Financial Development, Financial Openness and Economic Growth in Nigeria

This study examined the impact of financial development and financial openness on economic growth in Nigeria between 1981 and 2019. This was done through the use of the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. In doing this, the ratio of credit to the private sector to the GDP and broad money to narrow money were used as measures of financial development and financial openness respectively. The study found that financial development has a positive and insignificant impact on economic growth in Nigeria in the long and short-run. The study also found that financial openness has a negative and insignificant impact on economic growth in Nigeria in the long-run. The results of the study further revealed that simultaneous existence of financial development and financial openness has an insignificant but positive impact on economic growth in Nigeria in the long-run. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the CBN should increase its efforts towards the regulation and supervision of the financial sector to reduce the incidence of financial distress. The study also recommended that efforts to develop the mortgage and insurance sector and the capital market should be intensified through regulatory improvements, improvements in the instruments in use in the market as well as public enlightenment programs to increase awareness of the potentials of the mortgage, insurance and capital markets. The final recommendation made by the study is that more restrictions should be placed on the inflow of capital in and out of the country to guard against sudden capital flow reversals

Application of SEM/EDS in fractographic investigation of TIG welded AISI 1020 fusion zones at distinct welding current steps

Higher arc length is a function of increasing welding current (amperage). It increases the intensity of welding heat, thereby, influencing the microstructure and mechanical properties of the welded material. In this this study, fractographical variations in TIG welded AISI 1020 fusion zones at different welding current steps were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) techniques. The fracture morphologies showed a fibrous appearance indicating ductile fracture with initiation of a river pattern of branching cracks, forming cleavages along the crystals plains and intergranular fracture occurring along the grain boundaries, indicating brittle fracture as a result of stepwise increase in welding current. It was observed that the ultimate tensile strength of the welded samples decreased correspondingly from 583.3 MPa, 540 MPa, 530.7 MPa, 506.7 MPa to 473.3 MPa as the resulting heat input due to welding current increased from 96.14 A, 120 A, 155 A, 190 A to 213 A. This indicated that the lowest welding current (96.14A) produced fusion zone with the highest ductility when compared to other welding currents which produced fusion zones that tended to be brittle as a result of increasing heat inputs. It was observed that fusion zone with the lowest welding current showed the appearance of a fibrous structure produced by stretching of crystals in their lattice during heat application. Micro-hardness on the surface of the welds revealed that hardness increased with increase in welding current. Therefore, proper control measures should be put in place to ensure that welding input parameters are optimum

Evaluation of induced residual stresses on AISI 1020 low carbon steel plate from experimental and FEM approach during TIG welding process

Induced residual stresses on AISI 1020 low carbon steel plate during Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding process was evaluated in this study using experimental and Finite Element Method (FEM). The temperature range measured from the welding experimentation was 251°C-423°C, while the temperature range measured from the FEM was 230°C-563°C; whereas, the residual stress range measured from the welding experimentation was 144MPa-402Mpa, while the residual range measured from the FEM was 233-477MPa respectively. Comparing the temperature and stress results obtained from both methods, it was observed that the range of temperature and residual stresses measured were not exactly the same due to the principles at which both methods operate but disparities between the methods were not outrageous. However, these values can be fed back to optimization tools to obtain optimal parameters for best practices. Results of the induced stress distribution was created from a static study where the thermal results were used as loading conditions and it was observed that the temperature increased as the von-Mises stress increased, indicating that induced stresses in welded component may hamper the longevity of such component in service condition. Hence, post-weld heat treatment is imperative in order to stress relieve metals after welding operation and improve their service life

From cassava to gari: Mapping of quality characteristics and end-user preferences in Cameroon and Nigeria

User's preferences of cassava and cassava products along the value chain are supported by specific root quality characteristics that can be linked to root traits. Therefore, providing an evidence base of user preferred characteristics along the value chain, can help in the functional choice of cassava varieties. In this respect, the present paper presents the results from focus group discussions and individual interviews on user preferred quality characteristics of raw cassava roots and the derived product, gari, ‐ one of the major cassava products in Sub Saharan Africa ‐ in major production and consumption areas of Cameroon and Nigeria. Choice of cassava varieties for farming is mainly determined by the multiple end‐uses of the roots, their agricultural yield and the processing determinants of roots that support their major high‐quality characteristics: size, density, low water content, maturity, colour and safety. Processing of cassava roots into gari goes through different technological variants leading to a gari whose high‐quality characteristics are: dryness, colour, shiny/attractive appearance, uniform granules and taste. Eba, the major consumption form of gari in Cameroon and Nigeria is mainly characterized by its textural properties: smoothness, firmness, stickiness, elasticity, mouldability. Recommendations are made, suggesting that breeding will have to start evaluating cassava clones for brightness/shininess, as well as textural properties such as mouldability and elasticity of cassava food products, for the purpose of supporting decision‐making by breeders and the development of high‐throughput selection methods of cassava varieties. Women are identified as important beneficiaries of such initiatives giving their disadvantaged position and their prominent role in cassava processing and marketing of gari

Modelling the Performance Characteristics of Four Stroke Internal Combustion Renault Engine Cycle using Matlab Simulation Tool

The trends in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cycle is gradually changing due to the quest for optimum performance, efficiency and zero emission level which are often achieved through a series of experimental procedures. To reduce the huge experimental cost, time and resources, MATLAB 2018b was employed in the modelling and simulation process of a four stroke internal combustion Renault engine (Mercedes-Benz 250SE) W108 model. The displaced volume was 4.65x10-4 mm3 (4.65x10-7 cm3) while the minimum volume occupied by the charge was 0.5x10-4 mm3 (5x10-8). Moreover, the maximum velocity occurred at a crank angle of 72º, having a value of 19.65 m/s while the minimum velocity occurred at a crank angle of 288º with a value of -19.65 m/s. However, maximum cylinder pressure of 28 bar was observed at crank angle of 20º, followed by gradual decline up to 0.2 bar at subsequent crank angles of 100, 200, 300º. The results showed that maximum peak pressure between simulated data and experimental data were 5347 and 5320 KPa, while maximum spark pressure in cylinder before combustion between simulated data and experimental data were 1849 and 1730 KPa. In addition, highest crank angle at maximum pressure for simulated and experimental data were 30 and 22º. It has been established that developing mathematical models to simulate IC engine operation cycles can help offset the cost, time and resources required for experimental set up, testing and data acquisition from the engine. &nbsp

Simulation of Internal Pipe Flows in Gasoline Port Fuel Injection System under Steady State Condition

Fluid flow models developed for pipe flows in gasoline port fuel injection system with different number of injectors working under steady state condition was simulated in this study using Flow Master Software. Using existing equations, theoretical analysis were computed for the same flow parameters and the results obtained for each parameter for both the simulation and theoretical approach were compared accordingly. The results obtained for theoretical approach and that of simulation had not shown much correlation due to the assumptions and computational errors. The pipe flow was simulated under steady state and the inlet pressure flowing across the circular pipe increased per unit time while fluctuations characterised by sinusoidal pattern were observed on the plot of total pressure at bends against time. The normal pressure while flowing along the pipe duct increased proportionally with the pipe length but suddenly experience a decline and picks up again as it encounters a bend. The mass flow rate of gasoline was observed to increases gradually as the simulation time progressed. For the three simulated outcomes, decrease were observed as the flow approaches bends along the circular pipe. Hence, the use of FLOWMASTER software in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFDs) can help in predicting flow characteristics in hydraulic computations

Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change among Grain Farmers in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State

This paper examined the adaptation strategies to climate change among grain (millet, sorghum and maize) farmers in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Daily rainfall and temperature data for 30 years (1981-2010) were sourced from the Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority’s Rainfall Reading Office, Goronyo. The data received was augmented with data collected for Sokoto from the Nigerian Meteorological Services (NIMET), Oshodi, Lagos. These data were used to derive the rainfall characteristics of Goronyo such as the onset, cessation, length of rainy season, annual rainfall, mean maximum and mean minimum temperature, which are very crucial in plant growth and development. 382 grain farmers were sampled. Open ended questions were used to ask farmers of their favourite crops. The sampled grain farmers were also asked whether they had perceived long-term changes in rainfall and temperature and about the adaptations they had made as a response to whatever changes they had noticed. The farmers’ perceptions to climate change are in line with climatic data records. The characterisation of the climate of the study area showed an increasing trend in the onset and cessation dates. The study revealed an upward trend in length of the rainy season. To cope with the changing climate, grain farmers in the study area adopted some adaptive measures. The main adaptation strategies of grain farmers in Goronyo are: crop rotation, use of improved seed varieties, shifting cultivation, intensification of irrigation, use of organic and inorganic manure among others. The study concludes that the climatic characteristics of the study area affect grain production and that adaptation strategies have significant contribution on grain production in the study area. The study therefore advocates that grain farmers should adopt viable adaptive strategies to climate change so as to maximize the available land and the climatic condition that favours their cultivatio