THE IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL POLICY INTERVENTION ON THE SURVIVAL OF SMES IN NIGERIA

This study aims to evaluate the impact of individual policy intervention on SMEs survival during COVID-19. Questionnaire was employed to gather data from the 266 selected SMEs in Nigeria. The cross sectional dataset comprising 266 firm-year observations was analyzed using both descriptive and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) techniques. The results show that, among all the intervention policies implemented, extension of credit facilities to private sector has the highest impacts on SMEs survival thus it is the most important policy intervention in relation with SMEs survival. The study also found that the Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) is the second most important policy intervention. The findings are important because it provide valuable insights for policymakers on the prioritization of policy interventions, particularly the extension of credit facilities to the private sector and AGSMEIS, to enhance the resilience of SMEs during economic shocks.