Socioeconomic drivers of the declining Igbo apprenticeship scheme (Igba Boyi) and sustainable pathways of its reinvigoration

The Igbo apprenticeship scheme (Igba boyi ) of Southeastern Nigeria, once celebrated as a transformative entrepreneurial incubator, is experiencing a notable decline, yet this trend remains under-examined through a sustainability lens. This study investigates the socioeconomic drivers of this decline and proposes pathways for reinvigoration to attract younger generations. Framed by the triple helix model (industry, government, academia), the research employed a concurrent mixed-methods design with 2401 survey respondents (1201 masters, 1200 apprentices) and qualitative data from in-depth interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions in Onitsha markets. Findings revealed that 77% of masters and 68.7% of apprentices perceive the scheme as declining, driven predominantly by negative public perception of apprenticeship as ‘servitude’ among educated youths, a preference for formal education, a get-rich-quick mentality, and systemic failures in oral agreements and settlement practices. To reverse this trajectory, we propose reconceptualizing Igba boyi as ‘apprenticeprenureship’ or ‘nkwado-ogranya’ (preparation for wealth creation), operationalized through the triple helix framework: government providing legal backing and certifications, academia delivering tailored business curricula and digital skills training, and industry adopting standardized codes of conduct. This integrated model offers a sustainable pathway for preserving a vital indigenous economic institution.