Development Projects In Nigeria Research Articles

Gender Participation and Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria

Gender Participation and Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria

Resource mobilization and effective utilization for actualizing community development projects in Nigeria

This paper examines the resources mobilization and effective utilization for actualizing community development projects in Nigeria. Concepts of resource mobilization for community development project were discusses from different perspectives. Resource mobilization is just a means to the end, the end being the fulfillment of the organization’s vision. Resource mobilization is a team effort, and involves the institution’s commitment to resource mobilization; acceptance for the need to raise resources; and institutionalizing resource mobilization priorities, policies and budget allocation. Problems associated with resource mobilization for community development were discussed. The paper also examines programme implementation for community development projects which identified among others, finding able and willing local leaders, setting up committees and identifying organizations. The paper further discusses participation as one of the basis of community development projects because without participation from the concerns members work or project will not be fully conducted. Various aspect of participation was discussed which include, active participation and functional participation among others. The paper also looks into community development projects evaluation process which centrally discusses empowerment evaluation in which it gives members of community the ability to check and analyze how resources are being utilize for the projects intended for. Conclusion was drawn and way forward were suggested some among others are,

Corporate Social Responsibility and Profitability of Listed Oil Firms in Nigeria

Purpose: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities are crucial for the cordial relationship between the business and the community, and despite the cost involved in CSR investments such relationship may have favourable consequence on community patronage and financial outcome. This study investigated the effect of CSR activities on the profitability of oil firms listed in Nigeria by ascertaining how community development costs (CDC) and employee benefits are associated with the financial performance of the firms. Methodology: Data on the study variables from thirteen oil and gas firms were collected over a period of twenty-one years (1998 to 2018), and analysed using a heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation-consistent regression technique to determine the effect of CSR activities on the financial performance of the sampled firms. Findings: The results showed that community development cost (CDC) had a significant positive effect on profitability. Employee benfits also have similar effect on financial performance. These findings indicate that investing in CSR activities ultimately has a favourable impact on corporate financial performance. Accordingly, the study recommended that oil firms should increasingly invest in employee welfare and community development projects in Nigeria. Originality/Value: This paper used a data set drawn from almost all the listed oil firms in Nigeria over a relatively long time span. The results support the usefulness of CSR activities to corporate entities, thereby encouraging oil firms to conduct more CSR investments in Nigeria.

Unravelling the encumbrances in procurement management of Nigeria's infrastructure development: pitfalls and prospects of projects

PurposeProcurement management in infrastructure development has gained considerable attention in developing countries. It is because of the success in the developed nations. Studies have shown that Nigeria's infrastructure development needs far exceed its current provision. Also, studies are scarce to reveal whether procurement management has been successful in infrastructure development projects in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper investigated the root cause of the perceived encumbrances impeding procurement management in infrastructure development projects and proffered policy measures to improve future Nigeria's infrastructure development.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via unexplored exploratory virtual interviews and selected cases from secondary sources. The engaged construction and engineering consultants have been involved in the procurement management of infrastructure projects in Nigeria. Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the collected data.FindingsThe root causes of the pitfalls that emerged from the study include lack of competition and transparency, embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds, snail speed bureaucracy and bottleneck and lack of skills and knowledge. Others are collusion/bid-rigging/price-fixing/cartel formation, corruption, lack of professionalism, unbridled politicking, embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds, incompetence of tender boards, lack of patriotism to national service and lack of government organisations’ procurement capacity.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is restricted to unravelling the encumbrances in procurement management of Nigeria's infrastructure development projects. Future research is desirable to adopt a quantitative approach for more extensive coverage and validate findings from this paper.Practical implicationsThe paper findings, including those learnt from each case study evaluated, would undoubtedly influence policymakers and construction and engineering practitioners on the key strategies to employ in implementing future procurement management in Nigeria's infrastructure development projects.Originality/valueThis paper would assist policymakers and other stakeholders desirous of improved infrastructure to focus their priorities in mitigating the identified root cause hindering procurement management in Nigeria's infrastructure management.

Provisions for Agricultural Extension Services in the Implementation Manuals of the World Bank Assisted Fadama Development Projects in Nigeria: Gaps and Lessons

The study examined the provisions for agricultural extension services in the National Fadama Development Projects in Nigeria. Provisions for extension services were made by the project in the areas of, input support, local development plans and technical assistance. However, certain critical gaps were observed in the provisions for extension services in the projects’ operational manuals. The observed gaps were in the areas of the improper selection criteria for facilitators and service providers in terms of educational qualification, limited subject matter coverage, poor format for preparing local development plans and lack of incorporation of more innovative extension approaches in project execution, and misuse and application of the concept of advisory services as an alternative to extension services. In spite of the observed gaps, some positive lessons namely; the matching grant arrangement and user fee approach which ensured the sustainability of the project, diversified menu for extension services which was based on the needs of farmers were learnt. Detailed criteria for measuring the quality of extension services rendered to farmers should be developed and included in future implementation manuals.
 Keywords: Provision of agricultural extension services, fadama implementation manuals.

Determinants of non-compliance with structural building code standards in Nigeria

This paper examines the determinants of non-compliance with structural building code standards and regulations within residential development projects in Nigeria. The study targets all stakeholders in development projects, and data were collected using stratified sampling and through the administration of 600 paper-based questionnaires to construction professionals and other stakeholders. A total of 378 valid questionnaires were utilised, representing a valid response rate of 63%. The following indicators were identified and investigated through quantitative analysis: corruption, capacity building, employment/financial strength, professional rivalry, professional vested interests, technological expertise, professional involvement in decision-making, human rights and public opinion from the earlier research in Nigeria. Using SPSS software with the Amos add-on, factor analysis and structural equation modelling were employed to investigate the data, which revealed that corruption, professional rivalry, professional vested interest and professional involvement in decision-making as a combined administrative factor were the most influential in leading to non-compliance with building code standards in residential development projects in Nigeria, followed by training and, to a lesser extent, sociological factors. In response to the findings, this study develops credible and acceptable enforcement control policy framework practices to improve the administrative and technical failure aspects of building standards and regulatory compliance in residential development projects.

Duplication of effort across Development Projects in Nigeria: An example using the Master Health Facility List.

ObjectiveDuplication of effort across development projects is often the resultant effect of poor donor coordination in low- and middle- income countries which receive development assistance. This paper examines the persistence of duplication through a case study of health facility listing exercises in Nigeria.MethodsDocument reviews, key informant interviews, and a stakeholder’s meeting were undertaken to identify similar health facility listing exercises between 2010 and 2016.ResultsAs an outcome of this process, ten different health facility listing efforts were identified.DiscussionsProper coordination and collaboration could have resulted in a single list grown over time, ensuring return on investments. This study provides evidence of the persistence of duplication, years after global commitment to harmonization, better coordination and efficient use of development assistance were agreed to.ConclusionsThe paper concludes by making a proposal for strategic leadership in the health sector and the need to leverage information and communications technology through the development of an electronic Health Facility Registry that can archive the data on health facilities, create opportunity for continuous updates of the list, and provide for easy sharing of the data across different country stakeholders thereby eliminating duplication.KeywordsAid Effectiveness, Donor coordination; Health Facilities; Health Information System; Health Systems; International Cooperation; Master Facility List

REIT Financing of Real Estate Development Projects in Nigeria: Why Not?

This study appraised the investment option of REITs directly financing real estate developments within the REIT investment guidelines in Nigeria. The focus is to grow the real estate sector of the emerging Nigeria REIT market, especially where there exists a low stock of real estate assets. Asset allocation strategy of the modern portfolio theory anchored on the Markowitz’s efficient frontier model was adopted taking into consideration the REIT regulations in Nigeria. The study found that Nigeria REIT can adapt real estate financing as an option of investment diversification because of the potential return benefit exhibited with an efficient REIT portfolio of 70% real estate acquisition, 20% construction finance and 10% financial deposit asset allocation strategy, yielding a return of 8%, which was 89% higher than the 4.23% maximum return of 100% asset in real estate alone. The study provides an insight into the developing Nigeria REIT market and recommends a review of REIT law to encourage REIT investment into direct construction financing in other to grow property stock in the emerging real estate markets to a sustainable level.

Measuring Improvement in Quality of Life in Community-Based Development Projects in Nigeria

The lingering problem of poverty prompted many countries to adopt community-based strategies for improving Quality of Life (QoL) of poor communities. Numerous studies have focused on identifying but ignored to establish the contribution of the factors that influence improvement in QoL by community-based projects. This paper measures, using Structural Equation Modelling, the contribution of the factors that influence QoL in a Community-based Poverty Reduction Project (CPRP) in Nigeria. The model revealed that the measured factors contributed only 36% of the reduction in poverty, which implies that there are other “hidden” factors responsible for the improvement in the quality of life.

A Structural Equation Model of Improvement in Quality of Life in a Community-Based Development Projects in Nigeria

The lingering problem of poverty has prompted many countries to adopt community-based development strategy towards improving the Quality of Life (QoL) of their citizens. Numerous studies have focused on assessing QoL by measuring the manifested (measured) variables and ignored the significant contribution of some “latent” factors. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), this paper investigated the factors that influence improvement in the QoL in a Community-based Poverty Reduction Project (CPRP) in Nigeria. The model indicates that the measured variables cause only 36% (R2 = 0.36) of the reduction in poverty level of the project beneficiaries. This finding implies that there are other “hidden” factors responsible for the improvement in the quality of life.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Quality of Life, Community-based Development Projects, Poverty Reduction, Structural Equation Modelling

Rural Development Projects in Nigeria: The case of Rivers State

The recent over flooding in about 20 States in Nigeria, throws up the age old question of the rural development efforts. Many of the affected areas are rural and many of the displaced are residents of rural areas. Many of these displaced people are more likely to migrate to the urban areas, therefore compounding the challenges of the over populated urban areas. The levels of destruction in these rural areas also reinforce the need to question public efforts towards rural development. This work examined rural development efforts in Rivers state, Nigeria and observed that though governments had made concerted efforts to address challenges confronting rural areas, there are still major difficulties. To sum up some of these are social, economic, psychological, attitudinal and natural. Governments should always appraise and concert efforts to complete any project it initiates. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n3p604

The Lower Niger River dredging and indigenous wetland livelihoods in Nigeria: the Anam communities in Ugbolu, Delta State, as a case study

The article explored systemic tendencies for state-led development projects in Nigeria, such as the recently concluded Lower Niger River dredging, to compromise indigenous livelihoods. Development research methods were sensitized with James Ferguson’s antipolitics machine critique and used to elicit participants’ perspectives of the structuring role of the Niger River on their livelihoods, their evaluation of the participatory content of the project and potential project effects on their livelihoods. Participants claimed the Niger River system singularly structures their livelihoods by facilitating recession farming and fishing. In relation to the participatory content and (un)anticipated effects of the dredging project, key informants insisted that it was undemocratically conceived and executed; that the project will reduce the annual Niger River flood, opportunities for recession farming and fishing, impoverish them, induce involuntary migration, and inter-community conflict. Consequently, an inverse relationship was inferred between technicist development programmes or projects conceived and managed by agents of the Nigerian State and the alleged beneficiaries’ versions and experience of structural change. The author also found that the project was exploited by Nigerian development elites to redefine complex regional underdevelopment challenges as infrastructural deficit and relocate discursive blame for underdevelopment from the state and multinational corporations to riverside communities, their cultures and wet ecologies.

Efficiency of Resource–Use in Accounting Data Processing in Selected Development Projects in Nigeria

Efficiency of Resource–Use in Accounting Data Processing in Selected Development Projects in Nigeria

Multiple infection diagnosis of intestinal helminthiasis in the assessment of health and environmental effect of development projects in Nigeria

Patterns of intestinal helminth infections among school-aged children have been assessed in Eko-ende and Ore, as part of an overall assessment of the public health impact of Erinle Dam Reservoir in Osun State, Nigeria. The investigation was carried out between January and May 2005 using the Kato Katz thick smear technique and simple questionnaire for information on the bio-data, knowledge, attitude and practice of individuals towards disease transmission and control. Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Taenia spp., Strongyloides stercoralis and Schistosoma mansoni were recovered at an overall prevalence of 78.3% among 309 children examined. Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, T. trichiura and S. mansoni were the most common infections while S. stercoralis and Taenia spp. were found only among a few children. Infection patterns of the common diseases were age-specific with peaks in the 11-15 age bracket. Children not attending school were significantly (P < 0.05) more at risk of infection than those attending school. Multiple infections were pronounced with over 54% double infections and 6% four parasites or more infections. The need for urgent intervention to arrest the obviously serious public health situation attributable to Erinle Dam is emphasized.

Conceptual issues in Nigeria's gender-specific rural poverty alleviation strategy

Gender-specific strategies have become very popular in efforts to achieve the sustainable alleviation of rural poverty in Africa. However, there is growing concern that this strategy is based upon weak conceptual grounds. Based on insights gleaned from years of involvement with women-only development projects in Nigeria, the authors highlight some key conceptual challenges to this strategy and argue that unless these are overcome, these pitfalls will eventually consign Nigeria's gender-specific poverty alleviation strategy to the graveyard of disused development paradigms. This article is hosted by our co-publisher Taylor & Francis.

The gender of the extension agent and farmers' access to and participation in agricultural extension in Nigeria

A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of male and female extension agents in reaching farmers, especially women, with extension services in Nigeria. Specially the study determined the levels of awareness of and participation in extension activities, adoption of and technical knowledge of recommended agricultural technologies/practices, satisfaction with the quality of extension services provided and agents' credibility of men and women farmers under male and female extension agents supervision. Data gathered from 141 men and 72 women farmers supervised by male agents and 22 men and 93 women farmers supervised by female agents in Oyo, Kaduna and Rivers State Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria form the empirical basis for the study. Even though men farmers are more aware of and participated more in the extension activities organised by agents than women farmers, the study shows that women farmers, who are supervised by female agents have more access to extension services than women farmers who work with male agents. Specifically, women farmers, who had females for extension agents had relatively higher levels of awareness and participation of the extension activities organised, adoption of and technical knowledge of recommended technologies/practices and satisfaction with the quality of agents' services and credibility. These differential effects of female and male agents on women's access to extension are significant for the delivery of extension services to women farmers, especially. Extension organisations must encourage and recruit more females for extension work done at the same time evolve strategies that will help male agents to work better with women farmers.

The role of accounting information system in the sustainability of agricultural development projects in Nigeria

It was noted that there is poor communication of accounting information in the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs). This creates information gaps among the financial and non‐financial managers. The gap is occasioned by ignorance, lack of trust and personality clash among ADPs’ staff. This hinders effective and efficient gathering and dissemination of accounting information in ADPs. The tripartite funding and controls of ADPs makes their accounting data processing and management different. Accounting information can assist in achieving sustainability of ADPs by providing information to support decision making, assisting in setting and allocating resources to prioritized areas, promoting industrial relations and cost reduction in the ADPs’ system. The paper also asserted that in establishing and implementing information processing system to fully realise these benefits, accounting information needs to be properly understood and managed. Accounting information requires management in much the same way as any large stock holdings. Hence accounting information should be such that it is uniquely stored, located, retrieved, updated, disseminated and consequently used to make informed decisions.

Monitoring and evaluation of Nigeria's irrigation systems: The case of the Bakolori irrigation project

Abstract One of the major banes of water resources development projects in Nigeria is lack of effective monitoring and evaluation. This apparent neglect has resulted in the inability to complete projects within the stipulated period, escalation of costs, poor design and construction works, and inevitably poor performance. This article reports the result of a diagnostic survey of the Bakolori Irrigation Project (BIP), one of the most controversial schemes in Nigeria. It is suggested that project monitoring and evaluation should be made compulsory on all irrigation projects in Nigeria, if they are to make any meaningful beneficial impact on the rural development process.

Water resources development projects in Nigeria

Conceived essentially on a basis of agro‐technical and economic criteria, and without adequate knowledge of all other relevant socio‐economic and cultural factors, water resources development projects in Northern Nigeria have proved hazardous. There is a great risk of upsetting traditional farming systems rather than improving them. The imposition of various schemes, expropriation of land, massive displacement of the rural population, introduction of capital‐intensive technology, dictation of cropping patterns, and prohibitive and regressive farm charges are some of the hazards and uncertainties the farmers have had to cope with. This paper examines the various coping mechanisms adopted by the farmers. Their responses are discussed in relation to agitation, rebellion tactics, and risk‐aversion strategies.

Institution‐Building Lessons from USAID's Agricultural Faculty Development Projects in Nigeria

This paper evaluates the impacts of USAID projects to assist in developing agricultural faculties at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), the University of Ife (UNIFE), and the University of Nigeria (UN). Earlier evaluations of these projects have not given adequate attention to the social, cultural, political, and infra structural constraints that faced both Nigerian and American administrators of these university projects (Jaeger, Johnston et al., Gamble et al., Wilcock and McDowell, Lele), the exception being a recent one by Idachaba.