Petty Trading and Household Livelihood among Women in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State

Abstract

The main objective of the study was the determination of the impact of petty trading on household livelihood among women petty traders in Akwanga Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa state. This was achieved through two specific objectives – to determine the contributions of women petty trading on household income, and its role in attaining household living standard. The study relied on the use of primary data, obtained from a random sample of 343 women owners of petty businesses in Akwanga. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey involving the administration of copies of a structured questionnaire with closed-ended items forming each variable scale. The collected data was used to estimate a structural model using the PLS-SEM statistical technique, to test the pertinent formulated hypothesis and evaluate variable relationships. The result obtained showed that women petty trading businesses had positive and significant effect on household income and living standard.  in Akwanga. It was therefore, recommended that due to the importance of petty trading into our growing economy, government and non-governmental organization should encourage more women to go into trading by supporting them with adequate finances for development and women petty traders need to analyzed the kind of business they want to engage onto so as to reduce the magnitude of certain uncertainty in the future.