Entrepreneurship and Disability: Managing Inclusive Business Development for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities in Nigeria

This study examines the entrepreneurial experiences, management challenges, and institutional support needs of Nigerians with physical, sensory, or intellectual disabilities who have established and are operating small businesses, with a focus on inclusive business development practices in Abuja, Lagos, and Enugu. Entrepreneurship represents one of the most viable economic participation pathways for people with disabilities in Nigeria, given widespread discriminatory barriers to formal employment, yet the specific enterprise management challenges faced by disabled entrepreneurs and the institutional responses needed to support them have not been systematically studied. The study employs a qualitative descriptive methodology, conducting in-depth interviews with 20 entrepreneurs with disabilities across the three cities, supplemented by interviews with 10 disability-focused business support organisation representatives. Thematic analysis was applied to identify management challenges, coping strategies, and support gaps. Findings reveal that disabled entrepreneurs face compounded barriers including physical inaccessibility of business premises and financial institutions, attitudinal discrimination from customers and suppliers, and the specific operational adaptations required for different disability types that increase management complexity. Entrepreneurs with physical disabilities in digital and knowledge economy sectors show better business performance than those in trade and manufacturing, where physical infrastructure limitations are more constraining. Social enterprise networks of disabled business owners are identified as critical support structures that formal institutions have not replicated. Recommendations include mandatory disability-inclusive design standards for government business support facilities and earmarked enterprise development funds for disabled entrepreneurs. Keywords: disability entrepreneurship, inclusive business development, Nigeria, enterprise management, social enterprise.