EFFECTS OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE AGRO ENTERPRISES ON ACCESS TO MICROFINANCE BANKS CREDIT

EFFECTS OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE AGRO ENTERPRISES ON ACCESS TO MICROFINANCE BANKS CREDIT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background of the Study

Nigeria is among the few countries of the world characterized by contradictory socioeconomic and development scenarios (Nwokocha, 2007). Despite her enviable human and material resources, the country and its peoples are still classified among the very poor (Okunmadewa, 2001, HDI Report 2010) with no fewer than 54% of Nigerians living below poverty level (Akinyele, 2005). It is described as a country with a complex socio-political history that has for most part, impacted adversely on the population through worsening income distribution and increased poverty (Salamatu, 2008). Consequently, the number of rural inhabitants that migrate to cities with high hopes of overcoming powerlessness consistent with rural life is unprecedented. The resulting population densities in these destinations and the corresponding disadvantages require effective regulations that will engage the push factors on one hand, and how immigrants could adjust to destination cities without infringing on existing social equilibrium on the other (Ezebunwa, 2009). Majority of the people living in rural communities are categorically the small farmers, tenants, micro entrepreneurs, and the landless poor. However, it is obvious from the trends between 1980 till date that poverty is becoming an increasing problem in Nigeria (Fidelis, 2009). Meeting basic amenities and cash requirement for family maintenance is the main challenge for the micro entrepreneurs and farming communities of which account for about 58 percent of the informal sector of the economy (World Bank Doing Business, 2007; Klaus, 2010). Survival strategy is the main philosophy of the entrepreneur from generation after generation. Nowadays, poverty is considered as the main unbalancing element of