EQUITY RETURN AND CONSUMPTION IN NIGERIA (1999-2014)

This study examined the trend and pattern of equity return and private consumption in Nigeria between 1999 and 2014. The trend analysis of equity return and consumption showed that there was considerable fluctuation in equity return throughout the study period and which was as a result of trading activities in the stock market. The behaviour of asset prices affected equity and that the fluctuation in the market was attributed to a lot of factors like waning confidence of investors and impact of the global financial crises and economic meltdown, liberalisation of the market. The fluctuation of the growth rate of private consumption was also affected by the economic situation and global economic and financial crises in 2008, oil shock and various government policies put in place to encourage savings. Also, an increase in equity return will increase consumption while a decrease in equity return had little effect on consumption and the effects were not significant

A High Molar Extinction Coefficient Bisterpyridyl Homoleptic Ru(II) Complex with trans-2-Methyl-2-butenoic Acid Functionality: Potential Dye for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In our continued efforts in the synthesis of ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes as potential dyes for use in varied applications, such as the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), this work particularly describes the synthesis, absorption spectrum, redox behavior and luminescence properties of a new homoleptic ruthenium(II) complex bearing a simple trans-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid functionality as the anchoring ligand on terpyridine moiety. The functionalized terpyridine ligand: 4′-(trans-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid)-terpyridyl (L1) was synthesized by aryl bromide substitution on terpyridine in a basic reaction condition under palladium carbide catalysis. In particular, the photophysical and redox properties of the complex formulated as: bis-4′-(trans-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid)-terpyridyl ruthenium(II) bis-hexafluorophosphate [Ru(L1)2(PF6)2] are significantly better compared to those of [Ru(tpy)2]2+ and compare well with those of the best emitters of Ru(II) polypyridine family containing tridentate ligands. Reasons for the improved photophysical and redox properties of the complex may be attributed partly to the presence of a substituted α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid moiety leading to increase in the length of π-conjugation bond thereby enhancing the MLCT-MC (Metal-to-ligand-charge transfer-metal centred) energy gap, and to the reduced difference between the minima of the excited and ground states potential energy surfaces

The impacts of the food, fuel and financial crises on households in Nigeria. A retrospective approach for research enquiry

This paper examines the impacts of the financial, food and fuel crises on the livelihoods of low-income households Nigeria. It uses primary household level data from Nigeria to analyse the impacts of induced price variability on household welfare. Our results indicate that aggregate shocks have significant adverse effects on household consumption, human capital, and labour decisions with a degree of impact variability between northern and southern regions of the country. We find that the coping strategies adopted by the poor to deal with the short-term effects of the crises, and which include substitution for lower quality food, increasing the intensity of work, withdrawing children from school – especially girls – and engaging children in child labour, can lock households in a low-income equilibrium or poverty trap. Provided that covariate shocks exacerbate these effects, tackling the effects of covariate risks becomes central for present and future development policy