Governance In Nigeria Research Articles

A Framework for Industry 4.0 Related Green Concept Integration of Services Component in Commercial Buildings

The effects of global warming are far-reaching and can affect and threaten every aspect of human existence. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation have mainly contributed to the emission of these greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Construction activities and practices are one such human activity. Building services are the aspects of a building that ensure the occupants are comfortable and secure within the building. However, building services use resources such as energy and water to create such comfort. The 4.0 era of industry has introduced dimensions to Green Building Concepts and practices of creating structures and processes that are environmentally friendly, responsible and resource efficient. This research, therefore, seeks to develop a framework for the integration of Industry 4.0-related green concepts into services in commercial buildings. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this research to provide information concerning integrating green concepts into building services in commercial buildings in Nigeria. Data were collected with questionnaires from 106 built environment professionals who also use commercial buildings in the study area of Abuja. Statistical tools for frequency, percentage, mean score, relative important index (RII), independent samples t test, Mann–Whitney U test and the factor reduction method based on eigen values were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that quality indoor air conditioning is the most critical satisfaction parameter for users within commercial buildings, with an average mean score of 3.81. The aesthetic effect of installed services on the building façade and high-quality building services components was ranked high, with an average mean score of 3.33 for each. The results also indicated that the lack of relevant technology and inadequate training of service personnel hindered the growth of green building concepts in Nigeria. These factors had a mean score of 4.35 each. Professionals ranked energy efficient/saving bulbs, e.g., CFLs, remote controlled, sensored lights, natural daylight, solar photovoltaic panels and building management systems, as the most effective green components that can be incorporated into commercial buildings. These factors and others were combined to create a framework for integrating green concepts for services into commercial buildings. When the construction industry and government in Nigeria adopt this framework, it can promote more integration of green concepts into commercial building services.

Rule of Law, Regulatory Quality and investment Growth in Nigeria: An Impact Analysis

This study focus on rule of law, regulatory quality and investment growth in Nigeria employing ordinary least square method of estimation. A time series data spanning from 1997 to 2019. The economic growth was proxied with investment growth, while other variables include rule of law, regulatory quality, consumer price index, premium lending rate, trade openness, financial deepening, investment, gross investment and gross fixed capital formation. The finding of the OLS result shows that there is significant positive relationship between rule of law, regulatory quality and economic growth. Also, the result of the ECM shows that the speed of adjustment of the investment growth in the long run would be accounted for in short run by the magnitude of 27% and 40%. In the robustness check, negative significant relationship exist between rule of law, regulatory quality, investment and gross investment. Findings from granger causality test shows that there is a unidirectional causality between rule of law and economic growth, and also a bidirectional causality between regulatory quality and economic growth. Thus, improvement in the governance and institutional framework in Nigeria is suggested as policy recommendation.

Urban services and the invisibility of local governments in Nigeria in a COVID-19 pandemic context

The Covid pandemic was expected to provide a catalyst for better service provision by governments in general and local governments in particular. However, the complexity of governance suggests that citizens’ expectations of performance of constitutionally assigned roles may not always meet the realities of state–state relations. This paper provides a nuanced example of the interplay between state–state relations, citizens’ expectations and state–society relations in a three-tiered multi-governance context. Using findings from a virtual focus group discussion and online survey conducted in the first-wave lockdown in Lagos, Nigeria, it is shown that existing state–state relations influenced the relegation of local governments in the Covid-19 response structure, while citizens’ expectations continually demanded their visibility in service provision, a role that community actors and civil society groups took up. It is argued that it is not enough for services (particularly in health emergencies) to be provided in local government areas and through local governments, but services provided by local governments provide the competency local governments need to partner with civil society and other actors, thereby strengthening their capacity to assume devolved roles.

Artificial intelligence in public service and governance in Nigeria

Purpose: This study explores the current state of artificial intelligence implementation in Nigeria’s public service and the potential benefits, challenges, and strategic steps needed to harness AI for improved governance and service delivery. Methods: The research design was qualitative. The data were collected using secondary data collection, in which a thorough literature review of academic articles, books, and reports related to AI was consulted. This study applied a thematic research approach to clarify the underlying issues, beliefs, and experiences related to artificial intelligence in governance and public services. The study was also anchored to content analysis. Results: The findings revealed that AI application in Nigeria’s public service is still in its early stages, with promising developments in areas such as e-governance, healthcare, banking sector, real estate business, and law enforcement/security outfits. There is a need for the government in Nigeria to invest significantly in infrastructural advancement and human capital development, which in turn will close the skill gaps, infrastructural deficits, and lapses that crop up from the unawareness of Artificial Intelligence in the technological advancement of Nigeria. Limitations: This study examined the current state of AI in Nigeria's public services and governance by identifying the key barriers that affect the adoption and implementation of AI. The study made progressive recommendations that integrated the application of artificial intelligence in public services and governance in Nigeria. Contributions: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of how AI can be adopted in Nigeria’s unique environment. Findings: This study did not receive any funding from any agency or organization.

Harnessing traditional institutions for sustainable leadership and good governance in Nigeria

The subject of traditional institutions cannot be undermined in the project of sustainable leadership and good governance in Nigeria given the locus and crucial role of the institution in the past and modern Nigeria. It is incontrovertible that traditional and aboriginal values are held highly with reverence and respect in virtually all parts of Nigeria. To discountenance their relevance will be too costly in any leadership-cum-governance discourse. Towns, villages and cities were duly recognized and protected as the harbingers of culture, mores, norms and values. The contemporary government structure in Nigeria duly recognizes the importance of traditional institutions by having a Commission for Local Government (LG) and Chieftaincy Affairs at all State levels. Moreover, 5% of allocations to LGs go statutorily to the tradition institution in the State. Hitherto, the recklessness and abuse of the native authority system of local government administration in the 1950s–60s had led to the moderation and reforms of the system, which has continued to affect traditional institutions to date. To this end, the paper argues that traditional institutions hold so much values and cohesive practices as well as socially integrative potentials for nation-building so much that the State can leverage on them for sustainable leadership and overall good governance. The methodology adopted for collecting data for this study is descriptive research method, which relies on primary direct observation (eye-witness) account and relevant secondary materials such as texts, journal articles, official documents and internet materials. The data collected were analyzed and presented using thematic analysis and tables. National and international data already analyzed were found essential to drive home the argument of this study. The outcome of the paper provides useful information on how traditional institutions serve as a veritable platform for sustainable leadership and good governance in Nigeria. The paper concluded that traditional institutions, with its rich culture, values and practices, possess sufficient merits to propel the country towards sustainable leadership that would concomitantly induce economic, technological and political growth in Nigeria.

Stakeholder perspectives on blockchain technology adoption for public governance in Nigeria - a qualitative study

Stakeholder perspectives on blockchain technology adoption for public governance in Nigeria - a qualitative study

TAX PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY OF GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Government cannot run in isolation, they need revenue to run their operations and one of the sources of this revenue is taxation. Despite government lamentations of a lack of funds for infrastructure development, there is a scarcity of literature in Nigeria on how tax performances may influence the quality of governance. This study examined the impact of tax performance on the quality of governance in Nigeria. Data for the study were taken from the OECD, the World Bank, and the Central Bank of Nigeria's annual reports, and the research design used is ex-post facto. The Hausman test was employed to analyze the data collected after subjecting it to the unit root test. Tax performance is proxy by company income tax, personal income tax, and value-added tax while the corruption perception index was used as a proxy for quality of governance. This study's findings revealed that the quality of governance and personal income tax are positively and significantly related, with a p-value of 0.0000, a t-statistic of 6.320390, and coefficients of 0.200227. This study's findings revealed that quality of governance and company income tax are negatively and significantly related, with a p-value of 0.0000, t-statistic of -9.743164, and coefficients of -0.228796. However, this study's findings revealed that the quality of governance and value-added tax are not related, with a p-value of 0.3252, a t-statistic of -0.984622, and a coefficient of -0.033803. This study concluded that tax performance had a significant impact on governance quality in Nigeria. This study recommends that taxation if appropriately controlled will improve the quality of governance, create jobs in the country, lower inflation, and boost economic growth.

Interrogating Christian and Muslim responses to COVID-19 in Nigeria

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the far-reaching significance of religion in shaping human interaction within social crises. Efforts to slow down the spread of coronavirus prompted different national governments, including the Federal Government of Nigeria to restrict large density gatherings, enforce lockdowns and promote social distancing, which were largely resisted initially. Organised religion may have influenced citizens’ compliance with government directives for curbing the pandemic. Focussing largely on providing economic assistance to people in need, it may have missed out on the reason for recourse to faith. One outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic was the need to understand the application of religious faith in explaining epidemics and health crises. This work predominantly relies on data from secondary sources (library research and internet materials). Just as it critically investigates Christian-Muslim responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seeks also to justify reliance on religion during a health emergency. By the evaluative method of philosophy, we show that although the pandemic triggered dread of annihilation, it brought in its wake a search for ontological meaningfulness. This study therefore argues that Nigerians turned to religion to meet the deep-seated, individual need for meaningfulness (‘survivability’) that is primary to the need of soul and body, which includes material donations by organised religious entities. The primacy of fulfilling this need precedes sociality both ontologically and epistemologically because meaningfulness is an inalienable property of individuality.Contribution: This work presents religion as a rationally defensible need that is fundamentally rooted in individual human nature, even in a pandemic; religion pertains to meaningfulness, which counters human fear of annihilation and meaninglessness.

Traditional Administrative System and Modern-Day Governance in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis

Traditional Administrative System and Modern-Day Governance in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis

The Impact of Companies and Allied Matters Act (Cama) 2020 on Corporate Governance in Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari 2020 signed the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 (CAMA 2020), and the CAMA 2020 is expected to be a step in the right direction towards reforming and improving Nigeria’s business environment and reducing regulatory hurdles. The CAMA 2020 which repealed and replaced the Companies and Allied Matters Act, of 1990 is also projected to impact positively on corporate governance practices and procedures in Nigeria and this has received increased attention in the new CAMA. This is due to the concerted efforts aimed at inculcating the principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness in running the affairs of public and private companies and also to curb the high-profile scandals involving abuse of corporate powers by key corporate stakeholders using corporate entities. This paper highlights the impact of CAMA 2020 on corporate governance in Nigeria.

Evaluation of Indigenous Cultural Practices that Affect Resistance of the Family Unit in Sub-Saharan Africa

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of indigenous cultural practices on the resilience of families in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to analyzing the degradation of these behaviors and the increase in single parenthood in the region, the objective was to investigate how these cultural traditions contribute to families’ capacity to cope with and recover from hardship. This study offers practical suggestions for incorporating indigenous values into contemporary family assistance programs. Utilizing a qualitative research methodology, this study used semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations with a sample of 120 single parents from four local governments in Nigeria to obtain data. The reoccurring themes identified through thematic analysis include the degradation of traditional values, the transition towards single parenthood, and the socio-economic elements that influence family constructions in contemporary African societies. The present study enhances academic research by emphasizing the pivotal significance of indigenous cultural practices in promoting resilience. This study provides valuable perspectives on the integration of ancient communal support networks and values into modern interventions designed to enhance family resilience. Furthermore, the research underscores the significance of safeguarding these cultural traditions in response to modernization and socio-economic transformations, hence broadening the discussion on cultural conservation and adjustment in African communities. Keywords: Indigenous Traditions, Cultural practices, Family Resilience, Societal Problems

Market warfare strategy and rural armed banditry in Zamfara State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT As rural armed banditry in Nigeria defies conventional warfare strategies, including militarisation, negotiation, and amnesty, the Zamfara state government in Nigeria introduced a market warfare strategy to contain the spread of rural armed banditry. The markets were shut down across the state, particularly in rural areas, to stop buying and selling all kinds of goods and services to deny armed bandits access to markets where they could sell rustled cows, acquire provisions for their basic needs, and purchase arms and ammunition. The article used the routine activity theory and a qualitative analysis approach to examine the market warfare strategy in Zamfara State. It argues that, the respite provided by the strategy was temporary, as its impact on the poor people is has been devastating.

Does Privatization improve Corporate Governance and Profitability? Evidence from Cement Company of Northern Nigeria

The paper study how Privatization improves Corporate Governance and Profitability of Cement Company of Northern Nigeria. Data was collected from secondary sources, and the statistical tools employed in the Methodology were descriptive statistics and OLS regressions. The study aimed at bridging literature gap on studies that relate corporate governance and privatization policy in Nigeria. The results suggest that, The result suggest that, the company has lower market capitalization, private sector and foreign investors have concentrated ownership, bigger board size, lower percentage of executive directors and higher percentage of non-executive directors, Board chairmen were not the chief executives and chairmen audit committees were non-executive directors, lower workforce, higher percentage of management staff small percentage of non-management staff, lower profitability, products demand depended on government capital projects, The Company purchased 5MW power plant in 1991, macro-economic challenges such as devaluation of naira, energy sector crisis, foreign exchange rate, inflation, trade liberalization, inconsistent stabilization policies, political instability and banks’ strikes and weak private sector. Inferential result reveals that, has state ownership, percentage of management staff, percentage of non-management staff and privatization have positive and significant relationship with profitability. However, minority ownership has a negative and significant relationship with profitability. Based on these findings, the researcher arrived at the conclusion that, Corporate governance has significant impacts on profitability of Cement Company of Northern Nigerian. Even though, unfavourable macroeconomic environment militated against its efficiency. The study recommends that, government needs to introduce macroeconomic stabilization measures that will improve effective demand of cement products particularly with the problem of withdrawal of fuel subsidy in the economy. The company should, as a matter of necessity, design strategies that will; create international market opportunities, enhance security measures, cheap inputs, efficient financial and inventories management that will improve profitability post privatization.

Language Use in Exogamous Marriages in South-west Nigeria

This study examined language use of the exogamous families in Southwestern Nigeria in order to find out the language choice in a range of domains (formal and non-formal) and with different speech partners. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is Fishman’s (1972) Domain Analysis. Language use questionnaire was structured and administered to these families. The population of the study included nine hundred (900) respondents drawn from twelve (12) Local Governments of South-western Nigeria and the respondents were strictly from exogamous families. Data collected were analysed using statistical tool. The findings revealed that English language is the most used language among the exogamous marriage families in South-Western Nigeria in both formal and non-formal domains. The study also revealed that the children of all the exogamous marriage families have language socialization as they acquired at least one of the languages spoken by their parents easily, but lack the use of it in everyday dialogue rather they prefer to use English. This is because, they lack balance bilingualism or 'multilingualism. The researchers recommended that comparable research could be conducted on exogamous couples living in both rural and urban communities in order to enrich the knowledge of the sociolinguistic findings and better assessment.

Elite Governance, Development, and Public Safety in Nigeria

Governance defines how political actors use ethical or corrupt practices to influence mass participation in political decision-making in public affairs. This article interrogates the implications of the elite monopoly of power for development and public safety in Nigeria. We anchored the study on Pareto’s circulation of elite theory. It adopts a qualitative method to collect secondary data which are content and thematically analyzed. Results indicated that the gap between the elite and the citizenry threatens the development and public safety in Nigeria. This article concludes that elitism should not only socially engage with the citizenry, but it should also reproduce egalitarian political values and actors for inclusion in Nigeria’s democratic destiny. Drawing on the values of the conceptual lions (oselu) of Pareto to scare his conceptual foxes (ojelu) vices out of political domination through electoral re-socialization could neutralize elite conspiracy against the majority and boost the capacity of vulnerable Nigerians to initiate and implement development and public safety defenses. It suggests that a true fiscal federalism predicated on ethical reorientation in politics could reinvent Nigeria, and relieve her of the burden of underdevelopment and insecurity into which elite avarice has plunged the country.

Effect of Forensic Accounting Tools on the Integrity of Financial Statements among 27 Local Governments in Nigeria

Effect of Forensic Accounting Tools on the Integrity of Financial Statements among 27 Local Governments in Nigeria

Challenges of Good Governance in Nigeria (2011-2019)

Challenges of Good Governance in Nigeria (2011-2019)

FEDERALISM IN NIGERIA AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL AUTONOMY: ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION VERSUS ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ABIA STATE & 35 ORS (2024)

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) serves as the foundational legal framework for governance in Nigeria, delineating the structure and functions of government at various tiers. General Background: Recent Supreme Court rulings concerning local government autonomy have intensified debates about the nature of Nigeria’s federal structure, particularly regarding whether it constitutes a two-tier or three-tier system. Specific Background: This article critically examines the constitutional provisions that govern local government administration and the legislative authority of State Houses of Assembly, focusing on the implications for Nigeria's federal architecture. Knowledge Gap: While existing literature has addressed aspects of Nigeria’s federalism, there remains limited analysis of the constitutional recognition of local government as a third tier and its dependence on state legislatures. Aims: The objective of this study is to elucidate whether the Nigerian Constitution endorses a two-tier or three-tier federal structure and to assess the implications of recent judicial decisions on local government autonomy. Results: The findings indicate that the Constitution acknowledges a three-tier federal system, with local government councils—despite being the closest to the grassroots—remaining under the legislative control of the states. Novelty: This research contributes to the discourse on Nigerian federalism by highlighting the unique characteristics of local governance within the constitutional framework. Implications: It is recommended that the 1999 Constitution be amended to establish local governments as a fully independent third tier, eliminating their reliance on state governments, thereby enhancing local governance and accountability.

EFFECTS OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION ON POVERTY REDUCTION, SAVINGS AND NIGERIA ECONOMIC GROWTH: 1980 -2022

This study examined the financial inclusion and Nigerian economic growth for the period 1980-2022. The study considered the following three objectives; to examine the significant impact of financial inclusion on the Nigerian economic growth, evaluate the impact of financial inclusion on poverty reduction in Nigeria and to ascertain the impact of financial inclusion no savings growth in Nigerian economy. Secondary time series data were used to carry out the empirical analysis. The study employed the aid of vector error correction model (VECM) approach, Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron tests, Co-integration Test and ECM. Based on the above econometric and statistic techniques conducted, it was observed that financial inclusion has significant positive impact on the Nigerian economic growth. Our results indicated that financial inclusion has significant positive impacts on poverty reduction in Nigeria. Furthermore, the result reported that financial inclusion has significant positive impact on the Nigerian savings growth within the study period (1980-2022). These empirical results do support that; One percent decrease in the interest rate (ITR), inflation rate (IFR) and exchange rate (EXR) at lag (-2) will lead to [31% (ITR)-2), 53%(IFR)-2), and 8%(EXR)-2)] increases on the aggregate saving (ASE) Nigeria economy. One percent increase in the financial inclusion proxy by; deposit from the rural areas (DRA), loan to rural areas (LRA), account owners of any type (AA) and electronic money banking/payment system (EMB) at lag (-2) will lead to [38%(DRA)-2), 29%(LRA)-2), 59%(AA)-2) and 03%(EMB)-2)] increases on Per capita income (PCI) respectively in Nigeria. Based on these findings, the researcher recommends that; Nigeria governments should fund financial inclusion programs preferring financial literacy as a national strategy for financial inclusion because it is relatively cheaper to educate the population about financial management and the benefits of using formal financial services. Stable electricity supply to drive the infrastructural facilities provided by banks, telecommunication companies and other related service providers such availability and affordability of financial services in Nigerian monetary authority (CBN) should increase the number of formal account ownership by building up trust securities in financial institutions operation in Nigeria, remove all obstacles for account ownership such as income and age bracket bias, distance in location and education discrimination in the delivery and use of financial services

Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Among Women Farmers in North-Eastern Nigeria

This research focused on evaluating the utilization of ICTs by women farmers in North-Eastern Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling method, which included both purposive and simple random sampling techniques, was used to select 359 women farmers for the study. Primary data were gathered and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the study's objectives. The majority of respondents (78.0%) were married, with a mean age of 41 years. Most of the respondents (52.5%) were involved in trading, and the average farm size was 3.4 hectares. Additionally, 88.3% had a high social participation score, and 51.7% and 58.9% were aware of old and new ICTs, respectively. Majority of the participants benefited from access to information on fertilizer sources and application (74.9%), credits, grants, and loans (70.8%), market rates and locations (63.1%), and crop pests, diseases, and control (62.1%) through the use of ICTs. Most of the respondents faced several constraints: high cost of gadgets (73.5%), insufficient time allotted to agricultural programmes (73.5%), lack of or inadequate ICT infrastructure (62.3%), expensive power/electricity prices (61.3%), defective equipment (57.8%), and multiple responsibilities of women farmers (54.3%). The regression analysis showed that age, marital status, religion, farm size, household size, and occupations did not significantly affect ICT utilization. However, educational attainment, participation in social organizations, and awareness were significant factors influencing the use of ICTs among women farmers. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should prioritize the establishment of essential infrastructure aimed at promoting and facilitating the utilization of ICTs among women farmers.