Enhancing Automation Skills Development for Preventing Cyber- Crime Among Entrepreneurs in Electrical/Electronic Trades in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Akasili Jeffrey Olisaemeka; Akasili Mercy Barineka; Ike Gary Chisom

doi:10.56201/wjimt.v10.no8.2026.pg91.105

📄 Download Paper

Enhancing Automation Skills Development for Preventing Cyber- Crime Among Entrepreneurs in Electrical/Electronic Trades in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Akasili Jeffrey Olisaemeka, Akasili Mercy Barineka, Ike Gary Chisom

Abstract

The study examined enhancing automation skills development for preventing cyber-crime among entrepreneurs in electrical/electronic trades in Port Harcourt metropolis. The study was anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model developed by Davis (1989), which explains technology adoption in terms of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Four research questions were answered to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised all the 600 registered and unregistered entrepreneurs in electrical and electronics trades operating within Port Harcourt metropolis. The sample for the study was 168 respondents, consisting of 72 electrical installation and maintenance contractors and 96 electronic repair technicians from Port Harcourt metropolis. A sample of the population was selected using a simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Automation Skills Development and Cyber-Crime Prevention Questionnaire ”, designed on a 4-point rating scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD), with numerical values of 4, 3, 2 and 1, respectively. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity. A reliability coefficient of 0.81 was established for the instrument using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation coefficient. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions. The study found that automated threat detection and monitoring, automated patch management, automated incident response, and compliance automation skills improve entrepreneurs’ capacity to prevent cyber-crime. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that business development centres and relevant government agencies should organize structured training programmes to equip electrical/electronic entrepreneurs with automation skills in threat detection and monitoring, patch management, incident response, and compliance automation.

Keywords

Automation skills developmentcyber-crime preventiontechnology acceptance modeltechnology adoptionelectrical/electronic entrepreneurscybersecurityPort Harcourt metropolis.

References

Abdulmalik, A., Mohammed, M., Usman, B., & Hamid, F. A. (2025). Bridging the cybersecurity gap in Nigerian SMEs: An empirical study of awareness and practice. International Journal of Computer Science and Mathematical Theory, 11(5), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.56201/ijcsmt..pg93.101 Aborisade, R. A. (2022). Internet scamming and the techniques of neutralization: parents’ excuses and justifications for children’s involvement inonline dating fraud in Nigeria. International Annual Journal of Criminology, 60(2):199–219. Ariyo O. Exploring government initiatives to tackle youth unemployment in Nigeria: A comprehensive analysis. The Cable (October 10,2023). Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008 Enaikele, M.D., Adeleke, T. A. &Adeoye, R. A. (2023). Get-rich-quick syndrome and the incidence of human rituals among south-west Nigerian youths:A sociological analysis of associated factors. KIU J Hum. 2022;7(3):101–12. Grobler, M., Von Solms, R. & Von Solms, S. (2020). Cyber-security Awareness in SMEs: The Role of Monitoring and Threat Detection.Journal of Information Security, 11(2), 101–115. Ibrahim, S. (2025). Causes of socioeconomic cybercrime in Nigeria.Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Cybercrime and ComputerForensic (pp. 1–9). Ijere, T. C. (2020). The State, governance and socioeconomic development realities in Nigeria.Public Policy and Administration Research, 4(1); 14 – 31. Kaspersky Lab (2024). What is cybercrime? How to protect yourself from cybercrime. 2024. Retrieved form https:// www. kaspersky. com/ resource- center/threats/ what- is- cybercrime. Kizza, J. M. (2021). Guide to Computer Network Security.Springer. Lazarus, S., Button, M., Garba, K. H., Soares, A. B. &Hughes, M. (2025). Strategic business movements? The migration of online romance fraudsters fromNigeria to Ghana.Journal of Economics and Criminology, 3(4); 25 – 39. Retrieved from https:// doi.org/ 10. 1016/j. jeconc. 2025. 100128. Leadership Newspaper (2023).FinTech: Nigerians Lose N51bn to Cybercriminals. 2023. Retrieved form https://leadership.ng/fintech-nigerians-lose-n51bn-tocybercriminals/. Patel, R., &Chhabra, A. (2021). Automated incident response for small enterprises: Challenges and Opportunities. International Journal of Cyber-security, 9(1), 55–67. Punch Newspaper (2024). Senate laments Nigeria’s loss of $500m annually to cybercrime. Retrieved from https:// punch ng. com/ senate- laments- nigerias- loss- of- 500m- annually- to- cybercrime/. Shah, S., Kumar, S., & Ahmad, S. (2020). Compliance Automation in SMEs: A Strategy for Cyber Risk Mitigation.Journal of Small Business Management, 58(4), 789–804. Sundaram, A., & Krishna, P. (2022). Patch Management Automation for Cybersecurity in Small Businesses.Cyber-security Review, 7(3), 210–225. Zakari, I. (2025). Cybersecurity challenges in Nigerian SMEs: Risks, awareness, and solutions. Katsina Technology and Management Research Journal, 1(1), 27–38.

Enhancing Automation Skills Development for Preventing Cyber- Crime Among Entrepreneurs in Electrical/Electronic Trades in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Abstract

Keywords

References

More Articles from WORLD JOURNAL OF INNOVATION AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY