Customer Satisfaction in Fast Food Restaurants in Ibadan Metropolis

This study assessed the factors affecting customer satisfaction and its effect on repurchase intention at selected Fast Food Restaurants (FFRs) in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained by administering structured questionnaire on a cross-section of 147 Customers of Fast Food Restaurants (CFFRs) who patronized FFRs. Multistage random sampling technique was employed to select seven (7) FFRs from the metropolis. The respondents’ satisfaction level towards FFRs was obtained on Five point Likert scale. Each respondent’s satisfaction level was then assessed by Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). The data were analyzed using a combination of descriptive techniques and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression. The regression analyses were used to identify the relationship between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. These dimensions include tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy which concern the physical aspect, regularity and consistency of performances, readiness and willingness to help customers, knowledge and courtesy of the employees and individualized attentions towards customers of the FFRs respectively. Analysis of responses to various indicators of customers’ satisfaction in CSI revealed that 76.2% of the CFFRs considered services of the FFRs as satisfactorily, while 74.5% considered the services as ideal. Regression analysis revealed that customers’ satisfaction with services of the FFRs increased significantly with increase in customer’s perception of tangibility dimension of the service quality (p<0.01), empathy (p<0.01), responsiveness (p<0.05) and assurance (p<0.05). The study therefore, concludes that customer satisfaction significantly enhances repurchase intention and this is closely related to the customers’ perception of tangibility, responsiveness, assurance and empathy dimensions of service quality. The study recommends among others that fast food operator should provide amenities such as parking areas and attractive building exteriors in order to enhance their customers’ satisfaction towards services rendered. Also, service provider of fast food restaurants should endeavor to improve on their empathy by providing more caring and personalized service to customers in order to enhance customers’ satisfaction. Keywords: Nigeria, Fast Food Restaurants, Customer Satisfaction, Service Qualit

Challenges and Investment Opportunities for Large Scale Aquaculture Farmers in Nigeria

Fisheries sector plays an important role in Nigeria economy. Contribution of the sector to the nation's economy can be increased if challenges in the industry are minimized and the opportunities explored. Large scale aquaculture, an economic activity earning people a living is a very important industry encompassing fish traders, fish processors, fish farmers etc. The sector supports many Nigerians directly and indirectly. However fish importation is much more in quantity and value. 80% of aquaculture production in Nigeria is manned by small-scale farmers, except for few commercial ventures. Nigeria is blessed with numerous opportunities for large-scale aquaculture; however the challenges seem to override these opportunities. Constraints to production in the industry have been identified as recurrent high cost fish feed, poor water quality management, poor quality fish seed, technical know-how etc. Beyond the constraints to production are more pertinent factors responsible for un-sustainability of fish farm operation as business ventures. This paper focuses on the investment opportunities in large scale aquaculture and the current challenges that the farmers are facing in Nigeria. The paper shows that unprofitable operation of fish farms in Nigeria could be broadly attributed to two factors: poor production planning and inadequate technical know-how. The paper recommends the need to commercialize the industry through broad government fiscal efforts and sectorial re-organization in Nigeria

Dynamic Linkages Between Exchange Rate Uncertainty and Food Price Volatility in Lagos State, Nigeria

This study employed the SDLOG and EGARCH model to examine Exchange Rate Uncertainty and Variations in Prices for a range of food commodities in Lagos State, Nigeria, from 2001 – 2016. The results showed evidences of persistent food price volatility and exchange rate volatility. Asymmetric effects of shocks in favour of price increase were detected. In addition, Exchange rate variations had significant effect on the price volatility of some food commodities. We suggest that greater attention should be given to the (high) level of food prices, which could mar decisions of farmers and marketers, and reduce demand for affected food commodities

Agricultural price transmission across space and time: The case of cowpea and yam markets in Nigeria

The transmission of price changes to markets has attracted renewed interest since the international food price spikes of 2007 to 2011. In response to this, this paper investigates the long-run behaviour of Nigerian cowpeas and yam tuber retail prices across space and time from 2000 to 2015. We employed the augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test, the Johansen co-integration test, the Granger causality test, the vector error-correction model (VECM) and variance decomposition analysis. The Johansen co-integration test confirmed the presence of a long-run relationship across the markets, while the VECM revealed that the speed of adjustment to equilibrium after price shocks in the yam and cowpea markets varied across space (market) and period (time), with the food crisis in the period pre-2007 to 2011 fastest and the food crisis in the period 2007 to 2011 slowest. We are of the opinion that the presence of a long-run relationship in Nigerian cowpea and yam markets is a call for participants to explore opportunities for gainful trade

Determinants of Child Labour and Schooling: Implications for Poverty and Social Inequality Reduction among Rural Households of Ogun State, Nigeria

Social inequality has remained an adamant obstacle to economic development in Africa and indeed Nigeria. The decision to send a child to work or school reinforces the human capital accumulation or the prevalence of poverty and social inequality. The study analysed pertinent variables in the tradeoff between child labour and schooling in rural households of Ogun State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used in the selection of rural households and ex-post facto approach was adopted in interviewing 493 household children; 240 girls and 253 boys. In order to explicitly estimate the interdependency between child labour and schooling, a bivariate probit regression was modeled. Simple percentages and means were used to describe boys and girls socio-demographic characteristics. Findings revealed that female children had a higher likelihood to work than attend school. The proportion of girls not enrolled in school (16.7%) was almost twice larger than that of the boys (8.7%). Girls were observed to have higher school drop-out rate (18.3%) than boys (16.6%). The rate of out-of-school for both boys and girls was at 30 percent. The proportion of male children who attended school exclusively was higher than females. More girls participated in work only while a higher proportion of boys combined work with schooling. It was observed that the propensity to participate in child labour increased with child‟s age while the years of education of the child decreased the probability of labour participation and increased the likelihood of schooling. Household poverty significantly increased the probability of child labour and decreased the likelihood of schooling. Children from male headed households and farm households were found to participate more in labour activities and less in schooling than their other counterparts. Furthermore, presence of secondary school and electricity increased school attendance and decreased labour participation while presence of public potable water source was found to increase the probability of child labour but does not significantly impact on school attendance. The study concluded that reducing child labour will increase schooling options. However, decreasing child labour is possible through decreasing household poverty and gender disparity and providing physical infrastructure which will in turn decrease poverty and social inequality among the rural households and foster development.Keywords: Child labour, child schooling, poverty, gender disparity, bivariate probi

Wetland importance and dependence among households around the Ogun River Basin, Nigeria

Wetland is particularly important in developing countries for economic purposes. This study examines livelihood activities, wetland dependence and its determinants among wetland households. Primary data were collected from households in a two stage random sampling procedure. Both descriptive and quantitative methods were employed for data analysis. Results show that support for dry season production, all year round water supply, and fishing were the first, second and third most important benefits of wetland to households. Socio-economic factors have influences on wetland dependence. This study concludes that wetland support dry season farming and is heavily depended upon for income by households in wetland communities. It is therefore recommended that skills acquisition centres should be established in wetland communities to engage youths particularly male in other employment apart from wetland related ones so as to reduce dependence on wetlands and thus take pressure off them

WETLANDS ATTRIBUTES AND INFLUENCES ON FOOD SECURITY OF HOUSEHOLDS AROUND OGUN RIVER OF NIGERIA

The physical and ecological attributes of wetlands are important in their economic and biological usefulness. To this end, this research answers questions such as: what are the attributes of the wetland in the study area? Do the wetland attributes have influence on food security status of the households? The study was conducted in the wetlands of Ogun River and its tributaries located in the South-western Nigeria. Primary data were collected through the use of personally administered questionnaire and interview. Two stage sampling technique was used in selecting 633 households included in this study. Data were analyzed using descriptive techniques; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food security module and binary Logit model. The result revealed that wetlands of upper Ogun have abundance of all wetland attributes examined. Food security situation in households with children was not different from those without children. Majority of wetland residents’ households were not food secure leaving about a quarter as food secured. All the eight wetland attributes examined in this study had potential of increasing food security among wetland households as food security was constituently higher in wetlands with abundance of these attributes as against where they are limited. Socio-economic characteristics and wetland attributes have influence on food security status of households. The study therefore recommends that wetlands that are deep and free flowing with unobstructed water ways should be developed by government, international development agencies and non-governmental organizations so as to improve food security status in wetlands areas

Adoption of agricultural practices with climate smart agriculture potentials and food security among farm households in northern Nigeria

Despite the conceptual promise and attractiveness of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in ensuring farmers’ resilience and food security, empirical evidence of its success are observed to be scanty and mixed in terms of results, thus prompting further research. In this article, we analyzed the effect of adopting six Agricultural Practices with CSA Potentials (AP-CSAPs) on food security status using recent cross-sectional data on 238 maize farmers from Northern Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Probit regression. The results showed that 92.4% of the maize farmers were male, with a mean age and household size of 44 years and nine persons, respectively. We find that 37.0% of the farm households were food insecure, and adoption of the AP-CSAPs was generally low. However, while refuse retention and agroforestry influenced food security, the remaining four practices considered did not. In addition, we find that land fragmentation, off-farm income and age influence the likelihood of being food secure. We recommend further research on the medium- to long-term effects of AP-CSAPs and suggest that policies aimed at consolidating landholdings to promote monocropping among rural farmers be discouraged