External Support Interventions and Youth Entrepreneurial Success in Lagos State, Nigeria: A Mixed Method Analysis of LSETF Beneficiaries

This study examines how training, mentorship, and financial support influence youth entrepreneurial success in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite widespread implementation of these interventions, few studies simultaneously assess their relative and combined effects in urban African contexts, limiting understanding of optimal support design. Drawing on human capital theory, social capital theory, and resource-based view, the research employs mixed methods: quantitative survey data from 250 LSETF beneficiaries analyzed through multiple regression, with qualitative focus-group discussion data explaining mechanisms underlying observed statistical relationships. Qualitative analysis reveals that financial support enables asset acquisition, training works through operational formalization, and mentorship effectiveness depends on duration and sector-matching, while implementation gaps substantially attenuate intervention effectiveness. This study provides the first validated framework demonstrating that entrepreneurship support effectiveness in resource-constrained urban African contexts depends critically on implementation quality and temporal coordination rather than merely resource provision.