Geopolitical Zones Of Nigeria Research Articles

Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mindset in African Educational Leaders: Strategies for Fostering Innovation and Adaptability

This work looked at cultivating entrepreneurial mindset in African educational leaders: strategies for fostering innovation and adaptability. The objectives of the study were to: determine effective methods for building entrepreneurial mindset; analyze the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset among educational leaders and students’ performance; and identify the main obstacles African educational leaders confront in promoting entrepreneurial mindset. The survey design approach was used. Data were gathered through primary and secondary sources. The study used Nigeria as a case study. The population of the study was 1705 while 324 was derived as sample size using Taro Yamane formula. Stratified sampling technique was used in selecting the 324 sample from the six geo political zones in Nigeria. Questionnaires, designed according to the 5-point Likert scale, were administered to the 324 persons. Data was presented and analyzed in tables. In testing the hypotheses, ANOVA was used for hypotheses one and three while Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used for hypothesis two. Findings revealed that: Experiential learning, innovation and creativity workshops are effective methods for building entrepreneurial mindsets among individuals; there is a significant relationship between entrepreneurial mindset among educational leaders and students’ performance, and limited institutional support and inadequate funding impact negatively on educational leaders’ ability in promoting entrepreneurial mindset. From the findings, it was recommended among others that educational stakeholders should invest in workshops for innovation, experience learning, and creativity while government at all levels should encourage educational leaders with all necessary tools to succeed in building entrepreneurial mindset.

Leveraging public awareness and behavioural change for entrepreneurial waste management

This article takes us into the world of municipal solid waste entrepreneurs, revealing how public awareness campaigns and behavioural change efforts intertwine with entrepreneurial endeavours. Through conversations with 11 key participants—entrepreneurs from four geopolitical zones of Nigeria and a senior management figure from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority—I hear firsthand accounts of the challenges they face and their strategies to transform waste into opportunity. Guided by the theory of planned behaviour, this study sheds light on how these entrepreneurs perceive the role of public awareness in shaping waste management behaviour and driving business innovation. From their stories, a common theme emerges: the need to educate the public about responsible waste practices while developing creative business models that engage communities. Concepts like “freemium-to-premium” offerings are explored as ways to break through psychological barriers and inspire wider participation in waste management initiatives. These voices illustrate how awareness campaigns are not only about fostering environmental responsibility, but also about creating pathways for entrepreneurial growth, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy. This study contends that public awareness extends beyond mere knowledge; it acts as a form of infrastructure in its own right. Rather than being just an end goal, awareness becomes a vital foundation in the pursuit of improved waste management practices, serving as a key driver for meaningful environmental action.

Financial Re-Engineering and Customer Performance of Poultry Business in Nigeria

The poultry business is the largest private sector employer and contributes 25% to Nigeria’s agricultural gross domestic product. The process of capturing poultry business performance using the balanced scorecard performance pillar of customer performance had not been completely integrated in prior research. Therefore, this study looked at how financial re-engineering affected the customer performance of the chicken industry in Nigeria using proxies for business strategy, business processes and systems, business technology, organizational structure, and organizational culture. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study were 4324 active farmers and support services of the key poultry business stakeholders in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. The sample size of 450 was determined using Taro Yamane sample size formula. Strata random sampling technique were used to select the respondents from the geo-political zones. A structured and valid questionnaire, using 5 level Likert-scale, were administered to the respondents with a response rate of 84%. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients for the constructs ranged from 0.87 to 0.95. Descriptive and inferential (multiple regression) analysis were used to analyse the data at 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that all financial re-engineering exerted significance effect on customer performance (Adj.R2 = 0.520 F(5,379) = 82.950, P < 0.05). The study concluded that financial re-engineering has significant effect on customer performance of poultry business in Nigeria and recommended that poultry business owners and management in Nigeria should integrate financial re-engineering into their processes in order to optimize production and attract premium customers with attendant total performance expectations.

Trends and predictors of full immunization coverage in Nigeria

BackgroundImmunization plays a significant role in global health, yet many children in Nigeria do not receive full immunization due to several influencing factors. Therefore, this study examined the trends in Nigeria’s full immunization coverage and identified key predictors that influence full coverage.MethodsThe data for children aged one to five years, across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria was retrieved from the 2007, 2011, 2016/17, and 2021 national Multiple Indicator Cluster surveys We analyzed the data using univariate logistic regression. Results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aORs), and statistical significance was set at 0.05.ResultsThe results showed that 12,229 children (74.2%) had been fully immunized. The trend of immunization coverage was 63.6%, 82%, 63.7%, and 76.4% in 2007, 2011, 2016/17, and 2021 respectively. Children of educated mothers (aOR: 2.6; 95% CI 1.45, 4.76) and from the richest families (aOR: 2.1; 95% CI 1.41, 3.11), were more likely to be fully immunized. Conversely, children in rural areas (aOR: 0.6; 95% CI 0.42, 0.81) and from families of more than five (aOR: 0.6; 95% CI 0.46, 0.81) were less likely to be fully immunized.ConclusionAs of 2021, the rate of full immunization coverage in Nigeria was 76.4%, an improvement from the low 2003 rate (12.3%). Maternal education and wealth index are significant sociodemographic determinants for full immunization coverage. Adopting policies that improve access to education for females nationally and access to healthcare, especially in rural areas may significantly increase full immunization coverage.

Perception of Nigerian Dental Students on the Effectiveness of Teaching Platforms Used for Orthodontics Lectures During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objective: This research was to assess how Nigerian dental students perceived the effectiveness of the teaching platforms adopted by Orthodontic lecturers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive survey which involved 10 accredited Nigerian dental schools with clinical students during COVID-19 pandemic across the geo-political zones of Nigeria was carried out. One hundred and forty-five clinical students who had been taught Orthodontics before COVID-19 pandemic were surveyed using a three-Section Google forms semi-structured questionnaire, administered through WhatsApp and emails. Section A comprised socio-demographic variables, B centred on information on teaching platforms adopted for Orthodontics before and during COVID-19 pandemic), and C was about the perceived effectiveness of adopted teaching platform during COVID-19 pandemic. Data obtained were quantitative, analyzed using SPSS version 26. Hypothesis was tested using independent samples t-test at 0.05 significant level. Results: The participants included 83(57.2%) males and 62 (42.8%) females, with mean age of 25.738 +/- 2.94 years. One hundred and forty two (97.2%) affirmed to having more face-to-face teaching before COVID-19 pandemic. The most T popular online teaching platform adopted during COVID-19 pandemic was WhatsApp, 58 (40%). More than half of the participants, 99 (68.3%), had a positive perception towards the adopted teaching platforms. Most of them, 120 (82.7%), perceived the adopted platforms were effective in providing quality Orthodontic lectures, clinical skills and soft skills. More males 83 (57.2%) than females 62 (42.8%), perceived the platforms to be more effective with no statistical difference, while most, 120 (82.7%), accepted the adopted teaching platforms for orthodontics during COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Orthodontic learning occurred largely on-line during COVID-19 pandemic and the perception of the students was positive towards the effectiveness of the adopted teaching platform as most participants accepted the platforms.

Audit of oral neoplasms in children and young adults in Nigeria

BackgroundOrofacial neoplasms in children and young adults may differ significantly from those observed in adults. Our aim was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of histologically diagnosed orofacial neoplasms among children and young adults in Nigeria.MethodsThis was a multicenter cross-sectional study across geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Annual reports of clinical information and surgical biopsies submitted at the Oral Pathology Laboratory, clinic day registries, surgical day case registries and operative theatre registries were retrieved from January 2008 to March 2024. The relevant demographic data were obtained for each patient. The study subjects were categorized by age into children, adolescents and young adults. Tissue involvement was classified as soft tissue involvement, bony involvement or both soft tissue and bony involvement. The site and behaviour of the lesions were subdivided according to the ICD-10 codes. Statistical analysis was performed via the R programming language.ResultsA total of 1889 cases were observed during the period under review, with a mean age of 15 years. Cases were more common in females (52%) and in young adults (47%). Most cases were benign neoplasms (85%), and bony affectation (54%) was slightly predominant. Odontogenic tumours (38%) and fibro-osseous lesions (20%) were the most common category of lesions observed, whereas salivary gland tumours (2.2%) and neoplasms of epithelial origin (2.5%) were the least common. Neoplasms in children involved mostly soft tissues, whereas those in adolescents and young adults had a preference for bone (p < 0.001). In all age groups, benign lesions were mostly observed in the mouth and pharynx. For malignant lesions, in children, the bones of the skull and face were mostly involved, whereas in adolescents, the mandible was the predominant site (p < 0.001). In children, mesenchymal neoplasms were the most prevalent category of lesions, whereas in both adolescents and young adults, odontogenic tumours were more common. The proportion of malignant neoplasms in males was significantly greater than that in females (p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study revealed that although most biopsied orofacial lesions were more often benign, the proportion of malignant neoplasms in this population was greater than that previously reported.

Self-determination and secessionism in Nigeria: a contextual analysis through Edward Azar’s protracted social conflict theory

ABSTRACT This article examines the rising divergence but convergence of self-determination and secessionist campaigns in Nigeria. For a contextual analysis, it turns to Edward Azar's protracted social conflict (PSC) theory, exploring the connections between communal disgruntlement and self-determination. The analysis indicates a significant relationship between communal dissatisfaction and self-determination. Through purposive sampling, it selected 44 in-depth interview respondents to obtain complementary qualitative data that were content analysed. In contrast to the 1960s secessionism, which was largely restricted to Eastern Nigeria, combined with the legacies of colonial rule, popularity of ethno-religious politics, an increase in insecurity and violence, economic hardship, communal insecurity, and deeper perception of ethnic marginalisation, the current wave of self-determination is more contagious and politically attractive in three (South West (SW), South East (SE) and South (SS) –) of the existing six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The article concludes, returning to the erstwhile regionalism will salvage Nigeria from territorial disintegration..

Comparing Skin Tones to Shades of Upper Anterior Teeth: An Observational Study among Nigerian Adults.

Skin tones may be predictive of anterior tooth shade. An analysis of the relationship of skin tone to anterior tooth shade within a population may facilitate the prescription of complete dentures with optimal esthetics and realism. This study aimed to assess the relationship between skin tones and shades of upper anterior teeth among a diverse Nigerian adult population. The study was conducted between February and December 2022 among consecutive healthy adults recruited from dental clinics of five teaching hospitals in four cities located across four geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Skin tones were recorded using the National Immigration Service (NIS) Skin Color scale. The Vitapan Classic® shade guide was used to record the tooth shade of the upper central incisors and canines. Bivariate and multivariate tests of associations were performed, and predictive probabilities were developed. A total of 1070 adults with a mean age of 30.8 ± 10 years participated in the study. NIS skin tones 6 (29.8%) and 5 (27.7%) were the most common, while hues A (48.7% in incisors and 48.4 % in canines) and B (41.1% in incisors and 40.1% in canines) were predominant. The values of the incisors and canines were positively related to skin tone (P = 0.001) and age (P = 0.001 for incisors and P = 0.003 for canines). Hue was also significantly associated with skin tone for canines (P = 0.01) and gender (P = 0.001). Regression models showed increasingly darker skin tones were positively related to duller values for incisor teeth (β = 0.173, OR =1.19, P < 0.001). The values for canines were more likely to be >2 (β = 0.118, OR =1.12, P = 0.01), but without significant positive relationship to increasingly darker skin tones (β = -0.99, OR =0.91, P = 0.22). Skin tones were associated with upper anterior tooth shade. There was a positive relationship between skin tones and the shades of upper anterior teeth. Skin tones could guide the clinician in shade selection during complete denture prescriptions.

Lessons learnt from assessing and improving accuracy and positive predictive value of the national HIV testing algorithm in Nigeria.

HIV testing remains an entry point into HIV care and treatment services. In 2007, Nigeria adopted and implemented a two-test rapid HIV testing algorithm of three HIV rapid test kits, following the sequence: Alere Determine (first test), UnigoldTM (second test), and STAT-PAK® as the tie-breaker. Sub-analysis of the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey data showed significant discordance between the first and second tests, necessitating an evaluation of the algorithm. This manuscript highlights lessons learnt from that evaluation. A two-phased evaluation method was employed, including abstraction and analysis of retrospective HIV testing data from January 2017 to December 2019 from 24 selected sites supported by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme. A prospective evaluation of HIV testing was done among 2895 consecutively enrolled and consented adults, aged 15-64 years, accessing HIV testing services from three selected sites per state across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria between July 2020 and September 2020. The prospective evaluation was performed both in the field and at the National Reference Laboratory under controlled laboratory conditions. Stakeholder engagements, strategic selection and training of study personnel, and integrated supportive supervision were employed to assure the quality of evaluation procedures and outcomes. The algorithm showed higher sensitivity and specificity in the National Reference Laboratory compared with the field. The approaches to quality assurance were integral to the high-quality study outcomes. We recommend comparison of testing algorithms under evaluation against a gold standard. This study provides context-specific considerations in using World Health Organization recommendations to evaluate the Nigerian national HIV rapid testing algorithm.

The Prevalence and Molecular Epidemiology of Hepatitis Delta Virus in Nigeria: The Results of a Nationwide Study.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which requires the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) for its assembly and propagation. Although countries affected by HBV infection in Africa are well identified, data on HDV infection are still scarce, like in Nigeria, where HBV infection is endemic. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of HDV infection and identify the circulating genotypes/strains in the country. A nationwide study was performed on 1281 HBsAg-positive samples collected from patients across eleven sites drawn from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Anti-HDV antibody (HDV-Ab) screening and HDV-RNA viral load quantification were performed using a commercial ELISA assay and real-time RT-PCR kit, respectively. HDV genotyping was performed by the Sanger sequencing of amplicons from the so-called R0 region of the viral genome, followed by phylogenetic analyses. Of the 1281 HBsAg-positive samples, 61 (4.8%) were HDV-Ab positive, among which, 12 (19.7%) were HDV-RNA positive. Genotypes were obtained for nine of them: seven "African" HDV-1, one "Asian/European" HDV-1 and one HDV-6. This study shows that Nigeria is a country of low HDV prevalence where mainly "African" genotype-1 strains are circulating.

May Measurement Month 2021: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Nigeria.

There is a need to constantly assess the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Nigeria. This study determined the frequency of undiagnosed hypertension across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. We conducted an opportunistic screening of adults aged at least 18 years in the month of May 2021. Participants were recruited by trained volunteers using the May Measurement Month protocol. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using validated digital sphygmomanometers. We defined hypertension as systolic BP ≥ 140 and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg and/or the use of BP-lowering medications. A total of 9361 participants (51.5% females) with a mean age of 40.7 ± 15.5 years were screened. Hypertension was present in 3192 (34.1%) of the participants. About half (1491, 46.7%) of the hypertensives were unaware of the diagnosis. Among the 3192 participants with hypertension, less than half (1540, 48.2%) were on antihypertensive medications, while only 36.4% of those on antihypertensive medications had their BP controlled (<140/90 mmHg). About one-third of Nigerians in this opportunistic screening had hypertension, with about half of them being unaware of their diagnosis while only about two out of every five on antihypertensive medications had controlled BP. Urgent health actions are needed in Nigeria to reduce the burden of hypertension and its complications.

Performance evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 rapid diagnostic tests in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged health systems globally. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard for detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples. Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits for COVID-19 have been widely used in Nigeria. This has greatly improved test turnover rates and significantly decreased the high technical demands of RT-PCR. However, there is currently no nationally representative evaluation of the performance characteristics and reliability of these kits. This study assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of ten RDT kits used for COVID-19 testing in Nigeria. This large multi-centred cross-sectional study was conducted across the 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria over four months. Ten antigen (Ag) and antibody (Ab) RDT kits were evaluated, and the results were compared with RT-PCR. One thousand, three hundred and ten (1,310) consenting adults comprising 767 (58.5%) males and 543 (41.5%) females participated in the study. The highest proportion, 757 (57.7%), were in the 20-39 years' age group. In terms of diagnostic performance, Lumira Dx (61.4, 95% CI: 52.4-69.9) had the highest sensitivity while MP SARS and Panbio (98.5, 95% CI: 96.6-99.5) had the highest specificity. For predictive values, Panbio (90.7, 95% CI: 79.7-96.9) and Lumira Dx (81.2, 95% CI: 75.9-85.7) recorded the highest PPV and NPV respectively. Ag-RDTs had better performance characteristics compared with Ab-RDTs; however, the sensitivities of all RDTs in this study were generally low. The relatively high specificity of Ag-RDTs makes them useful for the diagnosis of infection in COVID-19 suspected cases where positive RDT may not require confirmation by molecular testing. There is therefore the need to develop RDTs in-country that will take into consideration the unique environmental factors, interactions with other infectious agents, and strains of the virus circulating locally. This may enhance the precision of rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Breastfeeding support among healthcare workers in Nigeria

BackgroundThe exclusive breastfeeding rate in Sub-Saharan Africa is abysmally low, and based on current trends, achieving the World Health Organization's (WHO) global nutrition goal of a 50% exclusive breastfeeding rate by 2025 will require an additional three decades.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study involving healthcare workers (HCWs) providing direct care to breastfeeding mothers in six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. HCWs were recruited using a stratified random sampling method, with a minimum sample size of 1537. Data was collected through validated-interviewer-administered-questionnaires.ResultsThe mean age of the 1294 respondents was 35.2 ± 10.0 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:3. Overall, breastfeeding knowledge was subsufficient (41.2% across three domains), with specific knowledge gaps observed in breastfeeding for mothers with breast cancer (13.4%) and hepatitis B (59.4%). Only 18.9% correctly identified laid-back and cross-cradle breastfeeding positions. High school and tertiary education were significantly associated with sufficient breastfeeding knowledge (AOR: 2.2, 95% CI 1.299–3.738; AOR: 2.0, 95% CI 1.234–3.205). Negative attitudes toward breastfeeding support were associated with being female (AOR: 1.5, 95% CI 1.094–1.957), while being a doctor was linked to the lowest instructional support (AOR: 0.3, 95% CI 0.118–0.661). Positive attitudes toward breastfeeding support were significantly associated with sufficient knowledge (AOR: 2.4, 95% CI 1.833–3.161; p < 0.001), but not with technical knowledge (AOR: 0.8, 95% CI 0.629–0.993).ConclusionHealthcare workers showed subsufficient overall breastfeeding knowledge, especially regarding breastfeeding in maternal illnesses and positioning. Targeted programs are needed to improve breastfeeding support knowledge, instructional support and attitudes, especially among female HCWs and physicians.

Social Justice and Credible Leadership in the 21st Century University Leadership and Management

In this study we examined social justice and credible leadership in the 21st century university leadership and management. The research employed a correlational survey design. The population of the study comprised of academic staff of selected universities in the South-South geo political zone of Nigeria. The selected universities are University of Port Harcourt, University of Calabar, University of Delta, Niger Delta University, and University of Benin. The sample for the study comprised forty academic staff from each of the universities who were randomly selected after stratification. Out of the 240 questionnaires were distributed, only 214 copies were retrieved, of which 11 copies were invalid because some of the items were not answered, leaving the researcher with only 203(84.5%) response rate that were considered manageable for the data analysis. The study utilized a self-structured questionnaire titled Social Justice in Education Questionnaire (SJEQ) and Credible Leadership in University Management Questionnaire (CLUMQ), the Questionnaire consisted of three sections. Section ‘A’ gathered information on respondents demographic data, Section ‘B’ contained 15 items that addressed the research questions, and Section ‘C’ included 10 items that are related to Credible Leadership in University leadership and Management. Respondents rated items on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Very Low Extent) to 4 (Very High Extent). Data collection was done from February to May 2024. The instrument underwent face and content validity by experts in measurement and evaluation in two Nigerian universities, and the internal consistency was verified using Cronbach's alpha and reliability indices of α = .872 and .789 were obtained respectively, the indices were considered very reliable. The questionnaires were administered with the help of two trained research assistants who assisted in ensuring instant retrieval of the instrument distribution to the selected academic staff members. Descriptive statistics: means and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions, while linear regression statistic was employed to test research hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings of this study revealed a positive relationship between social justice practices and leadership and management credibility in the 21st. The study concluded that the integration of social justice principles into leadership and management practices within university systems are essential. Amongst other things, the study recommended that University leaders should prioritize equitable resource allocation to ensure that all departments and programs receive the necessary resources to thrive.

The impact of small scale fish farming on poverty reduction in South-East Zone of Nigeria

Over the years, successive administrations in Nigeria have embarked on numerous poverty reduction programmes aimed at reducing the poverty rate in Nigeria. These efforts have not yielded much result as poverty rate has continued to soar and pervade every geo-political zone in Nigeria. The poverty situation, coupled with the low uptake of fish farming technology in the south-east zone has prompted the need to examine the impact of small-scale fish farming on poverty reduction in the south-east zone of Nigeria. The dependent variable of the study is poverty reduction, which has household expenditure as its proxy. The independent variable is small-scale fish farming, proxy by income, employment, food security and consumption multiplier. Data collection was made through in-depth Interview (IDI) guide, while analysis was done using thematic analysis technique. A total of 40 participants, comprising of 30 fish-farm owners and 10 employees were selected purposively from the states of Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo for the interview. The study findings suggest that small-scale fish farmingin the study area impacts positively on poverty reduction, as increase in each of the independent variables tends to increase the dependent variable. The study recommended the establishment of fish farm settlements; granting of credit facilities to fish farmers; establishment of skill acquisition and training centers for farm employees; and improvement electricity supply and road network for lower energy cost and easy transportation of fish products. Keywords: Fish Farming, Small-Scale, Poverty Reduction.

Region, Location, and Age-Specific Comparison of Nutritional Status of In-School Adolescent Girls (10-19 years) in Nigeria

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of adolescent girls using anthropometric indices. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of 2261 in-school adolescent girls aged 10 -19 was conducted. A multistage stratified random sampling procedure was used to select participants from three geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Two states selected from each zone; North Central (Kogi and Niger States), South East (Abia and Imo States) and South West (Osun and Ondo States). Body Mass Index-for-age, Waist-Hip-Ratio (WHR), and Waist-Height-Ratio were calculated by anthropometry of weight, height, hip, waist and Mid-Upper Arm Circumferences. Data were analysed on SPSS Version 24. Frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviations were used for descriptive while logistic regression and chi-square analyses were used for inferential statistics. Significance was taken at p&lt;0.05. Results: Mean age was 14.86 years (± 1.78 years) and actual body weight was 47.81 kg (± 9.02 kg), which is lower than the ideal weight of 54.52 kg (± 9.05 kg). The negative variance of -6.71 kg shows that the girls weighed 6.71 (±9.73) kg less than their ideal weight. Overweight/Obesity/Risk of Abdominal Obesity was highest in South East region (p = .005) while underweight/undernourishment was highest in South West (p = .005). However, no significant difference was recorded between the urban and peri-urban populations (p = .005). Older girls; 14 -16yrs (OR = 2.311, 95%CI = 1.263 – 4.229) and 17 -19yrs (OR = 2.182, 95%CI = 1.253 – 3.799) were twice more likely to be Overweight/Obesity compared to 10 -13yrs. Those who were within the 14 -16yrs age range were thrice more likely to have higher WHR (OR = 3.043 95%CI = 2.334 -3.978) than those younger. Conclusion: There was a significant difference in the nutritional status of adolescent girls across regions and age ranges hence a need for regional nutrition-sensitive intervention programmes among adolescent girls. Keywords: High School Girls; Health Status; Body Stature; Body Measurement; Nigeria Region

Evaluating the knowledge of stroke management among Nigerian medical doctors

BackgroundStroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Nigeria. Effective stroke management is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Few trained neurologists in Nigeria are mostly concentrated in the cities, making non-specialists the backbone of acute stroke management in Nigeria. Physicians-related factors have been identified as one of the factors leading to sub-optimal stroke care. This study aimed to describe the knowledge of medical doctors in acute stroke care and the factors responsible for the disparity in their skills. MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 404 medical doctors across all the six geo-political zones in Nigeria using the Acute Stroke Management Questionnaire (ASMaQ). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and simple logistics regression to predict the relationship between independent variables and the outcome variable (good knowledge vs poor knowledge). Results67 % (95 % CI =63–72 %) of respondents had good overall knowledge of stroke management. Most respondents [88.6 %, 95 % CI =85–92 %] had good knowledge of General Stroke Knowledge (GSK) followed by Hyperacute Stroke Management (HSM) [52.5 %, 95 % CI=47.3–57.7 %] and Advanced Stroke Management (ASM) [49.5 %, 95 %CI= 49.5–54.4 %]. Working in a primary healthcare center (PHCs) and government hospital were significant predictor of overall poor knowledge of stroke. Physicians at PHCs had 2.29 times the odds of poor knowledge compared to those in tertiary hospital ConclusionsIt is essential to retrain doctors on stroke management regularly, as part of their professional development.

A designathon to co-create HPV screening and vaccination approaches for mothers and daughters in Nigeria: findings from a community-led participatory event

BackgroundOncogenic types of human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection cause substantial morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Nigeria has low cervical cancer screening and vaccination rates, suggesting the need for community engagement to enhance reach and uptake. We organised a designathon to identify community-led, innovative approaches to promote HPV screening and vaccination for women and girls, respectively, in Nigeria. A designathon is a three-phase participatory process informed by design thinking that includes the preparation phase that includes soliciting innovative ideas from end-users, an intensive collaborative event to co-create intervention components, and follow-up activities.MethodsWe organised a three-phase designathon for women (30-65yrs) and girls (11-26yrs) in Nigeria. First, we launched a national crowdsourcing open call for ideas on community-driven strategies to support HPV screening among women and vaccination among girls. The open call was promoted widely on social media and at in-person gatherings. All eligible entries were graded by judges and 16 exceptional teams (with 4-6members each). All six geo-political zones of Nigeria were invited to join an in-person event held over three days in Lagos to refine their ideas and present them to a panel of expert judges. The ideas from teams were reviewed and scored based on relevance, feasibility, innovation, potential impact, and mother-daughter team dynamics. We present quantitative data on people who submitted and themes from the textual submissions.ResultsWe received a total of 612 submissions to the open call from mother-daughter dyads. Participants submitted ideas via a website designated for the contest (n = 392), in-person (n = 99), email (n = 31), or via an instant messaging application (n = 92). Overall, 470 were eligible for judging after initial screening. The average age of participants for daughters was 19 years and 39 years for mothers. Themes from the top 16 proposals included leveraging local leaders (5/16), faith-based networks (4/16), educational systems (4/16), and other community networks (7/16) to promote awareness of cervical cancer prevention services. After an in-person collaborative event, eight teams were selected to join an innovation training boot camp, for capacity building to implement ideas.ConclusionsInnovative strategies are needed to promote HPV screening for mothers and vaccination for girls in Nigeria. Our designathon was able to facilitate Nigerian mother-daughter teams to develop cervical cancer prevention strategies. Implementation research is needed to assess the effectiveness of these strategies.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Pattern, Distribution, Etiology and Treatment of Maxillofacial Injuries from Different Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Pattern, Distribution, Etiology and Treatment of Maxillofacial Injuries from Different Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria

Assessment of fishes, sediment and water from some inland rivers across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria for microplastics.

In Nigeria, limited research has been conducted on Microplastics (MPs) in inland rivers, necessitating a comprehensive assessment to understand the extent of contamination. This study aimed to assess the abundance, distribution, and composition of MPs in fishes, sediment, and water from inland rivers across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. Samples were collected from selected rivers in each geopolitical zone (Rivers Yauri, Benue, Argungu, Jamare, Ogun, Ethiope and Orashi). MPs were isolated using a combination of filtration, density separation, and visual identification. MPs abundance, distribution, shapes, colors, and chemical composition were determined using microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The study presents the first report of MPs in six in land rivers in Nigeria and found that MPs were present in all the fishes, sediments and river waters studied across all the rivers. The abundance and composition of MPs varied among the different sample types, with fibers being the most abundant shape in both water and fish samples. PET, PP, and PE were the most prevalent types of plastics found in fish samples, while PE/PA/Nylon, PVA, and PVC were predominant in water samples. PA/Nylon, PUR, PVC, and PET were the most common in sediment samples. Source analysis by Principal component analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) indicated that the presence of MPs was mainly influenced by local anthropogenic activities. However, estimated daily intakes are generally low, indicating that daily consumption of the samples is not likely to be harmful. The widespread presence of MPs in inland rivers across Nigeria highlights the urgent need for effective waste management strategies and environmental conservation efforts to mitigate plastic pollution.