List of Countries that have adopted IFRS in Africa and Year the Country Publicly Announced the Adoption

This is a recently computed database of IFRS adoption rate in Africa and the years the public announcement was made. Apparently, the year the country begins the adoption of IFRS is the year the public announcement was made

Technology Diffusion and Economic Progress in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Application of appropriate technology has been noted as one of the distinguishing factors in growth disparities across countries. Thus, this study investigates the role of technological diffusion in economic progress in Africa. This was achieved using descriptive and empirical analyses based on imitator-innovator theoretical framework. The study established that the sub-regions in Africa with higher values in technological diffusion indicators experienced higher economic progress, which is a good indication of a significant positive relationship between economic progress and technological diffusion. Thus, the study concludes that if Africa must make contribution to the global knowledge economy and move on the path of economic progress, the issue of technological diffusion through adequate investment on R&D, functional education, among others, needs to be addressed with all serious efforts

Promotion of Non-Oil Export in Nigeria: Empirical Assessment of Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund

The Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF) was established in 1977 with the aim of enhancing commercial banks' loans to the agricultural sector in Nigeria with focus on agro-allied and agricultural production. Many years down the line, the country has witnessed poor participation in the international market with regards to non-oil export. The above stance was assessed with a view to establishing interaction between ACGSF and non- oil export using the Vector Auto-regressive (VAR) technique. The study found, among ..

Trade Outcomes in Africa’s Regional Economic Communities and Institutional Quality: Some Policy Prescriptions

The global economic crisis of 2007/2008 that threatened the economic/financial fabrics of most countries has brought again the essence of strong institutional quality to the fore. This is particularly interesting as it impacted on trade outcomes in many countries including those in Africa. For instance, merchandize exports as a percentage of GDP for SSA reduced by 17.9% in 2007. Thus, this paper examines the effectiveness of RECs in Africa with respect to trade outcomes using some indicators, which was achieved using data from African Development Indicators, inter alia (1996-2008). Analyzing the data with descriptive and statistical techniques established, among others, that the respective indicators of trade outcomes, institutional quality were rather low and differed markedly across RECs in Africa. The study recommends that improvement of institutional quality in tandem with enhanced infrastructural facilities will play crucial roles in promoting trade outcomes in Africa’s RECs

MORE TRADE, MORE PROTECTION: INSIGHTS AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE UNENDING CONTRADICTION

Despite the stance of the WTO and various RTAs, elements of trade protectionism remain prevalent. This could be understood by the divergence between countries’ national interests and international trade protocols, which was reverberated during the recent global financial crises. However, the contradiction has taken new turn following new protectionist instruments. Furthermore, the implication of these instruments on developing countries economy is prevalent. Thus, this study explores the likelihood to engage in trade protection and the implication on developing country, focussing on Africa. The study observes that in the first quarter of 2012 alone, the number of protective measures amounts to 67, with bail out and trade defence accounting for as much as 74%. Similarly, from 2009 to 2011, trade defence mechanisms and bailout accounted for 25% of the protective measures; while tariff and non-tariff are also frequently used, jointly constituting about 28.11%. The study reveals that a country’s level of economic development is not a fundamental determining factor with regards to its tendency to engage in trade protectionism. However, the study establishes among others that as a country’s institutional quality improves, the less the tendency of being involved in protectionism. Paradoxically, the more a country’s trade integration, the higher its tendency towards protectionism, which might be alluded to the fact that when a country trades more, it has more interest to protect as major complainants of trade cases are also major traders. The study reveals that a country’s per capita income growth was significantly and adversely affected by the contemporary protectionism. It impacts negatively on trade balance; however, such impact was essentially significant for African countries

Global Economic crisis and Trade outcomes in OIC: The case of African members

Global economic crisis, which is characterised by price fluctuations across the world, has generated several debates. The crisis is threatening the economic and financial fabrics of most countries with varying degrees of effects due to differences in country’s structural framework. This may have some implications on trade outcomes. For instance, merchandise exports as a percentage of GDP for SSA reduced by 17.9% between 1995 and 2007. Thus, this paper investigates the effects of global economic crisis on trade outcomes using some indicators, namely: trade share in world market, trade per capita, and real growth in trade in selected OIC Members in Africa. This was achieved by employing data sourced from World Trade Indicators and World Development Indicators, which were analysed with descriptive analysis and econometric techniques based panel data framework for the period 1995-2008. It was established, among others, that trade outcomes of OIC Members in Africa are adversely and significantly influenced by global economic crisis. The results, inter alia, call for inward-looking alternatives such as pursuance of investment friendly ambience in enhancing their trade outcomes

Urban Housing Issues in Nigerian Cities: A Case for Real Estate Maintenance as a Sustainable Option for Trans-Ekulu Housing Estate, Enugu, Nigeria

Housing delivery has become a global issue. The millennium development goal identified housing as a basic human need and proposed shelter for all by 2015. Here in Nigeria, the rate of rapid urbanization, rural-urban migratio and haphazard development of houses in some Nigerian cities have resulted to the associated blight, squalor and slum conditions, occasioned by high occupancy ratio and congestion and these have been the bane of urban housing delivery, especially in Enugu. As the 553rd city in the world as well as the capital City of Enugu state, the City of Enugu has many educational, industrial and governmental establishments. The city enjoys an urban growth rate of 2.5% and a current urban population of about 927,642 residents. As a result, Enugu faces high housing needs that require a sustainable approach. This paper focuses on real estate maintenance as a sustainable option for the improvement of housing estates in Enugu using the Trans-Ekulu housing estate as a case study. 10% of the housing stock in each street of the estate was studied. A total of 114 household heads of the randomly selected houses were the respondents. Among other things; the study revealed that approximately 83% of the total housing stock in the estate was dilapidated due to gross lack of maintenance as measured by the presence of rusted and leaking roof, cracked walls and weak foundation, broken doors and windows, unpainted or deteriorated paints, deteriorated housing facilities and non availability of some facilities and landscape elements. Policy review and integrated action and co-operation among relevant professionals involved in the planning, development and management of housing estates in Enugu as well as public participation among others were recommended. Key Words: Urban Housing, Real Estate Maintenance, Sustainable Options, Trans-Ekulu Housing Estate, Enugu, Nigeri

Evaluating the Organizational Structure of Environmental Management Agencies in Addressing Urban Environmental Problems of Nigerian Cities: Towards Efficiency in Awka and Onitsha in Anambra State

Organizational structures of any agency determine the efficiency of that agency in the fulfillment of its mandate in service delivery since it galvanizes the operations therein. In an attempt to address the various environmental problems defacing the cities, the Nigerian government had set up environmental protection agencies with the sole mandate of protecting and developing the environment. This task seems so challenging to these agencies that despite what seem to be their spirited efforts over the years; the problems persist and even seems to be on the increase including erosion, flooding, traffic congestion, pollution and solid waste management problems among many others. Studies have established that factors such as manpower, funding, equipment, and even changes in administration among others do have significant influence on the performance of these agencies. It is evident that there had been an increment in government budgetary provisions for the services of these agencies to the tune of billions of naira and yet, there is little or nothing to show for it. This study therefore looks into the Organizational structure of the environmental management agency in the cities of Awka and Onitsha in Anambra State, Nigeria with a view to examining its composition and operations towards addressing the challenges of urban environmental problems of the cities. Findings show that the environmental management agency is engulfed in bureaucratic bottle neck and role conflict. The Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA) edict of 1998 established this agency which is saddled with the responsibility of protection and development of the environment of the state and have functioned for over ten years without any restructuring. The study further revealed that ANSEPA’s performance on its mandate delivery was poor as adjudged by a sample size of 20 respondents in the Hierarchy of ANSEPA officials at a mean score rating of 18%. Its operations and functions covers solid waste disposal, flood control, erosion control, pollution control and traffic decongestion and this formed the basis for this performance assessment on its service delivery. Her major preoccupation was on solid waste evacuation; even so without some modern disposal techniques and equipment. The devised intervention rate put solid waste disposal at 58.2%, 15.0% to flood control, 15.0% to erosion control, 7.2% to pollution control and 14.2% to traffic decongestion. The Hypothesis result at ?² value = 0.595 and probability value = 0.898 showed that the rating of ANSEPA’s performance in Awka and Onitsha by the Hierarchy of ANSEPA officials did not differ significantly. The study recommends a review of its edict so as to incorporate proper public sector reform that would foster effective partnership and holistic urban and rural environmental management mechanism. Also, the organizational structure should be made free of bureaucratic bottle neck and role conflict, adopt modern methods, techniques, equipment and properly streamlined enforcement and punitive measures for defaulters in the state. Key Words: organizational structure, environmental management agencies, urban environmental problems

Assessing the Magnitude of Urban Infrastructure and Facilities Provision and Maintenance in Enugu, Nigerian

The beauty of urban area stems from the availability and functionality of urban infrastructure and facilities. Governments often tend to establish her legitimacy by expending huge money on the provision and maintenance of basic infrastructure and facilities especially in urban areas. Studies have shown that the Nigerian population is 50% urban hence, her cities faces rapid urbanization with its associated problems which include pressure on available infrastructure and facilities. This paper aims at investigating the extent of urban infrastructure and facilities provision and maintenance in Enugu metropolis with a view to proffering sustainable measures that will enhance the area. The study revealed that while efforts have been made over the years towards providing and enhancing the functionality of urban infrastructure and facilities in the city and given a growth rate of 2.5% and the current urban population of about 927,642 residents, the available infrastructure and facilities in the city was adjudged not only so meager but also worrisome due to poor state of maintenance. The study therefore recommended for an articulated government action which would ensure that the urban infrastructure and facilities are maintained. Public participation and public partnership with the private sector, None Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) among other sustainable measures for the provision and maintenance of urban infrastructure and facilities in the city, was advocated. Key Words: Urban Infrastructure and Facilities, Magnitude of Provision and Maintenance, Enugu, Nigeria