Democratic Government, Corruption Control, and Economic Development: Evidence from Nigeria with Cointegration Approach

Nigeria returned to a democratic government in 1999. Evidence in the literature shows that democracy promotes economic development. In the recent past, the democratic trajectory of Nigeria has led to empirical debates about the democratization process of the developing states in particular, which is prone to multifaceted challenges. This study examines the impact of democratic government on Nigerian economic development using the VAR autoregressive approach. Our empirical work suggests that democracy has a long-run relationship with the economic development of Nigeria. Against our a priori expectations and established positions in some segments of the literature, this study identifies a negative impact of democracy on the economic development of Nigeria within our study period. On the other hand, the quality of the rule of law positively impacts economic development in Nigeria. Furthermore, the study finds a positive impact of corruption control in Nigeria with economic development, although observable evidence shows that the Nigerian government’s anti-corruption institution is weak. This research paper recommends institutional reforms for the democratization process of Nigeria to fully harness one of the most significant dividends of democracy-economic development. Keywords: Nigeria, Democracy, Development, Corruption, Cointegration. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-15-01 Publication date:August 31st 202

Three essays on the effects of natural resources rents, institutions and demographic factors on economic growth

This thesis consists of three distinct but interrelated essays on the implications of resources rents, institutions and demographic indicators for economic growth. Chapter two utilises timeseries data to investigate the impacts of oil rents, institutions, and diversification on the Nigerian economy's growth. Chapter three applies panel data to determine the effects of oil rents and institutions on OPEC economies' growth. Chapter four uses extensive panel data of 216 economies and extends our study to consider the implications of demographic factors, political institutions, and natural resource rents on economic growth. Given the potential for endogeneity in regression analysis of the drivers of growth, we draw our main results from estimators that consider possible endogeneity. For the Nigerian economy, oil rents positively impact economic growth, contingent on good institutions. Our findings suggest that the quality of democratic institutions in Nigeria is significant for economic growth. Diversification of the economy also shows a positive effect on growth. For the OPEC economies, oil rents have negative implications for its economic growth. We find empirical evidence that institutional qualities: the legal, anticorruption and government effectiveness qualities positively impact OPEC economic growth. Chapter four shows that the population size and growth rate have an asymmetric impact on economic growth. This thesis contributes to the literature by developing varying institutional qualities for Nigeria and OPEC. Furthermore, we develop a model for the OPEC oligopoly power and demonstrates that countries' population growth rates and size are crucial drivers of growth. We observe that whilst democracy promotes economic growth; it does not necessarily follow that those states that are not democratising will lag in growth. The main conclusions of the thesis are that the existence of strong institutions is crucial for resource-producing countries. Demographic factors are significant for growth, and diversification of the economy is vital for economic growth.This thesis consists of three distinct but interrelated essays on the implications of resources rents, institutions and demographic indicators for economic growth. Chapter two utilises timeseries data to investigate the impacts of oil rents, institutions, and diversification on the Nigerian economy's growth. Chapter three applies panel data to determine the effects of oil rents and institutions on OPEC economies' growth. Chapter four uses extensive panel data of 216 economies and extends our study to consider the implications of demographic factors, political institutions, and natural resource rents on economic growth. Given the potential for endogeneity in regression analysis of the drivers of growth, we draw our main results from estimators that consider possible endogeneity. For the Nigerian economy, oil rents positively impact economic growth, contingent on good institutions. Our findings suggest that the quality of democratic institutions in Nigeria is significant for economic growth. Diversification of the economy also shows a positive effect on growth. For the OPEC economies, oil rents have negative implications for its economic growth. We find empirical evidence that institutional qualities: the legal, anticorruption and government effectiveness qualities positively impact OPEC economic growth. Chapter four shows that the population size and growth rate have an asymmetric impact on economic growth. This thesis contributes to the literature by developing varying institutional qualities for Nigeria and OPEC. Furthermore, we develop a model for the OPEC oligopoly power and demonstrates that countries' population growth rates and size are crucial drivers of growth. We observe that whilst democracy promotes economic growth; it does not necessarily follow that those states that are not democratising will lag in growth. The main conclusions of the thesis are that the existence of strong institutions is crucial for resource-producing countries. Demographic factors are significant for growth, and diversification of the economy is vital for economic growth

Understanding the role of estrogen in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate that affects ageing men. As the number of men affected by this condition will only continue to grow with the aging population, finding new strategies and new therapeutic options for its treatment is crucial. Androgenic hormones have been known to play an important role in the development of BPH and they have been a target in its medical treatment. Estrogens have also been implicated in BPH but in contrast to androgens, the functions of estrogens in the prostate are still obscure.Objective: This review aims to highlight the roles of estrogen in the development of BPH.Methods: Authors reviewed the literature covering the past forty years to highlight the roles of estrogen in the prostate and BPH. Data from authors’ experimental work in this field was also referenced.Results: The effects of estrogen in the prostate are mediated by estrogen receptors alpha and beta (ERα and ERβ). These two receptors have different expression and functions in the prostate, thereby presenting a window of opportunity to selectively target them for therapeutic purposes in BPH. The actions of estrogens, as mediated by estrogen receptors, appear to contribute to the development of BPH in men through an intricate molecular process that is yet to be fully elucidated. Although surgery remains the gold standard in the treatment of BPH, understanding the elusive role of estrogen in BPH, in addition to the established role of androgens, would enhance the current therapeutic options and perhaps lead to the development of new therapies. There are indications that phytoestrogens might be beneficial in the management of BPH.Conclusion: This review highlights the roles of estrogen as well as the therapeutic use of phytoestrogens in the prevention and management of BPH.Keywords: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); Estrogen; Estrogen receptors; Phytoestrogen; Androgen

Sociological Analysis of Fulfillment of Nursing Needs and Expectations of Patients in Teaching Hospitals in Northern Nigeria

Nurses have become central to many lives but how well nurses have fulfilled clients’ expectations is often a matter of great concern. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine fulfillment of nursing needs and expectations of patients in teaching hospitals in Northern Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. Questionnaire, structured interview and focus group discussion (FGD) were used as instruments for data collection. The quantitative data was coded and analysed using descriptive methods such as frequency tables, percentages and measure of central tendencies while inferential statistics (chi-square analysis) was used to test the hypothesis. These were triangulated with the content analyses of information from the focus group discussions. The finding showed that the mean age of respondents is 41 years and they cut across socio-economic classes and units of the hospitals. Some (41.5%) of the respondents said their social needs/expectations were not met or satisfied while 33.5% claimed that their psychological needs/expectations was not fulfilled by nurses during hospitalization. On the other hand, majority (77.9%) and (69.4%) of the patients said that their security and physical needs/expectations from nurses were respectively fulfilled. The test of significant relationship between the variables showed that there were statistically significant differences in the patients’ nursing care needs/expectations and fulfillment of needs and expectations by nurses in the teaching hospitals in Northern Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that, curriculum of nursing training, workshops and seminars should be strengthened with the components of human relation and behavioral science. Keywords: Patients, Hospital, Nursing needs, Expectations, Fulfillment, Satisfactio

Democratic Government, Corruption Control, and Economic Development: Evidence from Nigeria with Cointegration Approach

Nigeria returned to a democratic government in 1999. Evidence in the literature shows that democracy promotes economic development. In the recent past, the democratic trajectory of Nigeria has led to empirical debates about the democratization process of the developing states in particular, which is prone to multifaceted challenges. This study examines the impact of democratic government on Nigerian economic development using the VAR autoregressive approach. Our empirical work suggests that democracy has a long-run relationship with the economic development of Nigeria. Against our a priori expectations and established positions in some segments of the literature, this study identifies a negative impact of democracy on the economic development of Nigeria within our study period. On the other hand, the quality of the rule of law positively impacts economic development in Nigeria. Furthermore, the study finds a positive impact of corruption control in Nigeria with economic development, although observable evidence shows that the Nigerian government’s anti-corruption institution is weak. This research paper recommends institutional reforms for the democratization process of Nigeria to fully harness one of the most significant dividends of democracy-economic development

Occurrence of hydrocarbon-degrading nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the rhizosphere of Paspalum vaginatum Sw.

Several nitrogen-fixing and hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of the turf grass Paspalum vaginatum Sw. using four different hydrocarbons; crude oil, decane, diesel and engine oil as substrates. The isolates showed between 98%-99% 16S rRNA gene similarity with species of Alcaligenes, Brevundimonas and Klebsiella. Only Alcaligenes faecalis C1B, Klebsiella varicola C3B and Klebsiella varicola C3BB had the nifH gene; and the genes responsible for nitrogen-fixing abilities of all the isolates were not plasmid borne. Three of the isolates, Brevundimonas diminuta C4B, Alcaligenes faecalis B5 and Alcaligenes faecalis D4A with the ability to grow well in crude oil as carbon and energy source were selected for further studies. Alcaligenes faecalis B5 had the highest growth rate constant of 0.038 µ-1 with a mean generation time of 18.46 h. Analysis of culture extracts by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector showed that Alcaligenes faecalis B5 degraded 90.5% of crude oil in 24 days, while Alcaligenes faecalis D4A and Brevundimonas diminuta C4B biodegraded 84.6% and 82.1% of the oil respectively. Confirmation of nitrogen fixing ability was determined by the acetylene reduction assay (ARA). Alcaligenes faecalis B5 produced the highest amount of ethylene (15.18 nmol) after 24 h of incubation, while Alcaligenes faecalis D4A and Brevundimonas diminuta C4B produced 12.10 nmol and 9.60 nmol of ethylene respectively. Nitrogen-fixing hydrocarbon utilizers are therefore potential seeds in the bioaugmentation of nitrogen-limited hydrocarbon-polluted environments

Occurrence of hydrocarbon-degrading nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the rhizosphere of Paspalum vaginatum Sw.

Several nitrogen-fixing and hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of the turf grass Paspalum vaginatum Sw. using four different hydrocarbons; crude oil, decane, diesel and engine oil as substrates. The isolates showed between 98%-99% 16S rRNA gene similarity with species of Alcaligenes, Brevundimonas and Klebsiella. Only Alcaligenes faecalis C1B, Klebsiella varicola C3B and Klebsiella varicola C3BB had the nifH gene; and the genes responsible for nitrogen-fixing abilities of all the isolates were not plasmid borne. Three of the isolates, Brevundimonas diminuta C4B, Alcaligenes faecalis B5 and Alcaligenes faecalis D4A with the ability to grow well in crude oil as carbon and energy source were selected for further studies. Alcaligenes faecalis B5 had the highest growth rate constant of 0.038 µ-1 with a mean generation time of 18.46 h. Analysis of culture extracts by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector showed that Alcaligenes faecalis B5 degraded 90.5% of crude oil in 24 days, while Alcaligenes faecalis D4A and Brevundimonas diminuta C4B biodegraded 84.6% and 82.1% of the oil respectively. Confirmation of nitrogen fixing ability was determined by the acetylene reduction assay (ARA). Alcaligenes faecalis B5 produced the highest amount of ethylene (15.18 nmol) after 24 h of incubation, while Alcaligenes faecalis D4A and Brevundimonas diminuta C4B produced 12.10 nmol and 9.60 nmol of ethylene respectively. Nitrogen-fixing hydrocarbon utilizers are therefore potential seeds in the bioaugmentation of nitrogen-limited hydrocarbon-polluted environments

Parameters for Design and Construction of a Pilot Scale Pyrolysis Gas-Furnace

The objective of this study is to analyse the design parameters for a pyrolysis furnace designed and built for experimental purposes using the principle of heat transfer. The furnace was made of a casing of low carbon steel sheets inside which the refractory bricks were moulded, forming the furnace cavity to prevent heat loss. The pyrolysis capsule was made of high carbon steel tube with flanges which can be opened for batch loading of the precursors and evacuation of products. The furnace was designed to be gas-fired due to high efficiency and cleaner nature of gas energy. The pyrolysis capsule is installed along the centre of the furnace cavity where combustion takes place. The heat energy accumulated around the capsule is being absorbed into the pyrolysis chamber where precursors are being loaded, the regulation of the temperature of the combustion chamber via the installed feedback mechanism to monitor and control the system. The capsule has a Nitrogen gas inlet for the inert environment needed for effective pyrolysis process and an outlet duct for pyrolysis oil collection and gas recovery. The experimental initial conditions were inputted in Solidworks Flow Simulation to determine the heat distribution at different regions of the furnace and thus made it easy to determine the furnace combustion chamber temperature at which the pyrolysis temperature will be attained inside the pyrolysis chambe

Occurrence of hydrocarbon-degrading nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the rhizosphere of Paspalum vaginatum Sw.

This study investigated the influence of nitrogen-fixing hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from the rhizosphere of plants in the biodegradation of crude oil in the polluted soil. Several nitrogen-fixing and crude oil utilizing bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of the turf grass Paspalum vaginatum Sw. using crude oil as carbon and energy source. The isolates showed between 98% - 99% 16S rRNA gene similarity with species of Alcaligenes, Brevundimonas and Klebsiella. Three of the isolates, Brevundimonas diminuta C4B, Alcaligenes faecalis B5 and Alcaligenes faecalis D4A with the ability to grow well in crude oil as carbon and energy source were selected for further studies. Alcaligenes faecalis B5 had the highest growth rate constant of 0.038 μ-1 with a mean generation time of 18.46 h. Analysis of culture extracts by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector showed that Alcaligenes faecalis B5 degraded 90.5% of crude oil in 24 days, while Alcaligenes faecalis D4A and Brevundimonas diminuta C4B biodegraded 84.6% and 82.1% of the oil respectively. Only Alcaligenes faecalis C1B, Klebsiella varicola C3B and Klebsiella varicola C3BB had the nifH gene; and the genes responsible for nitrogen-fixing abilities of all the isolates were not plasmid-borne. Confirmation of nitrogen-fixing ability was determined by the acetylene reduction assay (ARA). Alcaligenes faecalis B5 produced the highest amount of ethylene (15.18 nmol) after 24 h of incubation, while Alcaligenes faecalis D4A and Brevundimonas diminuta C4B produced 12.10 nmol and 9.60 nmol of ethylene respectively. Nitrogen-fixing hydrocarbon utilizers are therefore potential seeds in the bioaugmentation of nitrogen-limited hydrocarbon-polluted environments