ICTs AND THE DIGITISATION OF THE BANKING INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA: A SOCIOLOGICAL APPRAISAL

ICTs have become the creator of a fast-forward modernising post-utopian society with the promise of totalitarian transformation that has affected many sectors and areas of human interests. Fast-paced technological and economic changes have accelerated human experiences in a triumphalist fashion, providing convenience, ease, time- and cost-saving advantages. The Nigerian banking industry has not been left behind. Rather, the industry has grown from a manually driven to a digitally dependent industry with ICT-enabled services and product innovations to improve the lives of bank consumers in the country. Silhouetted against the modernisation paradigm, the industry and country need to brace up to tap into the opportunities and possibilities created by ICTs. Since ICT is the face of the future, the challenges facing ICT-enabled banking services must be removed so that the Nigerian banking industry can deepen its application of ICTs in the industry and provide citizens with greater product options and innovations which are needed for these banks and citizens to ably function in the new global techno-market orde

Industrial Development In Nigeria: Achieving The Brass Tacks

Nigeria offered the continent and blacks everywhere a future that was promissory, resplendent and anchored on a vision of rapid development when it achieved its independence in 1960. Adopting an eclectic collection of industrial development strategies or policy thrusts over the years, the country has nevertheless failed to measure up to equals such as Israel, South Korea, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, India, Botswana, Singapore and others, countries that were at the same development threshold with it in 1960. Nevertheless, industrialisation has remained the sine qua non for economic growth, long-term poverty reduction, job creation and the transformation of a traditional and agrarian society to a modern and industrial society. In this chapter, authors have perused industrial development in Nigeria from the belvedere of some fundamentals that can underprop the process. Making these brass tacks available will be and should be the focus of serious-minded, responsive and responsible governments. The present Goodluck Jonathan Administration will show more seriousness about its transformation agenda and the National Industrial Revolution Plan it just choreographed by achieving these essential ingredients that can facilitate and act as a linchpin for industrial development in Nigeria

THE SPECTRE OF TERRORISM AND NIGERIA’S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT: A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER IMPERATIVE

Since 2009, Nigeria has gradually slipped into a terrorist enclave where terror acts have become the regular signature of the country’s social memoirs. Aside the complex permutations of socio-economic and political upheavals already facing the polity, the sudden emergence of a supercilious army of terror extremists has not only exposed the polity’s unpreparedness for such an intimidating challenge, but has also brought a spectral bite to industrial development. Efforts to achieve development in industry in the country, a strong criterion for economic development and the improvement of the country’s Human Development Indices may continue to suffer setbacks in the face of a blistering climate of terror and bombings. The effect of terrorist activities such as suicide bombings, kidnappings, destruction of lives, public infrastructure, private and entrepreneurial investments, the climate of fear, panic and confusion and a heated and ungovernable polity has continued to make Nigeria an unsuitable bride for foreign investments. This not only poses a threat to the budding democracy in place, it also may endanger efforts to achieve industrial development in the country. To face this challenge headlong, a multi-stakeholder imperative has become inevitable. This research work investigated the role of government, private sector, civil society, faith and the international community in fighting the terror monster and providing the leeway for industrial development in the country, without which the standard of living, employment opportunities and other human development indices may maintain their downward trend outright

MANAGEMENT RIGHTS CLAUSE(PREROGATIVE) AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: THE NEED FOR WORKPLACE DEMOCRACY

Management prerogatives or rights have remained contentious for many years now. Although gradually, management is beginning to realise the need to cede some territory to its employees, many employers feel this patriarchal obligation to decision making with little or no considerations of the views, interests and needs of employees. While such perceptions may point to cave-men era, the modem business environment has continued to side-line employees and their trade union representatives. Using a qualitative method with the collection and review of secondary data, this study has attempted an understanding of management prerogatives in comparison with collective bargaining. The study critiques the penchant for an exclusive management rights posture and builds arguments in favour of workplace democracy as the ideal for modem businesses