This study titled, “The industrial growth of Nnewi, 1970-2015: the place of Entrepreneurship”, has the objectives of analyzing entrepreneurship as a key factor in the industrial growth of Nnewi, highlighting on the factors that encouraged entrepreneurship among the Nnewi people as well as throwing light on the effect of industrial activities on Nnewi’s development. The Schumpeter’s theory of Innovation was used as a theoretical framework to analyze the role of entrepreneurship on industrial development. A qualitative and descriptive method of analysis was employed in this study to analyze the data presented. Hence, the findings of this study revealed that entrepreneurship is a key factor in the industrial growth of Nnewi since 1970 after Nigerian-Biafran civil war, and that personality trait, environment and culture were factors that encourage entrepreneurial tendencies among Nnewi people. Furthermore it revealed that the industrial activities in Nnewi have to a great extent led to the development of the city