ASSESSMENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF COTTAGE INDUSTRIES IN NIGER SOUTH, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the types and contributions of cottage industries on the social and economic wellbeing of the people of South Senatorial district of Niger State, Nigeria. The South Senatorial district was stratified into eight political units with a total of 191 production points and 1452 cottage industries. A sample of 306 industries was determined using Krejeie and Morgan (1970) model for sample size determination for finite people. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Result on the types of cottage industries reveals that 29% of the respondents are engaged in sheabutter processing, 25.5% is blacksmithing 4.6% is Brass/Glass work,9.3% is palm kernel processing, 11.5% is locust bean, 9.5% cassava processing, 6.3% is pot making, while 4% is leather and tannery industries. The major sources of raw materials is market (56.5%), while 8.6% from dumpsites,7.3% from scavengers deport, and 15.4% inherited theirs. The activities of the cottage industries have created employment (7.5%), 14.7% development of roads, 7.5% education, 14.7% income, 4.9% tourism and 6.2% electricity and health care. The activities have some attendant problems such as low production and patronage of cottage goods, increase in cost of material, unavailability of loan scheme, competition for patronage, low quality associated with cottage products and scarcity of raw materials. The study recommends that the government need to support the youth in the development of cottage industries. Mechanism for mitigation of the menace should be implemented and enforced. This can be done through the utilization of environmentally friendly methods and also setting up more infrastructure and modern operational facilities to enhance the cottage industrial work.