TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE INDUSTRIES (SMI) IN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM NATION-WIDE SAMPLE SURVEY

Development economists over the years have solicited the use of small and medium industries (SMI) to accelerate the pace of industrialization and economic growth, particularly in developing economies. In recognition of this, entrepreneurship education and the promotion of entrepreneur spirit have received significant attention in Nigeria. This is evident through the deep involvement of government and Non-Governmental Organizations in recent times in the promotion and financing of SMI. In spite of all these efforts, the contribution of the SMI sector to economic growth has been miniscule, while the productivity of the sector has also not been commensurate with the incentives packages. This is essentially because the sector lacks knowledge of modern management techniques and technological capabilities. As postulated in the endogenous growth theory, factor accumulation is not enough to engender growth. Efficiency is a key driver of growth as it enables entrepreneurs to derive more output from a given input. This study lays emphasizes on the role of technological capabilities as an important catalyst for the development of SMI and technical efficiency as a major driver of capabilities. An assessment of technical efficiency in this way is necessary because, how technical efficiency contributes to enterprise productivity is a prerequisite to assessing the need for any kind of support for its development. The study utilizes quantitative information gathered from field survey to compute productivity and efficiency indicators. The study also identifies lingering constraints to SMI development. Overall, the findings from this research draw attention to the need for the development of local technology to support and stimulate indigenous entrepreneurship of SMI.