Entrepreneurship has become one of the most frequently used terms in Nagaland today. With unemployment rising and government job opportunities reaching saturation, it is increasingly projected as a solution. Young people are encouraged to start ventures, build businesses and create opportunities for themselves. Yet, the way entrepreneurship is understood often remains shallow and disconnected from realities on the ground.
At its core, entrepreneurship is not defined by size, but by initiative, innovation and risk. In the discipline of Entrepreneurship, even a small venture can be entrepreneurial if it creates value and responds to a real need. However, public discourse tends to highlight only visible success stories, usually from larger urban centres, creating a narrow perception of what entrepreneurship looks like.
The deeper issue lies in unequal opportunity. Nagaland’s urban landscape itself is uneven. Cities like Kohima and Dimapur function as major hubs with better connectivity, larger markets and stronger access to capital and networks. Remote towns such as Mokokchung are also urban centres, but operate within smaller and more constrained ecosystems.
Entrepreneurs in these remote towns often have to put in twice the effort to achieve comparable outcomes. Limited market size, logistical challenges and lower visibility make growth slower and more uncertain. Access to funding is more difficult, supply chains are less efficient and customer bases are narrower. Yet, despite these constraints, many continue to build and sustain ventures that support local economies and provide employment.
Recognition, however, does not reflect this effort. The narrative around entrepreneurship remains skewed towards larger cities, while those working in remote towns remain underrepresented. This imbalance not only distorts public understanding but also risks discouraging potential entrepreneurs outside the main hubs.
If entrepreneurship is to meaningfully address unemployment, this gap must be acknowledged. Greater recognition must be given to those building ventures in smaller and remote towns, where the challenges are greater and the margins thinner. At the same time, the government must focus more on these areas through targeted infrastructure development, improved access to finance and stronger institutional support.
Nagaland’s entrepreneurial future cannot be built on a few cities alone. It must recognize that opportunities are uneven, the challenges are greater in smaller towns, and their contributions are just as vital to the state’s economic growth.