Financial inclusion has been globally recognised as essential for capital accumulation, easy financial services accessibility, poverty alleviation as well as entrepreneurial and economic growth. As Nigerian government is making progress in the achievement of financial inclusion, many businesses seems to be springing up in the financial and other economic sectors with intention to tap from the growing access to official financial services. This paper aims at ascertaining the effect of financial inclusion (FI) on entrepreneurial growth (EG) in retail and wholesale sub-sectors in Nigeria using quarterly data from the World Bank's World Development Indicators and the Central Bank of Nigeria. Data were analysed using correlation analysis and error correction approach. The results reveal that FI has a significant positive effect on EG particularly in the context of the retail and the wholesale subsectors contributions to gross domestic product (GDP). The results further indicate that account ownership (ACN) did not have significant influence on the growth rate of the retail and the wholesale sub-sectors, while commercial bank branches (CMB) was found to have significant influence on the growth rate of the retail and the wholesale sub-sectors. This implies that CMB is a critical FI channel with potentials of driving the EG particularly in the context of the retail and the wholesale sub-sectors contributions to GDP. We recommend that government should establish more CMB in all rural areas in Nigeria for easy access to official financial products by the unbanked entrepreneurs. Also, FI stakeholders should deepen efforts in encouraging ACN through improving on financial literacy of the vast unbanked populace so that formal financial system through capital accumulation can serve the needs of entrepreneurs for effective growth and contributions to GDP.
There has been moderately scarce literature on the relationship between company social responsibility (CSR) and the cost of capital (COC) in Nigeria. Numerous studies have analysed the association between the CSR of the companies quoted within the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) relating to their overall performance neglecting the COC component. This study examined the long-run relationship between CSR dimensions (Corporate social performance (CSP), environmental performance (ENP) and corporate governance (CGP) dimensions and cost of debt (COC). It seeks to investigate if CSR has, in the long run, reduce the cost of capital. Annual panel data of 96 companies for the duration; 2005-2020 quoted in the NSE were selected judgmentally. Thomson Reuther Index (TRI) was used as a measure of CSR, whilst the cost of equity (COE) and cost of debt (COD) were used as a measure of COC. Panel ARDL model was adopted to analyse the long-run relationship between CSR and COC. Findings revealed that companies that spend on CSR have a better chance of accessing capital at a reduced cost. The results support the findings of scholars works, especially in the developed countries. In conclusion, companies that spend on CSR have a better chance of accessing capital at a better and low cost. Based totally on the findings, the researcher advocates an on-stop investment on issues that concerns CSR as this may, if consistent, ease the getting of funds at a reduced cost in the long run.
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