Family Ownership Structures and Governance Challenges in Selected Private Firms in Aba, Abia State

This study examines family ownership structures and associated governance challenges in selected private manufacturing firms in Aba, Abia State. Aba is one of Nigeria's most prominent industrial hubs, hosting a large concentration of family-owned enterprises engaged in garment production, footwear, and consumer goods. Family firms in this environment often operate without formal governance structures, raising concerns about succession planning, financial transparency, and accountability to non-family stakeholders. Drawing on family business governance theory and stewardship theory, this study investigates governance challenges including conflict of interest, informal decision-making, and absence of independent oversight. A qualitative research design is adopted, employing in-depth interviews with twenty family business owners, managers, and minority shareholders. Thematic analysis is applied to identify recurring governance deficiencies and proposed remediation strategies. The study anticipates that governance challenges in family firms are most acute during leadership transitions and in firms where family relationships override institutional controls. Findings will assist small business development centres, the Corporate Affairs Commission, and family business consultants in designing governance frameworks tailored to family enterprise contexts. This research enriches the South East governance literature and provides a contextualised understanding of family firm governance in Nigeria's informal industrial economy. Keywords: family ownership, governance challenges, private firms, corporate governance, Aba Abia State.