Empirical Insights into Psychological Determinants and Entrepreneurial Motivation as Predictors of Entrepreneurial Career Choice: A PRISMA-Guided Literature Review in the African Context (2015–2025)

Abstract

The empirical data on psychological factors and entrepreneurial motivation as predictors of entrepreneurial career choice in the African environment between 2015 and 2025 is compiled in this comprehensive literature review. The review examined thirty peer-reviewed studies from several African nations, including Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Nigeria, Kenya, Benin, and Côte d'Ivoire, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The evidence suggests that the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) dominate the theoretical landscape, with entrepreneurial self efficacy emerging as the most consistent and powerful predictor of entrepreneurial aspirations across varied African contexts. While fear of failure exhibits negative relationships reduced by the liveliness of the business environment, internal locus of control, the drive for achievement, and a predisposition for taking risks show strong positive associations with choosing an entrepreneurial profession.The review identifies a dual motivation structure in African entrepreneurship including necessity driven motives shaped by graduate unemployment and limited formal employment opportunities coexist with opportunity driven motives including financial independence, autonomy, and creative expression. Interventions that target self efficacy beliefs through entrepreneurial education, scaffolding, and psychological capital development may successfully convert psychological propensity into entrepreneurial action, as self efficacy functions as a crucial mediator between personality traits and entrepreneurial intentions. The association between psychological variables and career choice is strongly moderated by related characteristics such as perceived financial accessibility, social support systems, and entrepreneurial education. The results emphasize the necessity of context-sensitive entrepreneurship policies in Africa that tackle structural obstacles to entrepreneurial entry as well as psychological capacity building.