Assessment of the Role of Women Entrepreneurs in the Hotel and Tourism Sector in Ogun State, South West Nigeria

This study assesses the role of women entrepreneurs in the hotel and tourism sector in Ogun State, South West Nigeria, examining their contributions, the constraints they face, and the enabling factors that support their success. Women's entrepreneurship in the hospitality sector has received growing policy attention globally as a pathway to economic inclusion and gender equity, yet sector-specific evidence from South West Nigeria remains limited. A mixed-method design is adopted with a quantitative survey of 80 female hotel and tourism business owners in Abeokuta and Sagamu, supplemented by qualitative in-depth interviews with 15 purposively selected high-performing women entrepreneurs. Business performance metrics, financing access, regulatory barriers, social capital networks, and mentorship utilisation are among the variables examined. Findings reveal that women-owned hospitality businesses in Ogun State are predominantly micro and small enterprises concentrated in food service, guesthouses, and travel agency operations. Access to credit is identified as the single most binding constraint, with 74 percent of respondents reporting rejection or inadequate credit allocation from formal lenders. Informal networks through women's cooperative societies are found to be significant financing substitutes. Successful women entrepreneurs consistently report mentorship as a transformative factor. The study recommends gender-responsive hospitality financing schemes, formalised mentoring networks, and business development support programmes targeted at women in Ogun's tourism sector. Keywords: women entrepreneurship, hotel sector, gender equity, Ogun State, hospitality business