PERCEPTIONS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POS (POINT OF SALE) BUSINESS AS A CATALYST FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN ONDO CENTRAL NIGERIA

This study investigated the perceptions of the effectiveness of point of sale (POS) business as a vehicle for youth empowerment in Ondo Central Senatorial District of Ondo State, Nigeria. The research was guided by three key questions and tested one null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Employing a descriptive survey research design. The population includes youths operating POS within Ondo Central Senatorial District. Due to the open or undefined nature of POS businesses and lack of official records, the exact number is not known or publicly available. A usable sample of 136 was obtained through purposive sampling. Data was gathered using a 20-item, four-point rating scale questionnaire, which was validated by two academic experts and demonstrated strong internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.86. The analysis, conducted using mean scores and standard deviation for the research questions and an independent t-test for the hypothesis, revealed that POS business is perceived by many youths as an effective tool for empowerment in the specified district. A key finding was the absence of a statistically significant difference between the perceptions of male and female operators regarding the effectiveness of POS businesses for youth empowerment. The study concludes that POS business serves as a vital tool for the economic and social empowerment of young people in the digital age within Ondo central. Consequently, it is recommended that the National Youth Policy be updated to officially recognize and financially support POS businesses as a component of national youth empowerment strategies.