Cities In Nigeria Research Articles

Development of a Smart Air Quality Monitoring System Using Wireless Sensors

With the fast-growing urbanization and increased industrialization around cities in Nigeria, the quality of the air we breathe has become a paramount concern. There is a need for an accurate, real-time air quality monitoring system to monitor and evaluate the air quality we inhale. This article presents the development of a Smart Air Quality Monitoring System (SAQMS) utilizing wireless sensor technology. The SAQMS was designed to provide a comprehensive and intelligent solution for monitoring air quality index, including but not limited to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), temperature and humidity. Leveraging wireless sensor nodes and advanced IOT, the system offers real-time data collection and analysis, enabling immediate response to environmental changes. Key features of the SAQMS include a network of wireless sensors (MQ 135 and DHT11) strategically deployed across targeted areas, data transmission through secure communication protocols, cloud-based data storage and processing, and a user-friendly interface for data visualization and interpretation. As we confront the challenges of air pollution and its impact on human well-being, the development of the SAQMS presents a significant step towards informed decision-making and a more sustainable future as the experiment shows our developed system can detect air quality in parts per million (ppm), with other environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity.

Compliance with Open Space Standards in Residential Areas of Oyo, Nigeria

Against the widespread non-adherence with statutory requirements for open space provision in virtually every segment of cities, especially in residential areas, this study examined compliance with open space standards in three distinct residential zones (core, transition and sub-urban) of Oyo, a traditional city in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted with two stakeholders: self-built house owners (SHOs) and town planning officials (TPOs). Systematic and convenience sampling techniques were used to select participants from the groups, respectively. Direct measurements of open spaces within lots were carried out to determine if they met the required standards. Information obtained from the SHOs included their socio-economic characteristics, level of awareness, perceived importance, compliance with standards and factors influencing compliance. The TPOs also provided information on standards (plot coverage and setback requirements), mechanisms and tactics for regulating open space provision. The study showed low awareness of the open space requirements among homeowners in the three residential zones. The compliance level in the core area was the lowest because the area was largely built prior to the introduction of planning regulations and coupled with the residents’ low status. On the contrary, despite the low awareness, the sub-urban area had the highest level of compliance because the homeowners in this area have a higher socio-economic status and personal preferences for ample open space in their compounds. These outcomes support the underlying concepts and propositions advocated by historic and structural theories of urban form. The study, therefore, recommends modifying the existing open space standards to align with the city’s historical development and local conditions in various residential areas to encourage compliance.

Thyroid Autoimmunity in Pregnancy in a North-Central City in Nigeria

Background: Pregnancy often increases the likelihood of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes in cases of thyroid dysfunction. The inherent variation and instability of the thyroid gland can predispose the pregnant woman and fetus to significant negative consequences. Although thyroid autoimmunity may become less common as pregnancy progresses, it remains a prevalent dysfunction during this period. Method: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 250 healthy pregnant women who volunteered to participate. Blood samples were collected from the participants and analysed using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique to measure serum levels of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and anti-TPO antibodies. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Result: Among the participants, 31 (12.4%) were found to have thyroid dysfunction, with 12 (4.8%) exhibiting signs of thyroid autoimmunity. Specifically, 8 (3.2%) were diagnosed with hypothyroidism, while 4 (1.6%) showed hyperthyroidism. Conclusion: This study identified a prevalence of 4.8% for thyroid autoimmunity during pregnancy using the anti-TPO antibody assay. Furthermore, we determined that measuring thyroid stimulating hormone levels was a reliable indicator for detecting thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy.

Trend of traffic on inland waterways of Port Harcourt urban coastal environment: a comparative safety imperative for a Ghanaian coastal regional province

The purpose of the study is to compare mobility and access in Sub- Saharan Africa urban cities of Nigeria and Ghana by analysing trends and accident probabilities on the inland waterways to improve safety standards. Primary data from100 respondents through structured data and interview from boat and ferry operators were used. The responses were ranked on a four-point scale based on the selected routes’ average accident probabilities in percent: Very Safe {0-20}, Fairy Safe {21- 50}, Unsafe {51- 80}, and Very Unsafe {81- 100}. Secondary data from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) and the Volta Lake Transport Company (VLTC) were subjected to probability, percentage and trend analysis. Results indicate that in the Niger delta for every journey there is approximately 59% likelihood of fatal accident; while on the Volta Lake there is a likelihood of 7% fatal accident occurrence. The trend of traffic was high in the Niger delta noticeably in the routes of Akwa- Ibom. Cross Rivers and Rivers State. The Volta Lake recorded high traffic volumes on the routes of Yeji,Tapa Abo and Bidi on market days while on non-market days, Makango. Kwamekrom and Kpechu had high passenger volumes. Estimated annual passenger traffic on the Niger delta routes outweighed that on the Volta Lake routes on a ratio of 4:1. Safety analysis further reveals that the water ways of Port Harcourt in Rivers state were unsafe for travel while the water ways of the Volta Lake were relatively safe as revealed by the average probability ratio of 8:1 in comparative terms. The log linear regression analysis reveals a price elasticity of demand for boat transport of 1.00 and 0.97 for the selected route of Port Harcourt Nigeria and Volta Lake, Ghana respectively. It further supports the fact that more passengers were responsive to travel by waterways in Nigeria than Ghana. The study concludes that waterways of Niger delta basin have high risk indices and likelihood of accident occurrence than the Volta basin; and recommends that VLTC and NIWA should invest optimally and partner with the private sector to enforce and regulate the waterways operations so as to increase safety and mobility of users of the waterways.

English

English

CONTRIBUTORY IMPACT OF SEWAGE ON POLLUTED OGUN AND LAGOS FISHING WATERS: INFLUENCE ON ANTIOXIDANT PROFILE AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF SILVER CATFISH (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus)

Water pollution, a recurring phenomenon in fishing waters of industrial cities in Nigeria, inadvertently constitute hazards to the host biotic communities and the ecosystem. To continuously delineate the impacts of pollution via sewage outlets on aquatic life, this rainy season study investigated Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, an aquatic food from Ogun River and Epe Lagoon, Nigeria, both of which are locally channeled for sewage release. Sixty (60) samples of C. nigrodigitatus were collected from six sites each representing a group (n=10), with mean weight and length of 762.20 ± 11.05 g and 42.21 ± 0.30 cm respectively. Ajegunle (control), Alaapa and Quarry (test sites) along the Ogun River course in Abeokuta; Ebute-Alashe (control), Oluwo and Marina (test sites) along the Epe Lagoon. Analysis of Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Chemical Oxygen Demand showed elevated variations at the sampled test sites than the control sites and above WHO safe limits. Significant (p < 0.05) increases in concentrations of heavy metals (lead, arsenic and cadmium) in the fishing waters from the sampled test locations particularly the Quarry and Marina sites, as well as in blood samples of fish, were observed when compared with their respective controls. Antioxidants profiling showed significant increases (p < 0.05) in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in fishes from Alaapa (14- and 3- folds), Quarry (8- and 4- folds), Oluwo (9- and 3- folds) and Marina (8- and 3- folds) sites, while significant increases in glutathione-S-transferase activity were observed only in fishes from Quarry (5- fold) and Marina (4- fold) sites respectively. The glutathione concentration significantly decreased in fishes from all the test sites while malondialdehyde concentrations significantly increased in fishes from all the test sites compared with the respective controls. Proximate analysis of the fish samples showed significant increases (p < 0.05) in moisture and fiber contents, but significant decrease in fat, ash and protein contents compared with the respective controls. The results of the study showed that sewage pollution of fishing waters is hazardous to aquatic life as it induces oxidative stress and significantly reduces the nutritional value of the fishes obtained from such water bodies.

Temperature Forecasting for Iwo City, Nigeria Using Statistical Models and Selected Machine Learning Algorithms

Time series modeling and forecasting using a machine learning algorithm approach for Iwo City, a western city in Nigeria, is a technique used to forecast the future occurrence of diverse data for the study. The purpose of this study is to use time series models and some machine learning approaches to predict the temperature in the future for climate change. The Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) Web service provided the information used in this study. The dataset underwent training and testing in an 80/20 per cent manner. Using seasonal auto-regressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and twenty-four (24) different Machine Learning algorithms of regression performance of the temperature, future predictions of Iwo station, were made using training data that spans the years 1980 to 2012 and test data that spans the years 2013 to 2021. The results reveal that the standard deviation value ranges from 2.4×10-05 to 0.031, while the optimum model for the SARIMA (1, 0, 0) and Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) spans from 961.090 to 1341.831. Furthermore, the results of the statistical analysis show that the maximum average temperature recorded in April was 303.68K, the minimum temperature recorded in January was 293.23K with a maximum standard deviation of 1.84 in February, and the minimum standard deviation for the temperature was 0.42 in September. For the machine learning algorithm, Exponential GPR shows the highest R2 of 0.19 while the least Ensemble Boosted Trees (R2= -46.24). In terms of the forecasting performance of these machine learning algorithms based on RMSE, the best forecasting model was Medium Neural Network (RMSE = 1.8112). The result also reveals that Fine Gaussian gave the least MAE = 1.19, while the least MSE = 2.7534 meaning that these machine learning algorithms outperformed other models. As a result, the report recommends that Nigerian meteorological management establishes additional research centers to collect data and conduct research.

Impact of individual and environmental factors on academic performance of pregnant adolescent

BackgroundTeenage pregnancies continue to disrupt teenage girls’ academic development. As a result, teenage mothers are at risk of unemployment, maternal death, and poverty. Previous research, however, has shown that both individual and environmental factors can have a significant impact on the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy. However, there has been little rigorous research on the impact of these factors on pregnant students’ academic performance.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between environmental (neighbourhood) and individuals (sexual attitudes, peer attachment) factors. It also examined the influence of individual factors on the academic performance of pregnant teens.MethodsThe study included a cross-sectional study of 400 pregnant adolescent students aged 15–19 years. The target groups were drawn from three major cities in Nigeria. Respondents were identified through targeted snowballing. Pregnant participants were a combination of married and unmarried girls attending school from home. Data were collected using a structured and self-completed questionnaire. Thus, frequency, mean and standard deviation were used for descriptive analysis. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to show the relationship between variables.ResultsThe study found that neighbourhood (r=-.125, p = .12) had a negative and significant relationship with peer attachment. However, there was no significant evidence of a relationship between sexual attitudes and neighbourhood (r=-.040, p = .422). There was, however, a significant relationship between sexual attitudes and academic performance (r = .236, p = .000). There was also a relationship between peer attachment and academic performance (r=-.401, p = < 0.001).ConclusionThis study suggests that the academic performance of pregnant teenagers necessitates a combination of approaches, which includes changes in personal and prosocial behaviour, and environmental reforms. This can be achieved through, peer education, school day-care, subsidised or free contraceptives, free or subsidized education, and community programmes that positively influence young adults in the neighbourhood. These approaches can indirectly boost self-efficacy, motivation, and confidence to achieve higher academic feat, while reducing school dropout rate among the target groups.

Spatial Matrices of Urban Expansion in Lafia, North-Central Nigeria

Rapid urbanisation in African cities has caused considerable problems by hindering their ability to meet infrastructure and service needs, resulting in rising land-use consumption. This study examines how land use/land cover change in Lafia, a city in North-central Nigeria, has impacted the city's boundaries between 1999 and 2019 and includes a projection using GIS simulation of land use/ land cover to 2029. The methodology includes remote sensing techniques, spatiotemporal analysis of geographical measurements, and statistical models. This study involved spatial analysis and projection of city growth from 1999 to 2029 in Lafia using GIS. This analysis focuses on the changes in built-up areas, vegetal cover, bare land, and water bodies using land-use/landcover data. The results indicated significant urban expansion and its impact on the city's spatial patterns. The Urban Expansion Differentiation Index (UEDI) and Urban Expansion Intensity Index (UEII)were used to assess urban sprawl and socioeconomic patterns such as population density and density gradient. High residential and employment densities, varied land uses, continuous development, and multi-modal transportation are all important for sustainable urban growth. The study indicates a direct relationship between population growth and urban expansion, as seen in Lafia. Furthermore, the findings suggest that cities grow beyond their typical boundaries, resulting in peri-urban expansion, as shown in the Alakio districts of the Lafia Metropolis. The study findings have important implications for urban growth policy and land use/land cover change. They will contribute to a better understanding of the effects of urban growth on the spatial matrix and morphology of cities, assisting city planners in recognizing these effects. Furthermore, the study adds evidence to the continuing debate about urban expansion, liveability, and spatial sustainability in African cities. The thorough examination of land use/land cover change in Lafia sheds light on the spatial dynamics of urbanisation and its implications for sustainable urban development.

Assessment of Residential Real Estate Investment Performance in Lafia Metropolis, Nigeria

Investors are expected to be guided through investment performance measurement and analysis in order to safeguard against potential loss of investment returns or the capital invested. Whereas residential real estate (RRE) constitutes a significant part of the portfolios of individual and institutional investors across the globe, the assessment of risk-return performance of RRE investment in Nigeria generally has not been well researched. Investors in real estate (RE) in the Lafia city of Nasarawa State, like other cities in Nigeria, still rely on mere intuition, sales comparison and the rule of thumb in real estate investment decisions-making. Consequently, these ill-informed investors often venture into poorly conceived and subsequently financially disastrous real estate investment projects thereby failing to achieve their desired investment objectives. Hence, this research was conducted to evaluate the performances of RRE investment in Lafia metropolis of north-central Nigeria with a view to guiding existing and potential real estate investors and practitioners in the region in making informed property investment decision. A survey research design was adopted to collect transacted residential property value data from estate surveying and valuation firms as well as reputable estate agent offices in the study area. Mean scores, property value index and holding period return model were used to analyse the rental/capital value indices and total return performance respectively. The modified value-at-risk model was used to assess risk while the modified Sharpe ratio was used to evaluate the risk-return performance of RRE investment performance in the study area. The research findings revealed, among others, a progressive increase in rental and capital values of RRE within the study period. RRE investment showed an average rental growth of 6.8% per annum and capital value growth of 9.4% per annum. On the basis of investment returns, it was found that Angwan Doka outperformed other selected neighbourhoods in the study area with an average mean total return and risk-adjusted return of 13.76% and 0.80% per annum respectively while Shabu underperformed other locations with average mean total return and risk-adjusted return of 12.17% and 0.55% per annum. The study recommended, among others, that potential real estate investors should consider investing in residential real estate in Angwan Doka since this location gives higher total and risk-adjusted returns on residential property investment relative to other locations in the city.

“If it is circulating widely on social media, then it is likely to be fake news”: Reception of, and motivations for sharing, COVID-19-related fake news among university-educated Nigerians

This study explores how university-educated Nigerians living in two urban centres engaged with, and made choices about whether to share or not share, “fake news” on COVID-19 in 2020.The research adopted a qualitative approach by conducting focus group interviews with participants, all university graduates aged 25 or older, sampled from Lagos and Umuahia—two major metropolitan cities in Nigeria. Participants’ sense-making practices with regard to fake news on COVID-19 were varied. One core finding was that social media virality was typically seen as being synonymous with fake news due to the dramatic, exaggerated, and sometimes illogical nature of such information. Many participants demonstrated a high level of literacy in spotting fake news. Among those who said that they sometimes shared fake news on COVID-19, one motivation was to warn of the dangers of fake news by making it clear, while sharing, that the information was false. Other participants said that they shared news without being certain of its veracity, because of a general concern about the virus, and some participants shared news if it was at least partially true, provided that the news aimed to raise awareness of the dangers of COVID-19. However, some participants deliberately shared fake news on COVID-19 and did so because of a financial motivation. Those who sought to avoid sharing fake news on COVID-19 did so to avoid causing harm. The study provides insights into the reception of, and practices in engaging with, health-related fake news within a university-educated Nigerian demographic.

Health risk assessment of some heavy metals in twenty one wheat products sold in Nigeria

This study assessed some heavy metals in twenty one wheat products originating from Nigeria and six other countries sold in local markets in Ijebu-Ode, Ibadan and Lagos cities in Nigeria and their possible health risks were also evaluated. Wheat-based food samples were digested and analyzed using Microwave Plasma coupled Atomic Emission Spectrometry (MP-AES) technique. The heavy metal contents in local and foreign wheat products ranged as follows: As (0.014-0.033 mg.kg-1), Cd (0.067-0.330 mg.kg-1), Ni (-0.002-0.104 mg.kg-1) and Pb (0.166-0.655 mg.kg-1). The mean contents of Cd and Pb exceeded the acceptable thresholds set by FAO/WHO while those of As and Ni were below permissible limits recommended by FAO/WHO. The health hazard indices for the four heavy metals, reported as follows: Ni (0.005), As (0.201), Pb (0.211), and Cd (0.490), fall within the low hazard range except for Ni whose hazard index could be regarded as negligible. The health hazard risk, which may be posed by each metal, occurred in a sequence of HQ (Ni) &lt; HQ (As) &lt; HQ (Cd) &lt; HQ (Pb) &lt;1, with each occurring within the safe limit set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The combined non-carcinogenic risk of the four heavy metals (ΣHQ = 0.906) occurred at the low-risk index. The carcinogenic risk index was below 1x 10-4 threshold recommended by USEPA, which indicates that the combined concentrations of the four metals possess a weak potential to modulate lifelong carcinogenic ailments for consumers of such wheat products.

Eradicating Homelessness and Improving the Living Standards of the Poorest of the Poor in Greater Port Harcourt City, Nigeria

Homelessness and poverty are significant challenges facing Greater Port Harcourt City in Nigeria. This paper discusses these issues and proposes a solution through the development of an inclusive and sustainable agropolitan residential housing project. The project aims to provide affordable housing for young unmarried, newly married, and married individuals with young children, falling within the income groups of 'No income,' 'Low Income,' and 'Lower Medium Income' as defined by the 2012 National Housing Policy Document (NHPD) of Nigeria. It will create sustainable, mainly agro-based livelihoods through integrated farming and other activities, such as real estate, power generation, waste management, and recycling. This will enable beneficiaries to take care of their housing and other needs while generating employment and revenue. The proposed housing project aligns with the Greater Port Harcourt City Master Plan and will complement the city's proposed beautiful townscape. The paper concludes that eradicating homelessness and improving the living standards of the poorest in Greater Port Harcourt City requires sustainable and inclusive housing solutions that provide access to employment and income-generating activities. A comprehensive and collaborative approach involving various stakeholders such as the government, private sector, and non-profit organizations is necessary to address this complex issue.

Determinants of Marital Instability in Ibadan, Nigeria

The economic and social desirability of marital stability is shown by its promotion of di-vision of labor, risk pooling, and encouragement of healthy behavior, while unstable mar-riages are linked to negative outcomes such as psychological and financial distress, im-paired child development, and long-term health challenges. It is worth noting that, while previously high divorce rates in developed countries appear to be slowing down, the op-posite might occur in developing countries. However, few studies have empirically ex-amined the causes of marital instability in developing countries. This study sought to em-pirically investigate marital instability in Nigeria by focusing on its key influencing fac-tors. The study collected data from 186 individuals in the urban and rural areas of Ibadan, the third most populous city in Nigeria, and used multivariate logistic regression analysis to investigate three marital states: divorce, separation, and widowhood. The results show that marriage duration, number of children, and marriage entry age have a substantial in-fluence on marital instability. The risk of divorce follows a U-shaped pattern, with the risk falling from age 26 to 30 and rising again until age 46. Thus, addressing the causes of ear-ly and late marriage entry could improve marital stability in Nigeria. Keywords: Household economics; Marital instability; Marriage market

A historical review of sustainable construction in Nigeria: a decade of development and progression

PurposeResearch studies related to sustainability and green building have made monumental contributions to the concept of sustainable construction (SC) in Nigeria. This paper therefore aims to present a historical review of the development of SC in Nigeria over a 10 year period. The review also provides constructive perspective on the benefits of SC and the present state of enforcement of green building in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachA historical review strategy was applied to the study. Using secondary data sources, 47 influential journals from emerald, scopus and science direct database focusing on “SC”, “sustainability” and “green building” in Nigeria between 2012 and 2022 were used for the analysis.Findings The analysis deduced that the development of SC in Nigeria have undergone a triple period of development: the inception period (2012–2016), the transition period (2016–2020) and the advancement period (2020–present). The review juxtaposes the three timeline to show rapid growth in the awareness of SC, but revealed moderate levels of implementation in some major cities in Nigeria. Therefore, the author finds and argues that the advancement of SC in Nigeria can be achieved through the synergy, commitment and active roles of researchers, academics, practitioners, policy makers and the government in enforcing existing green policies.Originality/value The study is the first academic paper to undertake a decade long historical review of SC in Nigeria. This review provides an up-to-date understanding of the developments, changing dynamics and future progressions in the field of SC in Nigeria.

EPH97 Application of Self-Protective Behaviors in Balancing Objective and Subjective COVID-19 Risk Assessments Among Residents in an Urban Setting

We examined the association between self-perceived and Latent Class Analysis (LCA) assessed risk of COVID-19 infection and evaluated their relationships with sociodemographic and modifiable behavioral factors among residents of Onitsha, an urban city in Nigeria. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey (n=140) conducted in March 2020. The survey elicited information on the participants’ demographic characteristics, COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, preventive practice, level of preparedness, misconceptions, and COVID-19 information gaps. Participants were classified as being “not at risk” or “at risk” based on self-perceived risk of COVID-19 infection (subjective) and LCA-segmented risk clusters (objective). We applied the Chi-square test and used Kendall rank correlation analysis to determine the relationship between demographic characteristics and self-protective behaviors by the risk assessment methods. There was a significant association between subjective (32.4%) and objective (50.7%) assessments of COVID-19 risk (X2=5.38, p<0.05) among the survey participants. However, those who perceived themselves at risk of COVID-19 were 58% less likely to be classified as such when assessed objectively (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.20-0.88, p<0.05). In contrast, those who perceived themselves to be at no risk were 2.38 times (OR: 2.38, 95%CI: 1.13-4.99, p<0.05) more likely to be at risk when assessed objectively. Significantly negative and low correlation was observed between subjective and objective assessments ((Kendall's tau-b (τb)= -0.193,p<0.05). Relationship between knowledge and attitude of residents toward COVID-19 were in opposite direction (τb= 0.431,p<0.01 (subjective) and τb= -0.339,p<0.01 (objective)). Adoption of preventive practices was negatively correlated with information gap among persons assessed both subjectively (τb= -0.379,p<0.01) and objectively (τb= -0.404,p<0.001) for COVID-19 risks. Objective assessment allowed for the integration of self-protective behaviors in the model, making it a reliable framework for identifying at risk group and tailoring intervention program aimed at curbing the devastating impact of COVID-19 among the city residents.

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Financial Institution Performance in Nigeria: A Study of Jos Metroplolitan City of Plateau State

Financial institutions are confronted thru gradually keen opposition and increasing effect of supervisory necessities, financial plus high-tech innovations, influential grief and new dares which have melodramatic effects on their concerts. The ambition of this paper is to examine impact of foreign direct investment on financial institution performance in Nigeria. The study was grounded on three theories (revenue maximization principle, pecking order theory and Internationalization Model) in relation FDI performance. This study employs a survey design because which aimed at establishing effects of the variables of independence on dependent variable, population of this study was based on 10 selected financial institution operating in Jos Metropolitan city of Plateau Nigeria as at 1^st January, 2022. Each bank is represented by its Chief finance officer (CFO). Primary data and secondary data was obtained thru yearly financial statement of selected financial institution through the respective Chief finance officers also, books, journals and publications, while primary data was obtained via questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data collected. The results reveled that that FDI variables indicates a strong impact on financial institution performance among Nigeria financial institutions, it recommends that solid framework ought to be set up in order to curtails bottle neck and other issues in relation to FDI among Financial institution performance. The study concludes FDI with financial institutions transaction be able to be intermediated thru its dimensions (Foreign exchange, Capital adequacy, Equity capital and Reinvested foreign earning).

Coping With Midlife Crisis: A Cross-Sectional Study of Ondo City, Southwestern Nigeria

Midlife crisis occurs when people begin to lose confidence and have feelings of anxiety or disappointment about life in middle age. It is a transition that takes place as people grow older while struggling with the passing of their youth. This study examines the psychological and emotional impacts of midlife crises and the coping strategies employed by participants. The study was conducted among 348 participants from a city in southwestern Nigeria. Primary data was retrieved through questionnaire administration, while the study was explained using the retrospective denial theory. Stress topped the psychological and emotional impacts of midlife crisis among the participants (61.2%), followed by anxiety (59.9%), and low self-esteem was the least (3.4%). In order to cope with a midlife crisis, the majority of study participants (86.1%) used prayer as the most effective coping strategy, followed by forgetting the past and moving on (79.2%), and accepting their fate (47.5%) as the least effective. The study concludes that almost all the participants in the study have experienced midlife crisis. The feeling that life has not turned out to be topped as the cause of midlife crisis, with excessive thoughts about childhood being the least. With regards to the psychological and emotional impacts of midlife crisis on participants, stress was the highest, followed by anxiety, and low self-esteem was the least, while prayer topped the list of coping strategies employed by participants in the study. We recommend that people who experience midlife crises seek the help of therapists who can help them sort out feelings about past events, manage current stress, and plan their future.

Effect of waste disposal sites on physicochemical properties of water in selected states of Southeast Nigeria.

Water bodies are constantly being degraded by leachates from waste disposal sites, particularly in the Nigeria cities. This paper investigates the effect of waste disposal sites on physicochemical properties of water in selected states of Southeast Nigeria. To achieve the main aim of the study, three waste disposal sites were selected from three cities based on their proximity to streams. Wet and dry seasonal effects were also noted. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design, with four replications for 3years, and data collected was analyzed statistically. The result indicated that biological oxygen demand (BOD) values of 29.31 ± 1.60mg/L, 23.87 ± 2.32mg/L, and 32.73 ± 1.30mg/L at Abakaliki, Enugu, and Awka in the wet period decreased by 2%, 17%, and 10% respectively, relative to the dry season values, and were significantly (p < 0.05) higher relative to the respective controls. The result also proved that values of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate (NO3-), and turbidity in water presented similar results. However, more findings from this study showed an evidence of more pollution loads from the waste disposal sites in the wet period relative to the dry season due possibly to increased leachate and run-off coming out of the sites to the surface water bodies. Based on the findings, the study strongly recommends proper awareness to avoid contamination/pollution of surface water bodies within the vicinity of the waste dump sites among the immediate settlement that make use of the environment in order to safe-guard their lives.

Cigarette health warning label compliance in Nigeria: A multi-city observational study.

Tobacco remains the world's leading preventable cause of death, with the majority of tobacco-caused deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The first global health treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), outlines a set of policy initiatives that have been demonstrated as effective in reducing tobacco use. Article 11 of the FCTC focuses on using the tobacco package to communicate tobacco-caused harms; it also seeks to restrict the delivery of misleading information on the pack about the product.The objective of his study is to establish a surveillance system for tobacco packs in Nigeria to assess pack compliance with in-country health warning label requirements. The Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS) monitors whether required health warnings on tobacco packages are being implemented as intended and identifies pack designs that might violate the communication of harm-related information and undermine the impact of the country's tobacco packaging laws. Tobacco cigarette packs were collected in three cities in 2019-2020. The intention was, to the extent possible, to construct a census of 'unique' pack presentations available for purchase in Nigeria. We implemented the TPackSS standardized Protocol for acquiring packs from 36 diverse neighborhoods across three cities. At the time of purchase, data on the price and place of acquisition of each pack were recorded. We photographed packs, coded, and archived them. Each pack was coded for compliance according to the current health warning label laws. Each pack was coded by two independent coders consistently. We routinely measured intercoder reliability and only retained variables for which a good level of reliability was achieved. Across the three cities in Nigeria, the team collected 90 tobacco packs. Overall, 77% of packs evaluated for HWL compliance complied with all the relevant common indicators of HWL compliance. There was a 92% compliance with the location of the HWL (e.g. top or bottom of pack, front or back panel) with in-country requirements. Of the four compliance indicators, the size of the HWL (the minimum required coverage) showed the lowest compliance (31%) (i.e. the HWL was too small on most of the packs). Label elements (such as color contrast or content of warnings) showed 85% compliance overall. The analysis of the packs showed various levels of compliance with Health Warning Label provisions for Nigeria. Periodic evaluations are required to ensure that minimum requirements are met.