The influence of culture on the business growth ambitions of married women entrepreneurs in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Gideon, HC, 2025. The influence of culture on the business growth ambitions of married women entrepreneurs in Kaduna State, Nigeria. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

Business Growth Ambitions (BGAs) are an essential driver of entrepreneurial success for women entrepreneurs, yet existing studies predominantly examine realised business growth rather than the ambition to grow. This study shifts the discourse by examining how cultural and institutional contexts uniquely shape BGAs of Married Women Entrepreneurs (MWEs) in Kaduna State, Nigeria. While marriage significantly structures gender dynamics, autonomy, and access to resources, its influence on MWEs’ BGAs remains underexplored, particularly in Northern Nigeria where patriarchal norms are deeply embedded.

This study investigates how cultural factors including traditional gender roles, motherhood, spousal approval, and religious beliefs influence MWEs’ BGAs. It also explores the adaptive strategies MWEs use to navigate these constraints, and the role of external support mechanisms. Employing a mixed methods approach, the study utilises the 5Ms Framework (Brush et al., 2009), alongside New Institutional Theory and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Schema, to examine the intersection of culture, marriage, and BGAs. Quantitative data from 280 MWEs highlight barriers such as limited capital, lack of spousal support, and restricted access to opportunities. Qualitative insights from 20 MWEs reveal cultural constraints including limited mobility, prioritisation of family over business, and diminished decision-making autonomy, further intensified by religious beliefs, particularly in conservative regions.

Contrary to literature that frames patriarchal norms as universally disempowering, this study finds that economic realities are reshaping dynamics, as some men rely on their wives’ earnings, enabling MWEs greater autonomy. Yet, cultural expectations drive MWEs to still divert business resources to family needs. Cultural factors can act as enablers, when MWEs receive spousal and familial support, and evolving societal mindsets offer new entrepreneurial opportunities. An emergent theme is the significance of a proactive, self-sufficient mindset, with MWEs displaying resilience through strategic adaptations such as spousal negotiation, operating businesses within safe spaces, utilising family support, and technology adoption.

Interviews with policymakers reveal a policy focus on startups and agriculture, neglecting MWEs in growth stages or other sectors. This misalignment between policy implementation and MWEs’ needs highlights the need for gender-sensitive policies and interventions. Churches provide funding and training, yet similar support is lacking in Mosques, disadvantaging Muslim MWEs. Therefore, this study recommends that policymakers should engage husbands and religious leaders to promote support for MWEs.

The study contributes to gendered entrepreneurship literature by challenging the assumptions that generalises women entrepreneurs’ experiences in non-Western contexts. It contributes to theory by expanding the 5Ms framework to 7Ms, integrating Marriage and Mindset as distinct factors shaping the BGAs of MWEs. The research calls for policies that go beyond startups and engage with religious and male stakeholders to build inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems, supporting sustainable development goals in culturally restrictive environments.

Item Type:	Thesis
Description:	Abridged version
Creators:	Gideon, H.C.
Contributors:	Name Role NTU ID ORCID Thompson, P. Thesis supervisor ECN3THOMPP https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1961-7441 Zhao, Y. Thesis supervisor SMI3ZHAOY https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9750-9847 De Avillez, M. Thesis supervisor SMI3DEAVIMM https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9147-6140
Date:	September 2025
Rights:	I, Himi Comfort Gideon, confirm that this thesis is my original work and intellectual property, and that all sources used have been duly acknowledged. Any contributions from other scholars or external sources have been explicitly cited and referenced in accordance with Nottingham Trent University’s academic integrity guidelines. I declare that this thesis has not been previously submitted, either in part or whole, for any degree or academic award at any university or institution of learning. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed to the author.
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	28 Nov 2025 15:33
Last Modified:	28 Nov 2025 15:33
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54827

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