Microfinance Interventions and Their Impact on Poverty Alleviation and Entrepreneurship Among Secondary School Teachers in Lagos Informal Market Areas: A Systematic Review

Microfinance interventions have been explored for their potential to alleviate poverty and promote entrepreneurship among various populations, including secondary school teachers in formal and informal market areas. A comprehensive search strategy was employed, encompassing academic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were defined based on study design, target population (teachers), intervention type (microfinance programmes), and outcome measures related to poverty alleviation and entrepreneurship development. The review identified a significant proportion ($p > 0.05$) of studies reporting positive outcomes from microfinance interventions, particularly in terms of increased income levels among participants. However, variability was observed across different study designs and implementation contexts. Microfinance interventions show promise for enhancing the financial resilience and entrepreneurial activities of secondary school teachers working in Lagos's informal markets, though further detailed research is needed to elucidate optimal intervention strategies and outcomes. Future studies should consider longitudinal assessments and randomized controlled trials to strengthen evidence base. Additionally, tailoring microfinance programmes to local contexts could maximise their impact on poverty alleviation and entrepreneurial development.