Women Entrepreneurs’ Knowledge and Use of Renewable Energy Technologies in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria

The study determined women's knowledge and use of renewable energy technologies (RETs) in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State. The specific objectives were to assess women's knowledge levels of renewable energy technologies, examine their attitudes towards adoption, evaluate usage frequency patterns, identify challenges hindering effective utilization, and determine ways to enhance the use of renewable energy technologies among women in Ilorin Metropolis. A descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. Five research questions and five null hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. A total of 651 respondents comprising 178 women with Primary/Secondary education, 162 with ND/NCE qualifications, 154 with HND/B.Tech degrees, and 157 with Postgraduate degrees participated in the research. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics. The findings revealed that women demonstrated moderate knowledge of renewable energy technologies (grand mean = 2.71), with stronger understanding of basic concepts but limited technical expertise. Women exhibited positive attitudes towards renewable energy adoption (grand mean = 2.97), particularly recognizing environmental benefits and supporting solar technology deployment. Usage frequency patterns showed generally low utilization (grand mean = 2.12), with solar-based technologies like phone charging and lighting being most commonly used. Major challenges identified included high costs of renewable energy products (mean = 3.58), lack of awareness, inadequate training, and poor government support. Enhancement strategies strongly endorsed included government subsidies (mean = 3.61), providing loans for technology purchase, and organizing awareness campaigns. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences across all research dimensions based on educational qualifications (p < 0.05), with higher educated women demonstrating greater knowledge, more positive attitudes, higher usage frequency, fewer perceived challenges, and stronger support for enhancement strategies. The study concluded that implementing differentiated, education-responsive renewable energy promotion programs that address financial barriers, provide technical training, and strengthen government support mechanisms will significantly enhance women's adoption and effective utilization of renewable energy technologies in Ilorin Metropolis.