SELF EMPLOYMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT : A STUDY OF TAI SOLARIN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

Unemployment remains a pressing issue globally, particularly in developing nations like Nigeria, where a high proportion of the youth population struggles to find stable employment despite the country's abundant resources. This study investigates the nature, impact, challenges, and possible solutions to self-employment among undergraduate students of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State. As self-employment increasingly becomes a viable strategy for economic survival and empowerment, understanding how students engage in entrepreneurial activities alongside academic responsibilities is crucial. A survey research design was adopted, using purposive and snowball sampling techniques to select self-employed undergraduate students. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage. The findings revealed that self-employment among students takes diverse forms, significantly contributes to their financial independence, but also presents challenges such as time management, academic pressure, and limited access to capital. The study recommends targeted institutional support, flexible academic structures, and entrepreneurship-focused curriculum to better equip students for the demands of self-employment. The results offer valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and university administrators seeking to align academic goals with real-world economic demands, fostering a generation of self-reliant and economically active graduates. Keywords: Academic, Business Employment, Self-employment, Undergraduate student, job