Project Abstract

Abstract
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching implications globally, with significant effects on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. This research aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on SMEs in Nigeria, focusing on various aspects such as financial performance, operations, and survival strategies. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative interviews to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by SMEs during the pandemic. The findings reveal that SMEs in Nigeria experienced a sharp decline in revenue and profitability due to the economic disruptions caused by COVID-19. Many businesses were forced to shut down temporarily or reduce their operations, leading to job losses and financial distress. The study also highlights the role of government support programs in assisting SMEs during this crisis, with mixed feedback from business owners regarding the effectiveness of these interventions. In response to the challenges posed by COVID-19, SMEs in Nigeria implemented various survival strategies, including cost-cutting measures, digital transformation, and diversification of products/services. These strategies were essential for adapting to the new business environment and mitigating the adverse effects of the pandemic. However, SMEs encountered barriers such as limited access to finance, inadequate digital infrastructure, and regulatory challenges, which hampered their ability to fully leverage these strategies. The research further identifies opportunities for SMEs to build resilience and sustainability in the post-COVID-19 era. These include enhancing digital capabilities, fostering collaboration and partnerships, and leveraging market trends for business growth. By addressing these key areas, SMEs in Nigeria can position themselves for recovery and long-term success in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Overall, this study contributes to the existing literature on the impact of COVID-19 on SMEs in Nigeria by providing empirical insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by businesses during the pandemic. The findings underscore the need for targeted support measures and policy interventions to strengthen the resilience of SMEs and facilitate their recovery from the ongoing crisis.

Project Overview

The impact of COVID-19 on SMEs in Nigeria

After more than a decade of unprecedented economic growth, the world is facing another global economic recession. Government of Nigeria is forced to balance the health of their citizens with economic stability and their own debt. The Nigeria private sector and small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) get affected as public life shuts down.

The aim is to determine a means through which SMEs can scale through this period of coronavirus disease outbreak without shutting down business. The aims are achieved by meeting objectives as follows:

• To examine the level of coronavirus disease in Nigeria.
• To investigate the impact of coronavirus disease on small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.
• To offer a recommendation of how SMEs can operate in Nigeria with minimal loss and ensure continuity.
  • Significance of the Study

The study will enable relevant agencies concerned with eradicating COVID-19 in Nigeria to know the implications of coronavirus disease on SMEs. This will influence Investors decision making, the result of the proposal will benefit a wide range of stakeholders.

From the literature reviewed I had found that several techniques are applied to examine factors affecting SMEs however, there are shortcomings found didn’t focus on infectious epidemic. This project as a student of B.Sc. Economics will allow me to expand my knowledge of the business sector in Nigeria, deep understanding of factors affecting SMEs, the technique applied has advantages by showing how infectious epidemic affect SMEs.

• Key Argument for the Study

The assumption is that coronavirus disease affect the survival of small and medium scale enterprises as, Wuqi, Cordia, Ayan and Jing (2018) experiment SARS coronavirus and H7N9 viruses had achieved.