ILLEGAL URBAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP? THE CASE OF STREET VENDORS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

This paper considers the vulnerabilities experienced in making a living as a street trader in Lagos, Nigeria. Using the Tejuosho - Yaba - Ojuelegba - Barracks quadrant as a case study, the paper investigates the socio-economic profile of street traders, their basic survival strategies and goes further to examine the interface between street vendors and related urban stakeholders. Relying on both qualitative (informed participant interviews) and quantitative (survey by purposive sampling) data analysis, the study revealed that most of the respondents were aged between 16 and 35 years old and operated subsistence enterprises which were begun due to unemployment and the high cost of the renting stalls at the nearby Yaba market. The major challenge experienced was the institutionalized harassment by KAI officials, which aided extortion by other local stakeholders. The paper concludes by highlighting the potentials of the informal economic sector and the strategic role it plays in the emerging African city form

An econometric analysis of capital flight from Nigeria : a portfolio approach

This study provides measures of real capital flight from Nigeria based on the residual method adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations and trade misinvoicing. The portfolio choice approach is explored, in which the flow of capital is accumulated into stock and expressed as ratios of private stock of real wealth. Econometric analysis of capital flight, based on a portfolio choice framework, was conducted using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method of analysis. The results of the econometric analysis reveal that a number of factors systematically explain the portfolio behaviour of private wealth holders in Nigeria. These factors are consistent with earlier studies and include real GDP growth, real interest rate differential, parallel market exchange rate premium, inflows of debt capital,domestic debt, fiscal deficit and change in inflation rate

The Home as Workplace: Investigating Home Based Enterprises in Low Income Settlements of the Lagos Metropolis

The paper critically examines the phenomenon of Home Based Enterprises (HBE‘s) in low income residential areas of the Lagos Metropolis. The research adopts a purposive selection of thirty one low income residential neighbourhoods in the Lagos Metropolis. Data was obtained by the administration of structured questionnaires and analysis was done by both parametric and non-parametric methods. Random sampling of 394 home based enterprises was carried out. Issues examined include housing and environmental conditions; nature as well as types of home based enterprises and socioeconomic characteristics of operators. These include age, gender, and income, household size and level of education. The social network and informal institutions as well as the urban planning implications of these HBEs were also considered. The research revealed the importance of home based enterprises as a major source of income generation and socialization in urban areas. Recommendations include the adoption of case-specific planning models, consideration of cultural contexts in planning and the adoption of local economic development strategies in city design and development.Key words: Poverty, Income, Lagos, Home, Workplace, HBEs, LE

9Socio-economic adaptation strategies of the urban poor in the Lagos metropolis, Nigeria

This article investigates the survival strategies of the urban poor in Lagos metropolis. The study considers the socio-economic characteristics as well as the livelihood patterns and strategies employed in the absence of formal social security systems. The research adopts a purposive sampling of 396 household heads in 31 low-income residential neighbourhoods in the Lagos metropolis. Data were obtained by the administration of structured questionnaires, and analysis was done by both parametric and non-parametric methods. The research revealed that most of the respondents were involved in informal trade enterprises and were living below the national poverty line, as mode household monthly income was between $50 and$125. The importance of informal social networks – especially rotating credit and ethnic alliances as social security and insurance mechanisms of the respondents – was highlighted. The study concludes by recommending measures for building on the identifi ed strengths of the urban poor, which includes civic engagement and partnering with informal social networks to provide opportunities for poverty alleviation in the communities.Keywords: Ethnic alliance; informal economy; Lagos; poverty; rotating credi

Health expenditure and child health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study sought to understand the relationship between child health outcomes and health spending while investigating lagged effects. The study employed panel data from 45 Sub-Saharan African countries between 1995 and 2011 obtained from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. Fixed and Random effect models were estimated. Under-five, infant and neonatal mortality were used as child health outcomes while total health spending was disaggregated into public and private spending. The effects of one and two period lags of expenditure were estimated. The results show a positive and significant relationship between health expenditure and child health outcomes with elasticities of -0.11 for infant mortality, -0.15 (under-five mortality) and -0.08 (neonatal mortality). Public health expenditure was found to be relatively more significant than private expenditure. Positive and significant lagged effects were also estimated between health expenditure and child health. The findings suggest that, while health expenditure is crucial for the improvement of child health, it is equally important for this expenditure to be sustainable as it also has delayed effects.Keywords: Health expenditure; Child health outcomes; Lag effects; SSA

Utilizing Creeks for Integrated Rural Coastal Development of Ilaje Area of Nigeria.

Rural communities in the country are blessed with resources which need to be exploited to achieve rural development. This study examines the Utilization of Creeks for Integrated Coastal Development of Ilaje Area of Nigeria. The primary goal of the study is to carry out inventory on creek resources and how best it could be utilized for Integrated Coastal Development of the study area. Questionnaires which include close and open ended questions were administered to elicit information from household heads in the study area. Stratified-random sampling technique was employed in the administration of questionnaires, and 5% sample was adopted for this study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis method. Information gathered from the administration of questionnaires include: socio-economic characteristics of respondents, major uses of creeks, existing condition of the coastal area and infrastructural facilities in the study area among others. The study reveals the present level of creek utilization, poor fishing techniques, poor sources of water and navigation routes, and manual dredging among others. Based on the findings, it is recommended that government should employ the services of dredging companies to selected locations in the study area for dredging; this would increase the amount of sand turn over, thereby increasing revenue generated for local economic development. Periodic clearing of water weeds will also be of necessity, dredging and expansion of the creeks for navigation for modern boats and development of tourist and recreation centres will also enhance development of the area.Keywords: Coastal development, creeks, Ilaji, navigation and rural communities

Demographic transition, demographic dividend and economic growth in Nigeria

Abstract Changes in age structure that results from demographic transition have economic consequences. This paper identifies the period of potential window of opportunity or demographic dividends created by Nigeria’s demographic transition. This is done by simulating the period of the demographic window of opportunity in Nigeria. In a simulation covering 1950 – 2050 our results reveal that Nigeria entered the window of opportunity in 2003 and will last beyond year 2050. The highest benefit will accrue in years 2032 and 2033 when the dividend can account for more than 10% of the growth of GDP per capita even if the current performance scenario continues to exist. However, the paper notes that the demographic dividend is not automatically realized and Nigeria needs to embark on strategies that will develop her human capital and position her towards not only capturing the first dividend but the second dividend as well.Keywords: demographic transition; demographic dividends;national transfer accounts (NTA); economic lifecycle;economic support ratioRésumé Les changements dans la structure d'âge qui provient de la transition démographique ont des conséquences économiques. Ce papier identifie la période de fenêtre potentielle d'opportunité ou de dividendes démographiques créés par la transition démographique du Nigeria. C'est fait en simulant la période de la fenêtre démographique d'opportunité au Nigeria. Dans une simulation couvrant 1950 – 2050. Nos résultats révèlent que le Nigeria est entré dans la fenêtre d'opportunité en 2003 et durera au-delà de l'année 2050. Le plus haut avantage s'accumulera au cours des années 2032 et 2033 où le dividende peut représenter plus de 10 % de la croissance de PIB par habitant même si le scénario de performance actuel continue à exister. Pourtant, le papier note que le dividende démographique n'est pas automatiquement réalisé et le Nigeria doit entreprendre des stratégies qui développeront sa capitale humaine et la placeront vers le fait de non capturer seulement le premier dividende, mais le deuxième dividende aussi.Mots clé: la transition démographique, les dividendes démographiques, les comptes de transfert nationaux (NTA), life cyclé économique, le rapport de soutien économiqu

Consumption and income over the lifecycle in Nigeria

This paper utilises National Transfer Accounts framework to estimate age profiles of consumption and income over the lifecycle in order to determine actual period of dependency in Nigeria. The paper quantifies inter-age monetary flows of consumption and labour income and subsequent economic lifecycle deficit and the implications this will have for social policy and human capital development. The results indicate that given the profiles of consumption and income over the lifecycle in Nigeria, child dependency is for the first 33 years of life while old-age dependency occurs from 63 years upwards. The period of lifecycle surplus span 30 years from 33-63 years. The structure of consumption and income flows reveals that Nigeria has a lifecycle deficit of N3.5 trillion in 2004. Since the population is highly skewed towards children, inter-generational flows are heavily skewed downwards. The deficits must then be covered through age reallocations of transfers and asset income.  Résumé: Cet article utilise la méthodologie des comptes de transferts pour estimer le profil de consommation et de revenu par âge à travers le cycle de vie afin de déterminer la période réelle de la dépendance au Nigéria. Le papier mesure les flux monétaires de consommation, de revenu du travail entre les âges et le déficit du cycle de vie dérivé et analyse les implications que ceci aura pour le développement de la politique sociale et de capital humain. Les résultats indiquent que compte tenu des profils de la consommation et du revenu au cours du cycle de vie au Nigéria, la dépendance des enfants a lieu pendant les 33 premières années de la vie tandis que la dépendance des personnes âgées se produit au-delà de 63 ans. La période de surplus de cycle de vie se situe entre 30 ans de 33-63 ans. La structure des flux de consommation et de revenu indique que le Nigéria a un déficit de cycle de vie de N3.5 trillion en 2004. Compte tenu du fait que la population est à forte asymétrie vers des enfants, les flux inter générationnels sont fortement biaisés. Les déficits doivent alors être couverts par des redistributions entre les âge des transferts et du revenu de capitaux.Mots-clés: Comptes de transfert nationaux (NTA), cycle de vie économique, transfert entre générations, profil d'âge de revenu, profil d'âge de consommatio

Trend of Childhood TB Notifications in Nigeria

Background: Childhood tuberculosis (CTB) accounted for 10% of the total global tuberculosis (TB) burden in 2017.  During the same year, CTB accounted for only 6% of the total TB cases notified by the National TB control programme (NTP) in Nigeria giving credence to the widely held belief that, over the past few years, clinicians and public health officials in the country may have given more attention to the diagnosis and treatment of TB in adults compared to children, resulting in under reporting of the true burden of the disease.  Thus this study assessed the trend of childhood TB notifications in Nigeria, from 2012 to 2016.Methods: Retrospective record review of childhood TB cases notified by the NTP between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2016.  Results: A total of 27,793 CTB cases, representing 5.8% of all forms of TB cases, were notified and treated during the study period. This proportion is more or less similar for every year within the period under review.Conclusion: The case notification rate of TB among children has plateaued within the period under review.  Efforts should be made to improve CTB detection, reporting and notification into the NTP Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) system. Keywords: Tuberculosis, World Health Organization, Bauchi, Childhood TB, National TB Control Programme, Caregivers, Quality of Life, Monitoring and Evaluation, Northeastern Nigeria

Social Capital: Higher Resilience in Slums in the Lagos Metropolis

Different slums exhibit different levels of resilience against the threat of eviction. However, little is known about the role of the social capital of the slum community in this context. This study investigates the factors contributing to slum resilience in the Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria, through a social capital lens. This study first investigates land allocation in slums, then the available social capital, and subsequently how this capital influences resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Data were collected in two slum communities, in Lagos, through in-depth interviews and focus groups discussion. This study shows that land allocation is done by the traditional heads, contrarily to the mandate of the Nigeria Land Use Act of 1978. Furthermore, there is a form of structural social capital through the presence of government registered community development associations in the slums; however, their activities, decision-making process and the perception of the residents’ towards their respective associations, differs. This led to differences in trust, social cohesion and bonding ties among residents of the slum, thereby influencing resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Since community group associations, through the appointed executives, drive the efficient utilization of social capital in slums, this study therefore recommends their restructuring in order to support a sustainable solution to the threat of eviction in slums in Lagos.Research Network for Geosciences in Berlin and PotsdamPeer Reviewe