Determinants of entrepreneurial intention among undergraduates in a Muslim community

Purpose As part of the strategy to curb the rising unemployment among Nigerian undergraduates, entrepreneurship subjects were made compulsory in the curriculum of all the higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Nigeria. The idea is to trigger strong desire for enterprise creation rather than remaining job seekers among the undergraduates upon graduation. Accordingly, this paper aims to determine predictors to entrepreneurial intentions among university students in Muslim community of Northern Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Theory of planned behaviour was extended to include compatibility and educational support. The model was empirically tested and was analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling technique on a sample of 312 higher institution students in Zamfara State. Findings The finding shows that entrepreneurial intention is taken as a function of educational support, compatibility and perceived behavioural control. The extended model has predictive relevance, and it explained 36 per cent of variance in entrepreneurial intention. Originality/value The inclusion of compatibility has a unique effect on this study; no study has tested the effects of compatibility in entrepreneurial intention. In addition, no study has been conducted in a core Muslim state in Northern Nigeria, where most of the economic policies are Islamic-driven and unemployment rate is relatively high. In addition, no study has been conducted in the context of necessity entrepreneurship using TPB.