Physical Distribution Strategies and the Marketing Performance of Bottled Water Companies in Calabar, Nigeria

This research examined the effect of physical distribution strategies on the marketing performance of bottled water companies in Calabar. It employed a cross-sectional survey approach. Primary data were collected from 276 operational personnel of bottled water companies in Calabar through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze and interpret the data, while multiple linear regression was utilized to test the hypotheses. The results unveiled significant positive impacts of order processing, transportation, inventory, and warehousing management on the marketing performance of bottled water companies in Calabar, Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommends the following, among others: bottled water companies should integrate innovative technologies into their order processing systems, such as automated order placement, and order sorting software to ensure the delivery of accurate and personalized orders to customers at all times; a robust transportation management system characterized by timely carrier scheduling, clear route planning and automated carrier tracking should be in place to enable bottled water companies achieve effective distribution of products to customers when needed; and bottled water companies should prioritize inventory management through strategic inventory planning, automated inventory control and prompt inventory replacement to ensure that inventory resources required for production and customer service are consistently available in appropriate quantities and quality

Governance and Economic Growth in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries

The variation in economic growth among nations has brought the issue of economic growth to the forefront. Growth in an economy is key for economic development. When "the country's total earnings increase", its population benefits. Economic growth is significant because it promote the competitiveness of any nation. One of the most striking challenges of economic growth in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries is poor governance, decline in the living conditions of the population, with the specter of widespread hunger plaguing people's perceptions. The objective of the study is to examine the effect of governance on economic growth in the selected Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The technique adopted for this study is the Panel Corrected Standard Error Method. This method was employed because it controls for heteroscedasticity. The result shows that there exist a direct relationship between control of corruption, voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence on real gross domestic product in SSA respectively, while regulatory quality and government effectiveness has a negative effect on real gross domestic product (RGDP) respectively. The study recommends that SSA government as well as stakeholders in the region needs to improve the quality of their regulations and also endeavor to improve on their effectiveness and efficiency

Navigating the Digital Terrain: Exploring Post-Covid-19 Technology Adoption Dynamics in Nigeria

By investigating the complex effects of technology adoption in Nigeria and offering insight into the dynamic interactions between societal, economic, and technological factors as the global community navigates the post-pandemic era, this study seeks to address significant effects regarding Nigeria's post-COVID-19 technology landscape. The study employed the comprehensive framework, which merged the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Innovation Diffusion Theory, and Structuration Theory as a result of the coherence technology adoption model. The cross-sectional survey design gathered primary data through a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. A simple random sampling technique was adopted to select and analyse 1040 respondents from nine different sectors of the Nigerian economy. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) v25 was utilised for data screening and descriptive statistics, while, SmartPLS v4.0.9.5 was employed to calculate the inferential statistics. Based on the findings from different sectors within the population under investigation, it is clear that all exogenous variables affect the adoption of the technology. The study recommended that local community involvement in technology adoption, legalisation of cutting-edge sectorial compliance, and the use of computer-based evaluation systems for assessment and instructions across educational sectors should be prioritised by the public and corporate bodies

Women in Climate Change Crises Solutions: Centrality and Empowerment for Resilience

This study examines the crucial role played by women in fighting climate change crises and underscores the urgent need for their empowerment. Recognizing the complex challenges faced by women, including health risks, violence, displacement, and limited access to resources, the study delves into the underlying systemic factors intensifying their vulnerability. While adopting Radical Feminism theory as a lens, we acknowledge the importance of considering intersecting factors such as race, class, and geography in understanding women's experiences. Drawing from a comprehensive analysis of secondary sources, the study explores the ways in which women, despite their vulnerability, emerge as key agents of adaptation and resilience. Through their traditional roles in resource management and caregiving, women often lead efforts to mitigate environmental degradation and develop adaptive strategies in the aftermath of crises. Notably, our findings highlight the relationship between female leadership and effective crisis response, as evidenced by the instantaneous and decisive actions taken by states led by women during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of these insights, the study proposes plausible recommendations for empowering women in the face of climate change crises. These include the establishment of gender-sensitive projects, support for women in green economies, and the promotion of women's participation in decision-making processes. Moreover, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating gender considerations into resilience-building efforts and increasing funding for initiatives addressing gender-specific vulnerabilities. By amplifying the centrality of women in climate change solutions and advocating for their empowerment, the study aims to foster greater resilience in the face of environmental challenges

Vote Trading and Elections in Nigeria: Democracy as an Article of Trade?

This paper is underscored by the commodification and trading of votes in Nigeria which poses a threat to credible elections, democracy, and good governance.  Domestic and global studies including election observers have established that there has always been widespread exchange of votes for money in Nigeria. In this regard, this paper looks at the issue of voting commodification in the country with a view to highlighting its attendant implications for present and future elections, democracy, and governance. Using descriptive and content analysis with data gathered through secondary sources the paper sought to answer the following questions: What is behind the narrative of vote trading in Nigeria? Why do politicians buy votes? Why do people sell votes? Is vote trading conditioned by individual beliefs or social norm? What are the consequences of vote trading on governance? What are the possible solutions to the problem? The paper argues that candidates and political parties engage in material gratification and vote trading during elections and that vote trading is propelled by independent, individual decision and mainly driven by material circumstances. It further contends that the more politicians engage in vote buying and gratification the more unstable the electoral process becomes as that  prevents credible candidates from running for political office as they may not have the humongous amount required to contest in election. The study concludes that material vote selling and buying, and gratification pose negative tendencies for Nigerian political system, democracy, and good governance if not properly handled. The paper recommends among others taking political financing seriously with the electoral umpire- Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) more proactive in fighting vote trading and the electorates through political education be encouraged to avoid all kinds of inducements from political parties and candidates

Analyzing the Impact of Liability Insurance on the Financial Performance of Insurance Companies in Nigeria

The insurance sector reforms in Nigeria sought to create a strong, diverse, and trustworthy industry that protects insured premiums, actively contributes to the country's economic progress, and participates in worldwide financial systems. Despite this development, insurance business operations and survival have not been impressive, and performance remains alarmingly poor. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of workers' compensation written premiums and workers' compensation claims paid of the chosen insurance companies' return on assets (ROA) in Nigeria. This study is a longitudinal research design. Secondary data obtained from the financial statement of five selected insurance firms in Nigeria over the year 2013 to 2022 were analysed with correlation analysis and panel regression estimation technique. The result of the study, based on Hausman verification, showed that workers' compensation written premium has a significant positive effect on RoA and that workers' compensation claims paid has a significant negative effect on RoA in Nigeria. Consequently, this investigation established that liability insurance is an important factor that may have been disturbing the performance of insurance firms in Nigeria, and must be treated with utmost care in the process of enhancing performance. Therefore, this study recommended among others that insurance firms need to increase the rate of client application towards workers' compensation insurance to realize increased levels of premium and income for performance-enhancing operations

Desiring Omelette Not Breaking the Egg: Democracy, Elections and Good Governance in Africa

The quest for good governance, development, and good life for the people which African leaders hoped will be propelled by democracy prompted them to embrace western liberal democracy However, the objective condition in many African countries reveals fundamental gap between expectations and the realities.  In line with these actualities, this paper examines the differences between Africans desire for democracy and the attendant expectations and the present reality and reasons for the chasm. It examines election and electoral issues as factors in democracy and good governance.  In doing this, the paper adopts content analysis of data gathered essentially from secondary sources and adopts good governance theory. The paper contends that although African leaders and people are desirous of good governance and has put in place democratic structures expected to achieve good governance, these democratic institutions, and structures; the contents and processes have not vivified good governance. It argues that the challenges of democracy and good governance in many African countries are poor election and electoral system. This is because the democratic structures and the manner of conduct of elections characterized by corruption, violence, lack of adequate ideological depth on the part of political parties and service-oriented approach to politics, personalization of, and under-performing institutions among other factors negate the principles of democracy and cannot produce good leadership and good governance. The paper concludes that though multi-party elections have been held in many countries in Africa since 1990, the quality of these elections for the advancement of democracy and by extension good governance has generated concerns and query the sense of optimism for multi-party elections. It therefore argues that for African countries to achieve the desirous goals and benefits of democracy, good governance and development, elections must be free, fair, and conducted regularly. Also, political parties and democratic institutions and structures must be adequately strengthened to function properly.&nbsp

Inventory and Classification of the Existing Geomorphosite Resources for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Kano-Nigeria

Lack of adequate inventory of the existing geomorphosite resources and their classification is among the major challenges of geoheritage development in Kano State. This study aimed to provide an inventory and classification of the existing geomorphosite resources in the state. Information pertaining to potential landscapes was sourced from the Kano State Tourism Master Plan (2007), Kano State Tourism Master Plan and Strategic Plan (2013), oral narration, journals and previous researches were used to collect their coordinates using hand-held Global Position System (GPS) Garmin eTrex H and analyze them based on their functions to local communities. Data were also collected through an interview on issues related to functions of the landscape to the early sellers of the local community. The result indicated that, there are 55 existing geomorphosite resources in the state. Religious and Cultural landscapes are the major classification of geomorphosites in the area. A proper update of potential geomorphosite resources in the state should be done in due course. Government, private sector and individuals should gear up towards developing geomorphosite resources in the state. Government, private individuals and Nongovernmental organization should utilize the existing geomorphosites in the promotion of geoheritage, geo-education and geo-conservation. Government, private individuals and NGO through partnership should put more efforts into the development of geological heritage through the provision of basic facilities necessary for the promotion of the sites

An Analysis of Demographic and Occupational Categories at Risk of Diabetes in Metropolitan Kano, Nigeria

This study is aimed to analyze the influence of age, sex and occupational categories as risk factors of diabetes mellitus in Kano Metropolitan Kano, Nigeria. The study was conducted from January, 1st 2005 to December 31st 2014 covering the period of about ten years and examined a total of 8126 diabetic case files. Purposive sampling was used in selecting the facilities. A total of four health facilities were identified and selected for the purpose of this study. The facilities are Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital MMSH, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase University Teaching Hospital, Sheikh Muhammad NJidda General Hospital and Waziri Shehu Gidado General Hospital. The following data were sourced from the case files: date admitted in to the facility, occupation, sex, age and address. Arc GIS 10.2 software was used to generate the spatial maps. However, Chi-square test was used in testing the hypotheses using Statistical Package for Social Science 20.0. The result indicated that demographic and occupational categories of people at risk of diabetes significantly varied in Metropolitan Kano. Therefore, there is significant difference in the number of diabetes mellitus cases among the age groups. The most affected age groups are from Kano municipal local government and falls within the age group of 56-60 years with total cases of 197 (2.4%). Also, the findings revealed there is significant difference in the number of diabetes mellitus cases between the gender groups, with men having high cases of diabetes mellitus. The study further revealed that there is significant difference in the number of diabetes cases among the occupational categories with  house wives accounted for the highest cases of 1946 cases (23.9%), followed by civil servants recorded the least number of 1035 cases (12.7%) in Kano metropolis. The State governments should establish, staffed and fund testing and counseling centers at all levels of primary health care centers across the state. Ministry of health and diabetic association of Nigeria should organize routine public enlightenment programmes specifically targeting the most vulnerable age, gender and occupational groups. However, long term intervention strategy should be directed towards establishing diabetic speciality hospitals in Metropolitan Kano

Does Independent Directors Influence Dividend Pay-out?

Dividend is one of the major factors considered by investors /shareholders in their investment decision, however, dividend decision being a sole responsibility of the board would be influenced by the nature of independence of the board. This study aims to evaluate how the independence of bank boards affects dividend payout decisions with reference to listed deposit money banks in Nigeria. The study extracted secondary data from annual reports and accounts of listed DMBs for a period of 10 years (2012 – 2021) relating to the dependent (Dividend payout ratio) and explanatory variable (outside directors). We analysed the data using descriptive statistics, correlation and GLS regression analyses. The result indicates that independent directors adversely influence dividend pay-out out to shareholders by -81%. This means that outside directors on banks board are strongly oppose to paying dividend supporting the substitution hypothesis, which posits that dividends substitute for independent directors on the board. This evidence implies that shareholders of DMBs that are more interested in dividend income can influence the chances of dividend payment by lowering the number of independent directors in the board. Hence, these findings underscore the need for policy revisions regarding board composition to balance director independence with shareholder dividend preferences