Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities of Youth Entrepreneurship the Case of Kellem Wollega, Oromia, Ethiopia

Youth entrepreneurship is increasingly promoted as a pathway to reduce unemployment and foster inclusive growth in developing economies, yet empirical evidence from rural and semi-urban contexts remains scarce. This study examines the challenges and opportunities influencing youth entrepreneurship in the Kellem Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Survey data from 399 youth respondents were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions, complemented by interviews and focus group discussions. The results show that motivation, access to finance, business support services, and technology adoption positively and significantly influence youth entrepreneurship, while limited opportunities, poor infrastructure, and weak social support exert significant negative effects. The model explains 45.8% of the variation in youth entrepreneurship. By integrating enabling factors and structural constraints within a single framework, the study provides novel evidence from a less-studied context and offers policy-relevant insights for strengthening youth-led enterprise development in developing countries.