International Journal of Accounting & Finance Review Vol. 1, No. 1; 2017 Published by Centre for Research on Islamic Banking & Finance and Business 42 The Roles of Determinants of Self-employment: A Mediation of Entrepreneurial Motivation in Bauchi State, Nigeria Muhammad Adamu 1, 2 Mahani Bint Mohammad Abdu Shakur 1 1 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia 2 Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Bauchi State University Nigeria Correspondence: Muhammad Adamu, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Bauchi State University, Nigeria, Email: majalamm@gmail.com Received: November 06, 2017 Accepted: November 11, 2017 Online Published: November 17, 2017 Abstract Today, the problem of unemployment has been a global issue, even among the developed nations, and especially the developing nations. For this reason, the need for employment generation becomes desirably indispensable. The aim of this research work is to examine the essential roles that entrepreneurial traits and economic incentive factors would play with the mediation of entrepreneurial motivation for an effective self-employment start-up accomplishment. Self-employment has long been recognized as an alternative for individuals to become self-reliant. Thus, this is expected brings about a reduction in poverty level, improved living standard as well as to earn more income and have a better career as a means of sustenance for potential entrepreneurs. For this purpose, it is essentially important to make an examination of certain vital factors, which may constitute the basics necessary to effect self-employment particularly from the context of entrepreneurial traits and economic incentive factors that would motivate the potential entrepreneurs to achieve success in self-employment start-up. Keywords: Entrepreneurial Motivation, Entrepreneurial Traits, Economic Incentives, Potential Entrepreneurs, Self-Employment. 1. Introduction Recently, the global financial crisis has caused a lot of setback due the economic downturn among nations. Many organizations are cutting their work force size, and at the same time were very reluctant to create jobs and employ other unemployed individuals (Fritsch & Wyrwich, 2017).Thus, this added more disadvantages to the potential entrepreneurs in their vulnerable situations that trailed their condition as job seekers. For this reason, this study would make an investigation into the impact of entrepreneurial traits and economic incentive factors through the mediation of entrepreneurial motivation to measure self-employment. The emergence of interest in self-employment is evident, as it is receiving more attention from researchers all over the world (van Stel et al.,