CULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND NIGERIA’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC SUSTENANCE THROUGH IJAW CULTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between cultural entrepreneurship and socioeconomic sustainability in Nigeria via the perspective of Ijaw cultural heritage in the Niger Delta region. According to the study, indigenous cultural practices are more than just symbolic traditions; they are productive economic resources that can contribute to long-term national development. Using Cultural Economy Theory, the study investigates how Ijaw cultural practices such as fishing, canoe carving, festivals, masquerade performances, crafts, music, dance, and boat regattas serve as entrepreneurial activities that generate employment, tourism, creative innovation, and communal stability. The study also emphasises the importance of indigenous knowledge systems in environmental management, cultural production, and social cohesiveness among Ijaw communities.Using qualitative and analytical approaches, the study identifies major challenges to Ijaw cultural entrepreneurship, such as environmental degradation caused by oil exploration, globalisation, youth migration, insufficient institutional support, and over-commercialization of indigenous traditions. The study concludes that preserving and commercialising Ijaw cultural heritage can significantly boost Nigeria's creative economy and socioeconomic resilience if supported by effective cultural policies, environmental restoration, tourism development, digital promotion, and youth empowerment initiatives. The study recommends for more government and private-sector investment in indigenous cultural industries as feasible pathways to inclusive economic change and sustainable development in Nigeria.