Business Education and Entrepreneurial Intentions: Why Our Classrooms Produce More Job Seekers Than Job Creators

Abstract

Business education was established to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies
necessary for gainful employment, self-reliance, and entrepreneurial success. However, despite the increasing
emphasis on entrepreneurship education in higher institutions across Nigeria and Africa, many graduates of
business education continue to pursue paid employment rather than establish and manage successful enterprises.
This contradiction has raised serious concerns regarding the effectiveness of business education in developing
entrepreneurial intentions among students. This conceptual paper examines why business education classrooms
continue to produce more job seekers than job creators. It discusses the paradox of business education, the gap
between expected and actual outcomes, the limitations of theory-driven instruction, students' fear of business startup,
and the disconnect between classroom learning and industrial practice. The paper concludes by proposing a
re-imagined model of business education that integrates experiential learning, digital entrepreneurship,
innovation, mentorship, and industry collaboration to prepare graduates for Africa's emerging entrepreneurial
economy.