EFFECT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES, IN GUSAU METROPOLISE ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA

The purpose of this study was to investigate how entrepreneurial competency affected the performance of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Gusau, Nigeria's Zamfara State. The study concentrated on a few Gusau SMEs. In particular, the study looked at how networking and opportunity competences affected the success of SMEs in Gusau, Zamfara State. For the study, a survey design was chosen, and the instrument for gathering data was a questionnaire. 510 proprietors of SMEs in Gusau make up the population, and stratified sampling procedures were used in the study. For data presentation and analysis, the study employed straightforward percentages, mean, and standard deviation; for hypothesis testing, linear regression analysis was employed. The study's conclusions showed that networking skills had a big impact on Gusau's SMEs' performance. Additionally, the study showed that the performance of SMEs in Gusau is significantly impacted by opportunity competencies. The study comes to the conclusion that every entrepreneur has to have entrepreneurial competencies. According to the report, Gusau SMEs' owners should keep a close eye on their clients in order to fully comprehend their wants.