2026

Malaria is a major public health challenge worldwide with high morbidity and mortality. For prompt and accurate diagnosis, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends
rapid diagnostic test (RDT) as good alternative method for malaria diagnosis in sub- Sahara Africa prior to drug administration and treatment. Malaria RDTs are commercially
available test kits and majority detects Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-rich protein-2
(PfHRP2 gene) as the target antigen. The WHO then recommends that PfHRP2 gene
deletion must be monitored, especially in Africa. The aim of this study was to determine
PfHRP2 gene deletion in blood samples of malaria parasitaemic patients in Kaduna
metropolis. The Study was carried out using microscopy, PCR and RDT. All RDT- negative samples were further subjected to microscopy and molecular analysis (PCR) for
malaria parasite speciation and PfHRP2 gene and deletion. Of the 1196 samples analysed, 694 were negative and 502 were positive by RDT. Of the RDT negatives, 83 samples
were found to be microscopically positive, the 78 samples were for Plasmodium
falciparum species and 5 non-falciparum species (2P. Vivax, 2P. malariae, 1P. falciparum/Vivax). These 83 samples were further subjected NM-PCR and were equally
found positive for malaria, hence classified as RDT false–negatives. Statistical analysis
for frequencies and confidence intervals (Cl) was used for prevalence estimates. Associations were assessed by chi square test. The level of significance was set at P<0.05. The significance package used was Minitab 22.1. From the 83 samples identified as RDTfalse negative by PCR; 69 (5.8%) 95% Cl 4.6-7.0), had gene deletion both in PfHRP2
and PfHRP3, 4 samples (0.33%) 95% CI - 0.94-1.54) had deletion only in PfHRP2 but
not in PfHRP3 and 5 samples (0.42%) 95% CI-0.84-1.64) had deletion in PfHRP3 but not
in PfHRP2. With particular interest and considering PfHRP2 gene only within the total of
1196 samples 73(6.1%) 95% 4.76- 7.44) had evidence of deletion. This study provides
evidence of PfHRP2 gene deletion in Plasmodium falciparum in Kaduna and PfHRP2
deletion was detected in the 73 samples analysed. This surveillance study also discovered
that there is no significant difference (p<0.001) in Plasma level of CRP, IFN- and IL-6 of
blood samples of participants with intact PfHRP2 gene and those with PfHRP2 gene
deletion. It is, therefore, highly recommended that more surveillance studies across
different geographical zone of the country be carried out to determine the full extent of
PfHRP2 deletion frequencies. It also recommended that routine RDT kit contain
additional PfHRP3 antigen, to improve the RDT efficacy and provide broad spectrum of
diagnosis

The study investigated the influence of Laboratory Management on Biology
students’ Learning Outcomes in Secondary Schools in Ovia North East Local
Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The research specifically examined how the
adequacy and organization of laboratory facilities influenced students’ learning outcomes, determined the extent to which the availability and proper management of laboratory materials and equipment affected performance in Biology practicals, assessed the impact of the frequency and quality of laboratory-based instruction on understanding key Biology concepts, and investigated the relationship between teachers’ laboratory
management practices and students’ overall achievement in Biology. The descriptive
survey design was employed, targeting all Biology teachers and senior secondary school
students in public secondary schools in the area. A sample of 50 Biology teachers and
150 students was selected from 10 public secondary schools using simple random
sampling for schools and stratified sampling for participants within schools. Data were
collected using a validated and reliable structured questionnaire.The instrument, comprising demographic details and 20 Likert-scale items, underwent expert validation
and Cronbach Alpha reliability testing (above 0.70) via a pilot study. The data were
analyzed using descriptive statistics such as , mean scores and standard deviations with
SPSS software. The study revealed that adequate, organized laboratory facilities positively
influenced Biology students' learning outcomes, with well-equipped labs (benches, storage, ventilation, lighting, sinks) enhancing practical engagement, safety, and conceptual understanding. Availability and proper management of materials like microscopes, dissecting kits, Bunsen burners, pipettes, and balances significantly boosted practical performance, fostering competence and precision. Frequent, high-quality lab instruction (thrice-weekly) improved conceptual understanding, retention, and mastery over infrequent sessions. Teachers’ lab management practices showed a moderate positive correlation with overall achievement, rejecting the null hypothesis. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education increase funding for lab facilities (benches, storage, ventilation, lighting, sinks) to enhance learning outcomes and address inadequacies. School Principals should enforce maintenance for equipment like microscopes and burners to sustain practical proficiency. Biology Teachers must hold sessions thrice-weekly with quality instruction for better retention. Teacher Training Institutions should embed advanced management practices in
programs to maintain achievement gains amid resource barriers.

This study presents the design and fabrication of a Smart Internet of Thing (IoT)-based feul monitoring system for agricultural tractors. The system aims to improve operational efficiency, minimize fuel theft, and enhance real-time decision-making in mechanized farming. It integrates an ultrasonic fuel level sensor, NodeMCU V3microcontroller, GPS, and GSM modules to provide continuous fuel data and location tracking. Using Blynk and Thing Speak IoT platforms, real-time fuel levels, consumption trends, and geographic positions were displayed through web and mobile interfaces. Calibration and testing revealed that the system achieved high measurement accuracy with an error margin of less than ±5%, Wi-Fi data transmission latency between 6–8 seconds, and SM S alert delay of 7–12 seconds. The prototype demonstrated effective performance under field conditions, withstanding vibration, heat, and moisture without data loss. Results confirm that the developed IoT-based system is affordable, reliable, and user-friendly for small- and medium-scale farmers. It enables efficient monitoring of fuel resources, enhances accountability, and supports preventive maintenance through analytics and alert mechanisms. Overall, the system bridges the technological gap in fuel management for agricultural operations in developing regions and contributes to sustainable mechanization practices

This project explores the quality assurance (QA) practices in Prime Feed and Flour Mill
Limited, aiming to improve product safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance
customer satisfaction. With the increasing demand for high-quality food and animal feed,
alongside the public health threats posed by contaminated or inferior products, it is crucial to
maintain consistent quality throughout production processes. The research investigates the
existing QA frameworks utilized by the quality control sector, assesses their conformity with
national regulatory standards established by NAFDAC and SON, and identifies prevalent
challenges in their implementation. Data was gathered through document analyses from the
laboratory results and log book.
The results recognize that various factors affect quality standards, including insufficient staff
training, inadequate documentation, limited QA infrastructure, and weak enforcement
mechanisms. The study emphasizes key quality indicators such as moisture content, aflatoxin
levels, microbial load, and packaging integrity as vital control points.
Recommendations include regular QA training for personnel, strengthening internal audits,
improving record-keeping systems, and adopting technology for process monitoring. The
study concludes that a more structured and proactive quality assurance system is necessary to
meet both regulatory and consumer expectations in the feed and flour production sector in
Nigeria.

The problem of child sexual abuse has become a pressing social and educational issue with increasing reports of students being victims of various forms of abuse including molestation, harassment and exploitation by teachers, peers and community members. The study investigated child sexual abuse and the consequences on the educational development of students in selected secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised secondary school students and teachers in Egor Local Government Area. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents selected through a stratified random sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, and mean scores. The findings revealed that child sexual abuse negatively affects students’ educational development. Victims of sexual abuse were found to experience low self-esteem, poor concentration in class, frequent absenteeism, declining academic performance, and in some cases, withdrawal from school. The study also found that inadequate parental supervision, poor guidance and counseling services, and lack of awareness about children’s rights contributed to the persistence of the problem. It was concluded that child sexual abuse has devastating effects on the emotional stability and academic growth of secondary school students. The study recommended that schools should intensify child protection awareness programs, strengthen counseling units, and collaborate with parents, social workers, and law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of students. Furthermore, stiffer penalties should be imposed on perpetrators to serve as a deterrent and safeguard the educational future of young learners

Enterohepatic Circulation (EHC) is the process by which bile acid are secreted from the liver into the bile, excreted into the small intestine and then reabsorbed back into the liver. This efflux process is spurred by drug saturation, which is a condition in which the rate of absorption of the drug is limited by the rate of transport to the liver or the rate of secretion into the bile. EHC plays a crucial role for several liver and gastrointestinal functions such as bile flow, solubilization and excretion of cholesterol, clearance of toxic molecules, intestinal absorption of lipophilic nutrients, as well as metabolic and antimicrobial effects. Despite its positive impact in human homeostasis,it is known that EHC can increase toxicity of drugs(due to incomplete elimination during recycling), increased risk of gallstones which result to systemic diseases such as cholelithiasis, bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer and hepatotoxicity(drug liver injury). In the formulation of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of EHC Drugs with Saturation Kinetics is formulated. The model is affected by secreted drug in the hepatocyte and gastrointestinal compartment with delay effect on metabolites. The drug toxicity threshold parameter and delay effect accounting for gallbladder and intestine disorder(alter the rate of bile circulation) will be discussed. The model is rigorously analyzed on Drug Free Equilibria, Drug Saturation Equilibria, Toxicity Equilibria and Drug Reabsorption Equilibria. Threshold value for Pathological parameter for which there exist a trans from Hoph bifurcation to periodic system was established.
The direction of Stability (super critical and subcritical) was also established. Global and Local stabilities were also investigated. The results from the analysis showed that drug saturation induces toxicity in the
absence of pathological defect parameters when Drug Toxicity Number (DTN) is xi greater than one .Whereas in the presence of pathological parameters (Mild Case), Drug Toxicity does not annul the physiological state of the compartments hence cannot effect drug reabsorption. There exist a threshold for pathological parameters for which drug reabsorption occurs, and defect in physiological compartment progresses from mild to acute case when pathological parameters exceed this threshold i.e τ1 + τ2 > v2+2m2 η2 Hoph bifurcation analysis on the Drug Free and Drug Saturation Equilibria showed that there exist an upper bound for which the system remains asymptotically stable. Numerical results obtained from this work will provide a framework for Pharmaceutical Policies and decisions on EHC.Enterohepatic Circulation (EHC) is the process by which bile acid are secreted from the liver into the bile, excreted into the small intestine and then reabsorbed back into the liver. This efflux process is spurred by drug saturation, which is a condition in
which the rate of absorption of the drug is limited by the rate of transport to the liver or the rate of secretion into the bile. EHC plays a crucial role for several liver and gastrointestinal functions such as bile flow, solubilization and excretion of cholesterol, clearance of toxic molecules, intestinal absorption of lipophilic nutrients, as well as metabolic and antimicrobial effects. Despite its positive impact in human homeostasis,
it is known that EHC can increase toxicity of drugs(due to incomplete elimination during recycling), increased risk of gallstones which result to systemic diseases such as cholelithiasis, bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer and hepatotoxicity(drug liver injury). In the formulation of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of EHC Drugs with Saturation Kinetics is formulated. The model is affected by secreted drug in the hepatocyte and gastrointestinal compartment with delay effect on metabolites. The drug toxicity threshold parameter and delay effect accounting for gallbladder and intestine disorder(alter the rate of bile circulation) will be discussed. The model is rigorously analyzed on Drug Free Equilibria, Drug Saturation Equilibria, Toxicity Equilibria and Drug Reabsorption Equilibria. Threshold value for Pathological parameter for which there exist a trans from Hoph bifurcation to periodic system was established. The direction of Stability (super critical and subcritical) was also established. Global and Local stabilities were also investigated.
The results from the analysis showed that drug saturation induces toxicity in the absence of pathological defect parameters when Drug Toxicity Number (DTN) is xi greater than one .Whereas in the presence of pathological parameters (Mild Case), Drug Toxicity does not annul the physiological state of the compartments hence cannot effect drug reabsorption. There exist a threshold for pathological parameters
for which drug reabsorption occurs, and defect in physiological compartment progresses from mild to acute case when pathological parameters exceed this threshold i.e τ1 + τ2 > v2+2m2 η2. Hoph bifurcation analysis on the Drug Free and Drug Saturation Equilibria showed that there exist an upper bound for which the system remains asymptotically stable. Numerical results obtained from this work will provide a framework for Pharmaceutical Policies and decisions on EHC.

This study assesses the public perception of selected Christian Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in Human Development Activities in Lagos State. Its main objective is to examine the public perception of the socioeconomic empowerment contributions of Christian FBOs towards community members in Lagos state. A cross-sectional (one-time) survey was adopted, where adult male and female members of ten (10) targeted Pentecostal ‘Prosperity Gospel Preaching’ Churches in Lagos state selected purposively were focused open. Questionnaire and in-depth interview were the instruments used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from the respondents including on the spot observatory assessment to verify the respondents’ claims. Accidental sampling and stratified random sampling were used during the distribution of the questionnaire, where the targeted Churches were further stratified into branches for easy accessibility, the branches purposively selected, and the questionnaires administered to the worshippers/members as they are available. The study reviewed a few relevant theoretical orientations namely, social exchange theory; human development approach; and open system theory. Chi-square statistical method, percentage analysis, and charts were the methods of data analysis. The major findings include: the public perceive the Church to be satisfactorily committed to the socioeconomic empowerment of the wellbeing of the members and the needy but there is room for improvement; with empirical evidences the Church has contributed in assisting the needy to have access to education, health care facilities, and empowered the needy to gain access to means of income and livelihood; among others. The study therefore recommended thus: that government should seek out ways to partner with the Christian FBOs so as to sustain the complementary roles played by the Church in contributing to the socioeconomic wellbeing of the people; the Christian FBOs should intensify their humanitarian efforts as the population of the poor and the needy are on the increase amidst the worsening socioeconomic situation in Nigeria; some of the Christian FBOs who are not yet committed to the socioeconomic empowerment of the needy should rise to the call and fulfill their corporate social responsibility to the people; the Church should dissociate herself from flamboyant and luxurious lifestyle and focus on its evangelization mission which includes assisting the poor; inter alia.

Efficient water management is important for sustainable agricultural production, particularly in regions experiencing climatic variability and limited water resources. This study focuses on determining evapotranspiration rates for maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa) crops using selected evapotranspiration models under the climatic conditions of Ovia North East LGA, Edo State. Two ET models- the Blaney Morin Nigeria (BMN) and Hagreaves- Samani methods were semployed to estimate reference evapotranspiration (ETo) based on meteorological data obtained from the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) station. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was subsequently derived by applying crop coefficients (Kc) corresponding to the different growth stages. The study compared the performance of both models to evaluate their suitability for local conditions. Results indicated that the BMN model, which uses relative humidity alongside temperature and daylength, produced ET estimates more consistent with humid tropical conditions than the temperature based Hagreaves- Samani model. It was also found that using BMN instead of Hagreaves- Samani model reduces estimated irrigation demand by 85% for both maize and rice, corresponding to water savings of about 8,587 m³/ha and 10,230 m³/ha and approximate energy savings of 390kWh/ha for maize and 456kWh/ha for rice. The findings highlight the importance of using locally calibrated ET models for accurate irrigation scheduling and water resource management. This study provides valuable insights for improving water use efficiency, enhancing crop yield, and promoting climate smart agricultural practices in southern Nigeria.

The study evaluates the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme-pillars in primary schools in Benin metropolis using the CIPP evaluation model. Specifically, the study evaluated the system strengthening and organisational development, teacher professional development and quality assurance, curriculum implementation and learning outcomes, community engagement and participation as well as school infrastructure and facilities as the programme- pillars. To carry out this study, fifteen research questions were raised, research question fifteen was hypothesized and tested at 0.05 alpha level. This study adopted a survey research design. The study’s population was 2,079 teachers and 10,285 learners. A sample size of 335 teachers and 385 primary five pupils were selected using random sampling techniques and the proportionate by size method. Teachers Questionnaire, a checklist, an observational schedule and a primary five Mathematics achievement test were the instrument used for data collection. The questionnaire, checklist and the observational schedule were subjected to content and face validity while the Mathematics achievement test is a standardized test from UBEC which was presumed to have undergone all the processes of validation. The reliability of the teacher’s questionnaire was established using the Cronbach alpha method to obtain a reliability coefficient of 0.81 while the reliability of Mathematics achievement test was reestablished using test-retest method to obtain a coefficient of 0.84. The values showed that the instruments were reliable. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation to answer research questions 1-14 while the independence sample t- test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance

The increasing environmental challenges and housing demand in tropical regions like Benin City necessitate the adoption of sustainable building practices. This project explores the integration of sustainable design principles in residential housing provision specific to tropical climates. It examines passive cooling strategies, climate-r sponsive materials, and energy-efficient layouts tailored to the environmental co text of Benin City. Through field observations, interviews, and case studies, the research identifies key barriers to sustainable implementation and proposes practical design solutions. The study highlightshow locally available resources and traditional knowl edge can be harnessed to enhance building performance, thermal comfort, and affordability. Ultimately, the project advocates for policy support, public awareness, and stakeholder collaboration in creating sustainable housing systems for tropical regions.