Entrepreneurship Development and the Growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria

Objective The study examines the impact of entrepreneurship development on the growth of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs’) in Nigeria using a Lagos based MSME in the Information and Communication Technology industry, Befy Links Nigeria Limited.   Prior Work The roles of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), as a catalyst for economic growth have been well documented in economics literature. The recent global economic crisis negatively affected productive activities and reduces business operations, investments and demand for goods and services. This forced many countries to look for alternative means of growth and development. One of these alternative approaches is the encouragement of micro, small and medium scale enterprises.   Approach The study employed descriptive and Chi-square techniques for the analyses. Questionnaires were randomly administered to the workers and customers in the company.   Results It was found that entrepreneurship development has significant impact on the growth of MSMEs and that training and re-training of existing and intending entrepreneurs is necessary to ensure sufficient impact of entrepreneurship development on the growth of MSMEs in Nigeria.    Implications Government and stakeholders in entrepreneurship development should support, promote and ensure that MSMEs are given necessary impetus to function efficiently. Entrepreneurs should also cultivate the right attitude that would engender partnerships and pooling of resources. The entrepreneurship programmes (EDPs), should not be left to the public sector and professionals in other sectors of the economy should utilize the potentials in these programmes.   Value The unique contribution of the study is that it takes interest in information and technology sector.   Keywords: Investment; Industrial Growth; Economic Growth   JEL Classification: O4, L8, L260, Objective The study examines the impact of entrepreneurship development on the growth of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs’) in Nigeria using a Lagos based MSME in the Information and Communication Technology industry, Befy Links Nigeria Limited.   Prior Work The roles of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), as a catalyst for economic growth have been well documented in economics literature. The recent global economic crisis negatively affected productive activities and reduces business operations, investments and demand for goods and services. This forced many countries to look for alternative means of growth and development. One of these alternative approaches is the encouragement of micro, small and medium scale enterprises.   Approach The study employed descriptive and Chi-square techniques for the analyses. Questionnaires were randomly administered to the workers and customers in the company.   Results It was found that entrepreneurship development has significant impact on the growth of MSMEs and that training and re-training of existing and intending entrepreneurs is necessary to ensure sufficient impact of entrepreneurship development on the growth of MSMEs in Nigeria.    Implications Government and stakeholders in entrepreneurship development should support, promote and ensure that MSMEs are given necessary impetus to function efficiently. Entrepreneurs should also cultivate the right attitude that would engender partnerships and pooling of resources. The entrepreneurship programmes (EDPs), should not be left to the public sector and professionals in other sectors of the economy should utilize the potentials in these programmes.   Value The unique contribution of the study is that it takes interest in information and technology sector.   Keywords: Investment; Industrial Growth; Economic Growth   JEL Classification: O4, L8, L260, &nbsp

Count data modelling of health insurance and health care utilisation in Nigeria

Aim/purpose– Estimation of the model of interdependent demand for health insurance and health care utilisation involves issues of stochastic dependence between health insurance and health care utilisation. This study explored a count data estimation technique to determine the most appropriate estimation method for the interdependence of health insurance and health care demand in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach– The study employed Hidayat and Pokhrel (2010) framework to choose among the six alternatives of two classes of count data model. The data for the study were collected using a purposive sampling survey in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Findings– The results showed that the general method of moments (GMM) estimator is preferable to model the determinants of medical care consumption with health insurance. Price of health care services is positively related to medical care consumption with health insurance and social health insurance. The income-medical care relationship indi-cated that medical care services are inferior good under private health insurance and a normal good with social health insurance during sick period. Research implications/limitations– The implication of this study is that the estimation method that accommodates endogenous regressors is the appropriate estimation technique for the interdependence of health insurance and health care utilisation. The limitation of this study is that the recall period was just six months prior to the survey. Originality/value/contribution– The study revealed that the estimation techniques for the interdependence of health insurance and health care utilisation must recognised the influence of individual and household characteristics on the decision to purchase health insurance and health care consumption. Hence, diagnostics tests are require to choose the most appropriate estimation technique

Public Health Expenditure and Economic Growth in Nigeria: Testing of Wagner's Hypothesis

The idea supporting the relationship between public expenditure and economic growth is that an increase in public spending is an inevitable consequence of economic growth. This propelled Wagner to hypothesize a connection between economic growth and public expenditure. However, arguments on the impact of public health expenditure on economic growth remain inconclusive. This study re-examined the connection between public health expenditure and economic growth in Nigeria within the context of Wagner’s theory of ever-increasing State activities. The study found evidence of a long-run relationship between public health expenditure and economic growth. The granger-causality test results, indicate neither uni-directional nor bi-directional relationship between public health expenditure and GDP. But health expenditure as a share of total government expenditure and population has a uni-directional causal relationship with real GDP. Thus, public expenditure pushes public health expenditure. It was concluded that though there is no causal relationship between public health expenditure and GDP, public health expenditure and GDP still have evidence of a long-run connection. Therefore, health insurance should be expanded to cover more people to mobilize more resources for the health sector. These may engender the required impact of health care expenditure on economic growth in Nigeri

Corruption and economic growth in India and Nigeria

Aim/purpose – Theoretical arguments about the impact of corruption on economic growth have divided economists into two groups. The first one believes that corruption is an obstruction to economic growth and development while the second – that corruption plays a positive role in the development process. Therefore, the arguments on the effects of corruption on economic growth are inconclusive. This study investigates the effects of corruption on economic growth as measured in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita growth in Nigeria and India due to the pervasive corruption in the two low-income countries. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed Mo’s framework (2001) for investigating corruption and growth mechanism. The data for the study which covered 1980-2015 was extracted from the World Bank data repository. Corruption was meas-ured by the Corruption Perception Index. Other variables are population growth rate, trade openness, education and the output of agriculture, industry and service sectors. Correlation coefficients were used to show a correlation between corruption and GDP growth rate for both countries. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression was used to estimate the effects of corruption on economic growth. Findings – The major findings of the study are: (1) Corruption has a stifling effect on economic growth when the measures of human capital, political instability and capital formation were not included in the estimation for India; (2) Corruption has a positive effect on economic growth when the measures of human capital, political instability and capital formation were included interchangeably and combined together in the estimation for India; (3) Corruption has a stifling effect on economic growth when the measures of human capital, political instability and capital formation were both included and excluded in the estimation for Nigeria; and (4) The transmission mechanism results show that corruption adversely affects economic growth through investment and human capital in both countries. Research implications/limitations – The implications of this study are that corruption produces a dampening effect on growth in both countries and the transmission channels were through investment and human capital. The limitation of the study has to do with the data. A better measure of corruption aside corruption perception index may produce different results. Originality/value/contribution – The unique contribution of the study is the investiga-tion of the channel through which corruption affects economic growth in India and Nigeria

Sustainable financing mechanisms for strengthening mental health systems in Nigeria

Background and aims: Current coverage of mental health care in low- and middle-income countries is limited, not only in terms of access to services but also in terms of financial protection of persons in need of care and treatment. This is especially pertinent considering the established relationship between mental illness and poverty and the need to ensure the financial risk protection of persons with mental disorders and their families as part of country's efforts to attain universal health coverage. This study set out to review the health and socio-economic contexts of Nigeria as well as to generate strategies for sustainable mental health financing that will be feasible, within the specific context of the country.Methods: A multi-methods approach was developed and applied, consisting of three steps: a situational analysis of Nigeria's health system, macro-fiscal economic profile, and socio-political status, including a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis of the Nigerian socio-economic, general and mental health context; key informant interviews with 12 expert stakeholders drawn from state and non-state actors in the health and financial sectors; and a policy analysis of sustainable financing options.Results: Key challenges identified were: poor funding; reduced access to care, resulting in a huge treatment gap; and out of pocket payment for services—leading to impoverishment. Comprehensive coverage of mental health conditions within the ongoing health insurance reforms was identified as a key strategy for moving towards sustainable mental health financing in Nigeria. Other identified strategies include enhanced integration of mental health into primary care; incorporation of mental health into other strategic and currently funded programmes; adoption of performance-based financing measures; and renewed engagement with stakeholders, including external donor institutions.Conclusions: A suite of feasible and actionable measures can be implemented to increase mental health service financing, reduce health-related financial burden on households, increase help-seeking and access to quality mental health care and, ultimately, reduce the large treatment and financing gap for mental disorders in Nigeria

Early experience with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in Nigeria

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a minimal access surgery that can be used for various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, this tool is underused in our setting because of various reasons, ranging from equipment availability to expertise. Objective: This study aimed to review our early experience with VATS, highlighting the clinical attributes, outcomes, and challenges in our setting. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent VATS between November 2015 and May 2019. Patients’ demographics, clinical presentation, diagnosis, procedural success, complications, and length of hospital stay were analyzed. Results: The study included 25 patients (mean age, 41.26±12.78 years). The most common preoperative diagnosis was right catamenial pleural effusion. The conversion rate was 20%, and the average length of hospital stay was 3.4 days. Conclusion: The scope of VATS is very narrow in our setting. Only one center in Nigeria has reported good success rate and minimal complications albeit longer hospital stay. The identified limitations to use of VATS include lack of investment in procurement of appropriate equipment and expertise, which need to be overcome

Sustainable development goals and universal health coverage: issues and options for sustainable health financing in Nigeria

The attainment of the Post-2015 health agenda require that health financing options are develop within the macroeconomic, socio-cultural and political context of each country. Therefore, health financing mechanisms that separate utilization from direct payment is essential. However, each health financing option has limitation that can endanger the achievement of the set Post-2015 health objectives. The study carries out an exploratory analysis of the viability of general tax, out-of-pocket expenditure and insurance financed health system in Nigeria. The analysis show that insurance financed health system can guarantee universal health coverage irrespective of individuals‟ social-economic strata. Hence, universal health coverage can be pursued through the expansion of health insurance in Nigeria.Keywords: Sustainable development goals, universal health coverage, health financingJEL Classification: I13 I1

Female Education and Contraceptives Use in Nigeria

Contraceptive use is considered important for protecting women’s health and rights, influencing fertility and population growth. This study examined the impact of female education on the use of contraceptives and fertility rate in Nigeria using 2013 and 2018 cohorts of Demography and Health Survey Data. The survey covers women ages 15 to 49 years. The study shows that women’s education, income level, and cultural value are important in explaining women’s reproductive behaviour. The results reveal that female education has a positive significant effect on contraceptives use and a significant negative effect on fertility rate. The contraceptives use and fertility models show that the effects become stronger with an increase in the level of education. Notably, the study shows no significant difference in the behavioural pattern of the factors that influenced contraceptive use and fertility rate in the 2013 and 2018 cohorts of demography and health survey data. The study concludes that female education is vital in encouraging the use of contraceptives and controlling the fertility rate. Hence, the government should invest more in women education to increase women's use of contraceptives, control fertility, and population growth, protect women's health and stimulate sustainable economic development

Fiscal Sustainability and Demographic Transition in Nigeria

This study investigates the impacts of demographic changes on fiscal sustainability in Nigeria. The study employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model with times series data from 1980-2021. It was found that old-age and young-age dependency directly impact government balance in the short-run and long-run. Health and education expenditures have negative effects on government balance. There is an increased government debt in a developing old-age and young-age economy. It was concluded that the demography transition has a comprehensive effect on fiscal sustainability; hence government needs adequate reviews of public health spending and reduces unnecessary expenses to maintain fiscal balance in Nigeria