Franchise As A Tool For Business Growth And Employment Generation In Nigeria: A Case Of 9 Mobile Nigeria Limited

F10Franchise as a Tool for Business Growth and Employment Generation in Nigeria: A Case of 9 Mobile Nigeria LimitedAikor, Shirgba TimothyThe School of Post-Graduate Studies,Departmentof Business Administration,Nasarawa State University, Keffi.Shirgba@gmail.comAbstractranchise as a business model has recently been argued to be the new bride of emerging entrepreneurs in Nigeria as well as foreign investors. The main objective of this study is to assess the role of franchising as a tool for business growth and employment generation in Nigeria using 9Mobile Nigeria limited as a case study. The study has also identified the factors that inhibit the fast growth of this business model in Nigeria. The design adopted for the study is descriptive survey with a population of 109,where sample size of 71 was selected using Taro Yamanes’s formula. The study found that; franchising is truly an emerging business strategy that promotes business growth and reduces unemployment by creating jobs. The study identifies certain constraints for growth of this business model to include; poor access to finance, poor infrastructural facilities, low technical know-how, overbearing influence of the Franchisor, absence of institutional framework and low returns on investment. The study therefore, recommends the enactment of a franchise regulatory framework, improve the road and other relevant infrastructure, enhance access to finance and promote greater awareness on the franchise business concept to ensure growth of businesses and employment generation in Nigeria.