Bridging the Digital Divide: A Comparative Study of Digital Entrepreneurship Adoption in Urban and Rural Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the level of digital entrepreneurship adoption in Nigeria, focusing on both urban and rural entrepreneurs. Nigeria has increasingly adopted digital economy strategies to encourage entrepreneurship, drive economic growth, and diversification. However, there are still significant spatial inequalities that affect how digital entrepreneurship adoption plays out. The research employed a descriptive survey design, collecting primary data from 200 entrepreneurs in urban and rural areas via structured questionnaires. The data was then analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test analysis. The results show that urban entrepreneurs exhibit significantly higher levels of digital engagement than their rural counterparts (t = 7.02; df = 198; p = 0.001; P < 0.05). This indicates that location significantly influences entrepreneurs’ adoption of digital technologies, with urban entrepreneurs reporting higher levels of digital engagement than rural entrepreneurs. The study concludes that rural entrepreneurs face constraints due to infrastructural deficiencies such as, limited digital resources, poor internet connectivity, and limited access to digital devices, which hinder their ability to adopt digital entrepreneurship. It recommends that rural digital literacy programmes, broadband access, rural innovation hubs, and mobile-based entrepreneurship support should be introduced, which could help bridge the urban-rural digital divide and boost the role of digital entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s economic growth.