Educational quality, entrepreneurial competencies, and youth firm sustainability in Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone are examined in this study. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 young entrepreneurs in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states. The findings show that young entrepreneurs cite theoretical curriculum orientation, inadequate infrastructure, teacher quality, and limited practical skill development as major issues in their entrepreneurship education. Entrepreneurship skills vary by type, with opportunity detection and networking being more important than financial management and strategic planning. A positive correlation exists between educational quality, entrepreneurial competency development (r = 0.42, p < 0.01), and competency acquisition and venture sustainability (r = 0.44, p < 0.01). The Competency-Mediation Model is supported by mediation research showing that entrepreneurial competencies moderate the relationship between educational quality and venture sustainability. The study implies that improving educational gaps alone is insufficient to improve venture sustainability; purposeful entrepreneurial skill development is also needed. Experiential learning curriculum reform, educator professional development, financial management and strategic planning in entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship support centers, and Public-Private Partnership strengthening are recommended. The paper explains how educational quality influences venture performance and offers evidence-based recommendations for educational reform and entrepreneurship development in Nigeria and elsewhere.

Keywords: Educational quality, Entrepreneurial competency, Venture sustainability, Youth entrepreneurship, South-South Nigeria, Competency-Mediation Model.