Student-staff partnership and university-based entrepreneurial venture: The nexus of internally generated revenue and financial inclusion

Abstract

Purpose: This study repositions Student-Staff Partnership (SSP) as the central mediating mechanism linking Financial Inclusion (FI) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to University-Based Entrepreneurial Ventures (UBEVs), in response to increasing financial sustainability pressures on Nigerian universities. Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted, with data collected from 500 respondents across five purposively selected Nigerian universities. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via Smart-PLS 4.0 was used to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings: FI had a significant impact on SSP (β = 0.493, t = 9.776, p < 0.001), demonstrating the strength of inclusive financial systems. Government Funding (GF) significantly moderates the SSP → UBEV relationship (β = 0.141, t = 2.084, p < 0.05), while SSP alone exerts a strong direct effect on UBEV (β = 0.264, t = 4.479, p < 0.001). IGR’s indirect influence through SSP confirms the mediating power of institutional collaboration, even though IGR has no direct effect on UBEV (β = 0.078, p > 0.05). The model demonstrates excellent explanatory strength (GoF = 0.529; R² = 0.491 for UBEV). Practical Implications: The findings offer evidence-based guidance for university administrators and policymakers in designing SSP-driven financial strategies, inclusive innovation hubs, and collaborative entrepreneurship frameworks. Originality/Value: This is the first empirically validated, stakeholder-centred structural model situating SSP as the economic bridge between IGR, FI, and entrepreneurial ventures in Nigerian universities, offering a replicable blueprint for other resource-constrained higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the end, this study reinterprets Nigerian institutions as catalysts for innovation and growth, where inclusive finance and strategic cooperation meet to empower a new generation of African entrepreneurs.