Privatization and state-owned enterprises performance: The case of Nigeria

A government involved in economic activities for national development, redistribution of resources, economic growth, and elimination of bottlenecks in the various sectors of the economy. For these reasons, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) become large and significance. The absence of entrepreneurial class, shortage of capital, and oil revenue spurred more government involvement in all sectors of the Nigerian economy. However, the justifications for government involvement in the economic activities were gradually replaced with inefficiencies, misallocation of resources, rent-seeking and political goals, exposing SOEs as being inefficient and problematic. As a result, the government introduced privatization. The Nigerian government has been privatizing its holding in SOEs since 1990. The objective of this study was to appraise the performance of privatized SOEs in Nigeria. The research used secondary data sourced from the annual reports of selected SOEs. The dependent variables were profitability and efficiency which were divided into six indicators namely gross profit margin, net profit margin, operating profit margin, sale efficiency, net income efficiency and average collection period. The independent variables are privatization, sales, capital, workers and ownership. Privatization is the focus variable. The analysis was divided into mean comparison, panel data analysis (fixed effects model and random effects model) and generalized method of moments. The analysis produced diverse results. The mean comparison results indicated that the post-privatization performances of the selected SOEs are more than their preprivatization performance, implied that the implementation of privatization policy have improved their performances. In panel data analysis, the results of the profitability and efficiency models indicated that most of the enterprises documented mixed performance increased. Similarly, in the generalized method of moments, privatization has revealed diverse results of SOEs performance. In sum, the findings revealed mixed performance improvement of the privatized SOEs. Policy makers and managers of enterprises should be concerned with policies that enhance SOEs performance. The SOEs managers must ensure strict conformity to the profitability enhancing measures rather than political goals that create inefficiencies and waste of resources. Finally, the results of study supported the government effort in privatizing the rest of the SOE

A Review of Post Privatization Performance of Ashaka Cement Manufacturing Company Nigeria PLC through the use of Financial Ratios

Privatization as a reform policy package has been adopted by both developed and developing countries’ economies. Nigeria as a developing country has large public enterprises which has about 57 percent of fixed capital investment and about 66 percent of formal sector employment by 1997. These enterprises performed below expectation due to multiple problems. Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization (TCPC) was set up to privatize the enterprises and the privatization have since commenced. The paper reviewed Ashaka cement company performance as a privatized enterprise after privatization. Managers of business organization must have reliable analytical tools for taking a rational decision. Ratio is one of such tools. Time series data from Ashaka Cement Company was used. The performance of the company has improved after privatization

Soil and Water Contamination due to Illegal Artisanal Refinery Activities: A Case Study of Okarki Community, Niger Delta Area, Nigeria

Using a combination of field visits, laboratory experiments and analyses, this study examined the impacts of illegal artisanal crude oil refineries on the environment. Total Hydrocarbons (THC) and heavy metals in the soil and water bodies as well as pr were determined and compared with both national international standards. The study found THC and heavy metals such as Iron and Manganese to be significantly high in both soil and water samples. It was found that the artisanal crude oil refining activities in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria generate and discharge environmental safety hazards that are far beyond the statutory and intentional acceptable limit

Priliminary Investigation on the Performance of a Privatized Insurance Company in Nigeria

Nigeria has had state involvement in economic activities for a very long time. The intervention was meant foreconomic development and progress hence lot of SOEs has been established. The SOEs developed problemswhich lead to the adoption of privatization policy. Many studies on performance evaluation of privatizedenterprises are inconsistent. The paper used before and after research design with descriptive statistics and paneldata of AIICO Nig. Plc. The performance result is generally significant.Key words: Public enterprise, Ratios, Performance, AIICO Nig. plc

Biomediated soil improvement in the mitigation of liquefiable sandy soil

Soil liquefaction is one of the catastrophic effects that result from earthquakes. It is a phenomenon that occurs when loose, saturated, cohesionless soil loses its strength and stiffness as a result of rapid loading. Several techniques have been employed to mitigate the effects of soil liquefaction. However, these techniques either require high energy for its execution, or the chemical admixtures used may have adverse effects on the environment. Consequently, biocementation via microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) was explored as a technique to mitigate soil liquefaction. The bacterial strain used in the MICP process was Bacillus megaterium. Meanwhile, a plant-derived urease enzyme was used in EICP. In this study, experimental based research was conducted to examine the feasibility of biocementation in the mitigation of liquefaction in sandy soil. The research is divided into three main phases. The first phase examines the effect of environmental factors (pH, temperature and salt content) on the growth of B. megaterium. Test tube tests were conducted to determine the amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitates at different cementation reagent concentrations. Based on the test tube test’s results, the EICP method of treatment was adopted to continue with the second and third study phases, due to the amount of calcite produced in the process. The second phase evaluates the effectiveness of EICP treatment on sandy soil through a series of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests. The effects of factors, such as curing temperature (4, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50ºC), the concentration of cementation reagent (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25 M), number of treatment cycles (1, 2 and 3 cycles) and relative density (loose, medium and dense), palm oil fuel ash (POFA) content were examined on the biocemented soil. The third phase evaluates the effect of biocementation on the cyclic resistance of sandy soil, in terms of confining pressure, Cyclic Stress Ratio (CSR) and relative density, through a series of cyclic triaxial tests. The liquefaction potential of treated soils was investigated with respect to the development of excess pore pressure. The optimum environmental growth conditions, in terms of pH, temperature and salt content, were pH 7, 30°C and 1% (w/v) NaCl, respectively. Findings from the test tube tests showed the mass calcium carbonate precipitate increased when the concentration of cementation reagent (CCR) was increased from 0.5-1.0 M; irrespective of the curing period for both MICP and EICP. Findings from the UCS tests showed a linear relationship between UCS values at various cementation reagent concentrations and average calcium carbonate content. Furthermore, the strength of biocemented sandy soil was attributed to not only the calcite content formed within the soil but also the extent of soil density. The increase in cycles of treatment via surface percolation led to higher strength and CaCO3 content, irrespective of CCR. Image analysis, using Image J software, confirms the reduction in the area of pore spaces within the SEM images, with an increase in the number of cycles of treatment. The addition of POFA to the biocemented soil helped in reducing the ammonium content released. Results from the cyclic triaxial test showed that the EICP treatment improved the sand’s resistance against the generation of pore water pressure, as indicated by the greater number of cycles required to induce liquefaction. It can be concluded that biocementation via EICP can be an effective method of mitigating liquefaction in sandy soil

Leadership and good governance in Africa: Is there any link?

This paper is an analysis on “Leadership and Good Governance in Africa: Is there Any Link? Africa’s failures of good governance and regional development have been largely as a result of leadership failures. These manifest in frequent leadership change, lack of political will, lack of realistic ideology, policy reversal and weak institutions. The paper focuses on selected African countries with more emphasis on Nigeria. Data were generated from secondary sources and analysed using content analysis. The paper reveals that the leadership election processes in the continent takes the imposition pattern and that African leaders have frequently come to their position with different motives instead of the quest to facilitate the delivery of services through good governance. Therefore, leadership failures in the areas of poor policies, policy sumersault, indiscipline, corruption and the likes have weakened the system of governance or rather good governance, which affect overall development. Thus, for Africa to overcome the crises of leadership and governance, the leaders should carry out their entrusted obligations with zeal and just. The paper concludes that only leadership that has the people at heart and emerge through free and fair election can be relevant to the regional development of Africa through good governanc

The implications of agro-chemical compounds (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) on farming/aquaculture activities in the lake-Chad and its possible current/future social effects

Field survey and Laboratory analysis were carried out to determine the implications of agro-chemicals effluent on Lake Chad water. Historically societies used traditional farming methods involving rainfed agriculture and limited ground water withdrawal with irrigation though an ancient practice, it affected only small parts of the world. Water in Lake Chad is facing serious environmental problems from prolong drought to desertification, pollution and biodiversity reduction. The use of water for extensive agriculture by the lakes riparian states is reducing the water and stressing the ecological balance affecting the organisms depending on it and also its availability to its inhabitants. Water quality is also an important issue in the Lake Chad especially where the rainfall being the natural input into the system is small, greater risk of fertilizer, pesticides, and other agro-chemicals/inputs, runoff from the soil to the lake water and also salt accumulation threat are imminent. The assessment of the Lake Chad water resource quality was therefore carried out carefully while understanding the linkage and interaction with Agro-chemicals using stratified random sampling method for data acquisition and assessment on the site. The results of the experiment indicated that five parameters, namely, PH, Cadmium, Iron, Magnesium and chlorine have contaminant levels above the threshold limit as major sources of pollution in the lake with possible existing and future problem. As a result of the adverse effect of the agrochemicals runoff in the Chad water at Kirinowa. It can be concluded from the results of this study that the lake is under pollution of metals from sources of agricultural operations, due to indiscriminate application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.Key words: Lake Chad, Agro-chemicals, Accumulation, Contamination, Pollution

Assessment of Factors Affecting Contractors Tendering Success for Construction Projects in North-Central Nigeria

The challenge of construction tendering process is a common theme in developing countries especially Nigeria. Tendering process is often tedious, multitasking and complex. Contractors have the responsibility of tendering appropriately for construction projects; and clients as well as consultants have a duty to create an enabling platform for a successful tendering process. This study examines the factors affecting contractors tendering success for construction projects in North-Central Nigeria with an aim to harmonizing the perception of the construction professionals. Semi-structured questionnaires comprising of fifty-five (55) questions retrieved from literature were categorized into six (6) groups which are project characteristics, business benefits, capabilities, bidding situation, client related factors and external environment related factors. The data were retrieved from 299 respondents out of 384 respondents requisite for this study. Frequency, Percentile and Mean Index Score (MIS) were used to analyze the responses. Results indicated a level of agreement among the stakeholders on the top eleven (11) contractors tendering success factors and concludes that expansion of organization expertise, tendering capabilities, flexibility for changes and variations, number of competitors, project difficulties, design constructability, project methodology, tender document detailing, client reputation, involvement of other parties and political consideration to be the top factors affecting contractors tendering success. The practical implication of this is that, there is a broader understanding of the topmost factors affecting contractors tendering success among the stakeholders within the North-Central region of Nigeria. The study recommended that reasonably sufficient time should be given to examine project characteristic in order for the contractors to assess their suitability for every construction projects they intend to tender for. Furthermore, construction design approach, bidding process and project methodology should be properly delineated to all the stakeholders by the client to eliminate vagueness in the tendering process and subsequently, project delivery process

Assessment of Factors Affecting Contractors Tendering Success for Construction Projects in North-Central Nigeria

The challenge of construction tendering process is a common theme in developing countries especially Nigeria. Tendering process is often tedious, multitasking and complex. Contractors have the responsibility of tendering appropriately for construction projects; and clients as well as consultants have a duty to create an enabling platform for a successful tendering process. This study examines the factors affecting contractors tendering success for construction projects in North-Central Nigeria with an aim to harmonizing the perception of the construction professionals. Semi-structured questionnaires comprising of fifty-five (55) questions retrieved from literature were categorized into six (6) groups which are project characteristics, business benefits, capabilities, bidding situation, client related factors and external environment related factors. The data were retrieved from 299 respondents out of 384 respondents requisite for this study. Frequency, Percentile and Mean Index Score (MIS) were used to analyze the responses. Results indicated a level of agreement among the stakeholders on the top eleven (11) contractors tendering success factors and concludes that expansion of organization expertise, tendering capabilities, flexibility for changes and variations, number of competitors, project difficulties, design constructability, project methodology, tender document detailing, client reputation, involvement of other parties and political consideration to be the top factors affecting contractors tendering success. The practical implication of this is that, there is a broader understanding of the topmost factors affecting contractors tendering success among the stakeholders within the North-Central region of Nigeria. The study recommended that reasonably sufficient time should be given to examine project characteristic in order for the contractors to assess their suitability for every construction projects they intend to tender for. Furthermore, construction design approach, bidding process and project methodology should be properly delineated to all the stakeholders by the client to eliminate vagueness in the tendering process and subsequently, project delivery process

The Impact of Net-Migration on Total Fertility Rate in Sub-Sahara African Countries: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

The aim of the study is to empirically analyse the impact of netmigration on total fertility rate in Sub-Sahara African countries using data from Nigeria. The rational for the study is under-scored by the need for Sub- Sahara African Countries to have a balanced fertility rate that will enable them to achieve their desired economic growth and development, a situation which their current fertility rate cannot sustain; partly due to the migration activities of its working population. Secondary time series data on targeted variable covering the period from 2000 to 2016 were collected and analysed using econometric packages. Findings show that net-migration impact on total fertility rate positively in Nigeria. It is recommended that government should evolve and maintain a balance migration policy that will help to reduce the current high fertility rate through a cultural re-orientation of Nigeria communities which still places preference on large families