Impact Of Covid-19 Lock Down On Small And Medium Enterprises (SMEs) In Keffi Metropolis, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Abuh Hassan Bashiru
Keywords: COVID-19, Pandemic, Lockdown, Small Scale Enterprises,
Performance
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic brought about lockdowns that led to the restriction of movements, market closure, social distancing, among others. Consequently, these restrictions and controls of movement have particularly affected Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. To this end, this study examines the impact of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown on traders, general services and manufacturing businesses in Keffi metropolis of Nasarawa State. The study used a sample comprising of 234 SMEs that are involved in retail traders and manufacturing services ranging from paints and soap production, consumables as well as baking businesses. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and interview. Social ecology theory was utilized as the theoretical framework of analysis. The investigation revealed that the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on small and medium scale enterprises manifest in low turnout of customers, low income, increase in the cost of goods and services, sales fluctuations, insufficient supply of goods, low demand of goods and services and there was no reduction in the cost/price of goods and services. The study concludes that the impact of COVID-19 lockdown in Keffi metropolis in Nasarawa State, Nigeria is severe as some SMEs could not survive the pandemic lockdown. Thus, the study recommends that SMEs in Keffi metropolis and Nasarawa State in general could improve on their performance by adopting digital marketing to minimize the negative effect of future lockdowns.
Author Biography
Abuh Hassan Bashiru
Department of Political Science
Baba-Ahmed University, Sharada, Kano State