Factors Influencing Individuals’ Interest in Entrepreneurship

The study of entrepreneurship has been putting more emphasis on mattersrelated to opportunity recognition, problem solving, risk management, skillsdevelopment, innovation and turning ideas into viable venture. However, littleor no effort was given to individual’s interest as a driver to entrepreneurialactivities. This makes it crucial for this study to delve into what inspires anindividual to embark on entrepreneurial journeys. This paper explores somefactors that might spark entrepreneurial interest among individuals. Theresearch methodology was qualitative through the reviews of literature. Thestudy takes a closer look at the impact of family background, socio-economicconditions, institutional support, access to finance, peer influence,government policies, technological advancements and personality traits asdetermining factors. The relevance of these factors was backed by some theoriesthat includes; social-cognitive, institutional, self-determination, theentrepreneurial event model and human capital theory. The review reveals thatindividual’s entrepreneurial interest are shaped by a mix of psychological,social, and environmental influences rather than just one factor. The papermade recommendations and suggests that by addressing these elements throughtargeted initiatives, we can boost entrepreneurial interest, promote businesscreation, and support sustainable economic growth, especially in developingnations like Nigeria.