ANALYZING ENTREPRENEURIAL ENERGY UTILITY AND OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY WITHIN NIGERIA’S MULTI-BAND ELECTRICITY SYSTEM FOR OPTIMAL POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions and attitudes of entrepreneurs toward the multi-band electricity system and alternative electricity sources in Nigeria. The Theory of Planned Behavior was adopted to investigate how awareness, marketing, coverage, cost, risk, and business location ethics influence entrepreneurial energy-spending decisions and operational continuity. A multivariate regression analysis, implemented on the Python programing environment, was used to test six hypotheses linking perceptual difference scores to business survival and relocation intent among a cross-sectional survey of 600 entrepreneurs across Nigeria diverse business sectors. The results obtained in the study substantiate that marketing effectiveness (β=0.109, p < 0.001), service coverage (β=0.652, p < 0.001), and cost competitiveness, significantly influence business operational stability, thereby validating the dominance of the perceived behavioral control dimension within the Nigerian electricity context. Further findings from the study reveal a critical paradox, while awareness of the multi-band electricity system is high; it fails to translate into optimized utility, acting as a structural barrier due to tariff complexity. Most notably, the perceived risk of national grid downtime emerged as the most robust predictor of behavior, showing that entrepreneurs prioritize operational certainty over low cost. The study extends the Theory of Planned Behaviour to foreground structural rigidity and locational locking as dominant determinants that override general preferences. This study provides a novel insight into how infrastructure deficits recalibrate entrepreneurial pathways in emerging markets. The study concludes with a policy recommendation for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and electricity distribution companies to transition toward demand-based, digitally assigned feeders and decentralized micro-grids, to foster an equitable energy ecosystem as a lever for sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria.