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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

A cohesive approach at estimating water saturation in a low-resistivity pay carbonate reservoir and its validation

Abstract Carbonate reservoir characterization and fluid quantification seem more challenging than those of sandstone reservoirs. The intricacy in the estimation of accurate hydrocarbon saturation is owed to their complex and heterogeneous pore structures, and mineralogy. Traditionally, resistivity-based logs are used to identify pay intervals based on the resistivity contrast between reservoir fluids. However, few pay intervals show reservoir fluids of similar resistivity which weaken reliance on the hydrocarbon saturation quantified from logs taken from such intervals. The potential of such intervals is sometimes neglected. In this case, the studied reservoir showed low resistivity. High water saturation was estimated, while downhole fluid analysis identified mobile oil, and the formation produced dry or nearly dry oil. Because of the complexity of Low-resitivity pay (LRP) reservoirs, its cause should be determined a prior to applying a solution. Several reasons were identified to be responsible for this phenomenon from the integration of thin section, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) data—among which were the presence of microporosity, fractures, paramagnetic minerals, and deep conductive borehole mud invasion. In this paper, we integrated various information coming from geology (e.g., thin section, X-ray diffraction (XRD)), formation pressure and well production tests, NMR, MICP, and Dean–Stark data. We discussed the observed variations in quantifying water saturation in LRP interval and their related discrepancies. The nonresistivity-based methods, used in this study, are Sigma log, capillary pressure-based (MICP, centrifuge, and porous plate), and Dean–Stark measurements. The successful integration of these saturation estimation methods captured the uncertainty and improved our understanding of the reservoir properties. This enhanced our capability to develop a robust and reliable saturation model. This model was validated with data acquired from a newly drilled appraisal well, which affirmed a deeper free water level as compared to the previous prognosis, hence an oil pool extension. Further analysis confirmed that the major causes of LRP in the studied reservoir were the presence of microporosity and high saline mud invasion. The integration of data from these various sources added confidence to the estimation of water saturation in the studied reservoir and thus improved reserves estimation and generated reservoir simulation for accurate history matching, production forecasting, and optimized field development plan

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways