An Assessment of Factors Influencing the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Maize Marketing in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

The factors influencing the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the effect on the efficiency of maize marketing in North-Central Nigeria were analyzed; based on profit margins, factor effects and logit regression model. Results showed that age of marketers, education, regulatory bodies, market channels, marketing cost and ICT significantly affect maize marketing efficiency; and that maize marketing was price efficient but operationally inefficient (ranging from 194.83 to 399.46 percent). Sources of market information were: extension agents (53 percent), radio and television (53 percent), mobile phones (47 percent), video programs (30.5 percent), and internet (25 percent). Furthermore, the costs of mobile phones and air time, electricity, phone support services, internet services, radio and television network services, and literacy of marketers significantly influence the use of ICT. The use of mobile phones should be promoted for disseminating market information and market infrastructure should be improved.