Globalizing an Indigenous Entrepreneurship System: The Igbo ‘Igba Boyi’ Apprenticeship Model

This paper examines the phenomenon of Igbo Apprenticeship System (IAS) popularly known as ‘Igba Boyi’ as a model of business internship whereby a young person stays with an experienced and successful business person in order to understudy his or her trade or business. As an experiential business incubation model, the entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, discipline and capital start-up infusion are honed, harnessed and deeded to a mentee upon cycling out. Against the backdrop of lack of entrepreneurship knowledge and start-up capital that stifles the growth of SMEs among many African States, this paper interrogates the Model in order to ascertain the plausibility for its replication across cultures and states. By way of qualitative exploration and interrogation of secondary sources, the paper observes that the IAS is salient in bridging the gaps of challenges that beset the growth of SMEs and entrepreneurship businesses especially in Africa. The model was found to be a unique enabler of SME’s development promotes business growth and survival rate; creates access to trade and informal credit; and creates opportunity for excellent entrepreneurship management skills and competence. The paper posits that though the IAS is a traditional entrepreneurship model developed by the ‘Igbos’ in Nigeria, the salient features and advantages are considerably worth replication across cultures. The paper therefore recommends for the globalizing of a working entrepreneurship model in order to reset the SMEs sector and economy generally.

  Keywords: Apprenticeship, Entrepreneurship, Indigenous Entrepreneurship System, Igba Boyi,