Unlocking Human Capital Development through Technopreneurship Education: Evidence on the Moderating Influence of Entrepreneurial Mindset from Niger State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65820/ejems-2vol2-issue1-2026Keywords:
entrepreneurial mindset, human capital development, innovation and creativity, technopreneurship education, technological competenceAbstract
Purpose: Graduate unemployment remains a persistent challenge in Niger State, Nigeria, despite growing investments in entrepreneurial education. This study examines the moderating effect of entrepreneurial mindset (EMS) on the relationship between technopreneurship education and human capital development (HCD) among tertiary institution students.
Methodology: A quantitative research design was adopted using data from 500 students selected from a population of 9,135 students across tertiary institutions in Niger State through purposive sampling. The study assessed key dimensions of technopreneurship education—Business and Financial Literacy (BFL), Entrepreneurial Skills (ES), Innovation and Creativity (IC), and Technological Competence (TC). Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), with EMS specified as a moderating variable.
Results: The findings indicate that BFL (β = 0.194, p = 0.002), ES (β = 0.218, p = 0.001), IC (β = 0.146, p = 0.004), and TC (β = 0.224, p = 0.000) exert significant positive effects on HCD. Although EMS shows only a marginal direct effect on HCD (β = 0.092, p = 0.054), it significantly strengthens the relationships between TC and HCD (p = 0.000) and between BFL and HCD (p = 0.006).
Novelty and contribution: The study advances technopreneurship literature by demonstrating that entrepreneurial mindset enhances the effectiveness of specific technopreneurial competencies in driving human capital development.
Practical and social implications: The study recommends integrating entrepreneurial mindset training into technopreneurship curricula, supported by mentorship and experiential learning initiatives, to improve graduate employability and foster sustainable human capital development in tertiary institutions.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Silas Ndace (Author)
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This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
