenna et al. (2026) studied this question.