Access to Credit on the Growth of Women Entrepreneurs in Jos, Plateau State: The Influence of Financial Support Services

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of financial support services and access to credit on the growth of women entrepreneurs in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design and applied multiple regression techniques for empirical analysis. Data were collected through document reviews and interviews with women entrepreneurs. The findings revealed that financial credit awareness has a positive and significant impact on the growth of women entrepreneurs in Jos metropolis, while access to credit had no significant influence. The study also found that the stringent conditions attached to loan guarantors and high interest rates on loans were significant barriers to accessing credit. Consequently, financial guarantors had an insignificant impact on the growth of women entrepreneurs. The study concludes that financial credit awareness, women's financial guarantors, and access to credit are essential requirements for the financial support facilities necessary to impact the growth of women’s entrepreneurial businesses positively. Recommendations include organizing extensive seminars and workshops to educate women entrepreneurs, reducing stringent loan guarantor conditions, and developing policies to enhance credit assurance services and financial information infrastructure for women-owned businesses.