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Original research
ENERGY ACCESS AND FEMALE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERFORMANCE IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES: EVIDENCE FROM GENDER-INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXTPages 77-88
Abstract
The study investigated the effect of energy access on female entrepreneurial performance within rural and semi-urban communities in Rivers State, Nigeria. Recognizing the critical role of energy availability in enabling sustainable enterprise development, the study examined how energy access influences three key dimensions of performance: entrepreneurial growth, innovation, and reputation. Drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and collected primary data from 1,509 female entrepreneurs across diverse sectors. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings revealed that energy access has a significant and positive effect on entrepreneurial growth, reputation, and innovation. These results show the strategic importance of energy infrastructure in enhancing business scalability, operational efficiency, and service consistency among female-owned enterprises. The study contributed to the growing discourse on gender-inclusive development by offering empirical insights into the intersection of energy access and female entrepreneurial performance. It recommended targeted energy interventions, capacity-building initiatives, and innovation-enabling platforms to strengthen the performance of women-led businesses in underserved regions.
Keywords: Energy Access, Female Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Performance, Innovation, Growth and Reputation.
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Isaac Onyeyirichukwu Chukwuma, 
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