Thematic Analysis on Challenges of SMEs and Growth Opportunities Towards Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery in Nigeria (A Case Study of Women Owned Enterprises))

Abstract 

The aim of this study is to investigate the challenges of pandemic on selected small and medium enterprises in Nigeria, with a view to ascertaining the need to making tremendous effort in addressing the economic impact of COVID-19. The primary objective of this paper is to explicitly make a shift by building a comprehensive theoretical basis for the impact of COVID-19 on SMEs in order to shift forward for post-COVID-19 economy recovery in the country. This study used thematic analysis by considering a women-owned enterprise in subsector of SMEs to gather vital information to exploring available materials and literatures in this regard. The findings of this paper indicated that, leaders of SMEs are worried about negative impact of COVID-19 on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Also, study specifically found that, the financial implication of COVID-19 is a subset of the pay-cuts devised to ensure non-furloughed staff was paid salaries to reduce job losses in the country. Hence, this paper concluded that appropriate measures should be provided especially by giving loan support to SMEs in expanding and strengthening the existing and new business opportunities as response to the impact of post-COVID-19 economy recovery in the country. It is therefore recommended that the collaboration between SMEs leaders and the government have vital roles to play especially through the activities of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in providing platform for inclusion of digitization into SMEs or business operation in the country.

Keywords: COVID-19, Post-Covid-19, economic recovery, digitalization, SMEs, SMEDAN