FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Unintended pregnancy is one that is either unwanted or mistimed, reflecting a complex interplay of reproductive intentions, contraceptive access and usage, sociocultural norms, and health system factors. Amidst concerns for and responsiveness to Population growth, Reproductive health care delivery and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3, Target 7 & 8 which emphasises that by the year 2030, it will ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes. This research thoroughly examines the multi-dimensional implications of the prevalence and the determinants of unintended pregnancies in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals in Edo South, Nigeria and probes the ways in which sexually active women utilize and meet their sexual, reproductive health-care needs and unmet needs within the research area
The study employed a dominant–less dominant mixed-method design (also called the explanatory design), in which the quantitative component drives the research process, while the qualitative component plays a supportive role (triangulation). The sample size was 1,006 women of reproductive age of which 44 percent of the respondents (pregnant women) representing 444 were selected from health facilities, while the remaining 56 percent are women (age 15 – 49 years) that is 562 from households. The primary sources of data were through the use of questionnaire and interview guide. This study also explored contraceptive use, accessibility to family planning services, the impacts of unintended pregnancy, and qualitative insights from health practitioners on barriers and strategies for family planning in Edo South, drawing on quantitative data and a reflexive thematic analysis of health facilitators’ responses. The stated hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Chi Square, Man-Whitney U Test, Kruskal Wallis Test, Multinomial Logistic Regression, Multivariate Logistics Regression and Inverse Distance Weight etc. ANOVA was used to test if there were statistically significant differences in the number of times respondent’s experienced unintended pregnancies across the various communities in Edo South. The result showed that there was a statistically significant difference in unintended pregnancy experiences between the groups, F(22, 179) = 2.051, p < .001. This suggests that the occurrence of unintended pregnancy varied meaningfully across the different communities studied.
The result of the findings established unintended pregnancy as a significant public health concern in the study area. It revealed that for every 100 respondents who had never experienced an unintended pregnancy, about 36 had, reflecting a prevalence consistent with global trends. It established that despite an overall contraceptive use rate, the disparity in the quality of awareness and method preference highlighted a critical gap: widespread awareness did not always translate to effective contraceptive practices. It showed critical insights into the depth of contraceptive knowledge, attitudinal barriers, and geographical disparities influencing reproductive health outcomes. Based on these findings; several actionable recommendations are presented to inform policy, program design, and service delivery. Some of the major challenges in this research include concealment of true experiences and fear of cultural and religious stigmatization.

This study examined the challenges of revenue generation and rural development in Nigeria: A case study of Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State. The data collected were presented in a tabular form with focus on the major research questions which enabled the researcher determine the results. The findings from the study revealed that Ovia North-East LGA raises loans for incurring capital development programme that are within their statutory functions, lack of capacity of Ovia North-East LGA to fulfil the aspiration of their communities are caused by lack of adequate resources, the role of the state governors in the affairs of Ovia North-East LGA results in the ineffective implementation of its developmental programmes, bad local government politics affects the implementation of development programmes in Ovia North-East LGA, Ovia North- East LGA has facilitated rapid development at the grass-root. The study recommended that efforts should be enhanced by the local government towards generation of internal revenue so as to meet the yearnings and aspiration of the people at grassroot level; local government should encourage the collection of IGR through the application of modern equipment’s and electronics means; local government should also find a means of closing up the loopholes and discourage frauds among the revenue collectors and the tax payers; local government should embark on the establishment of some mini-sized industries that will provide employment opportunities to the people. The participation in agriculture will encourage the inhabitants of local governments to improve their standard of living on one hand, and to improve the revenue base of local governments on the other hand. The study concluded that local government which is mostly endowed with natural resources should be allowed to persuade foreign investors for the much desired development at the local level, and any restructuring of this tier of government must as a necessity be done in concert with the generality of the people, while every autonomous community in Nigeria should constitute a level of governance, as this will facilitate rapid development of Nigeria and bring about dividends of democracy nearer to the people. Therefore, the effective management of generated revenue is also a fundamental issue in the provision of services to the local populace, so revenue generation is not an end in itself in determining service provision, but proper utilisation is also a great determinant

This research study was carried out to determine the impact of population growth on Nigerian Economy. The specific objectives of the study include investigating the relationship and effect of population growth on economic growth in Nigeria. This research study investigated the impact of population growth on the Nigerian economy using annual time series data for the period 1981 to 2024. The data was extracted from CBN statistical publications (2024), National Bureau of Statistics (2024). ADF technique in testing the unit root property of the series was utilized, the ARDL estimation technique was used to analyze the data. The research findings indicate the following: One year lag coefficient of Real Gross Domestic Product has a positive impact on the current value of Real Gross Domestic Product. Population growth has a positive impact on the current value of Real Gross Domestic Product. Poverty Head Count Ratio has a positive relationship with the current value of Real Gross Domestic Product. Unemployment rate has a positive relationship with the current value of Real Gross Domestic Product. Inflation rate has a positive impact on the current value of Real Gross Domestic Product. The prices of goods and services increases the value for goods and services also increase which eventually cause increase in the value of Real Gross Domestic Product

This study investigates the role of the military in Nigeria’s democratic consolidation during the Fourth Republic (1999–2024), focusing on three key dimensions: internal security and stability maintenance, support for democratic transitions, and the reinforcement of civil-military relations. Despite over two decades of uninterrupted civilian rule, Nigeria’s democracy continues to face challenges from insecurity, weak institutions, and residual authoritarian influences, making the military a pivotal actor in democratic sustenance. Guided by a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were collected from 400 respondents, including military personnel, civil servants, political scientists, and civilians across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square tests to examine the relationships between military roles and democratic consolidation. The findings reveal that the military’s engagement in internal security, its support for peaceful democratic transitions, and improved civil-military relations all have significant positive effects on democratic consolidation. The study concludes that a professional, constitutionally guided, and democratically accountable military is crucial to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy. Recommendations include strengthening civilian oversight, integrating democratic values into military training, and fostering inter-agency cooperation to maintain stability without undermining democratic norms

Since the return to civilian rule in Nigeria in 1999, successive elections have reflected both progress in electoral administration and persistent challenges to integrity. The 2023 presidential election, which introduced technological innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing (IREV) portal, was intended to enhance transparency and credibility. However, logistical failures, security concerns, and allegations of manipulation continued to undermine public confidence in the electoral process. This study examines the dynamics of political influence in the 2023 presidential election in Edo State, a key battleground that illustrates the interaction between formal electoral procedures and informal political practices.

The study investigates how incumbency advantages, party financing, and patron-client networks shaped electoral outcomes at multiple stages, from voter mobilization to result collation. It further explores how identity-based mobilization strategies, particularly along ethnic and religious lines, were deployed by opposition actors to counterbalance ruling-party dominance. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of electoral processes and political behavior, the research highlights how administrative inefficiencies and political interference are mutually reinforcing rather than independent phenomena.

Findings reveal that political actors exploited both institutional gaps and informal networks to influence electoral officials, manipulate voter behavior, and shape campaign narratives. These dynamics weakened procedural safeguards and compromised the neutrality of electoral administration. The study concludes that while technological reforms represent important steps toward electoral transparency, they are insufficient without stronger protections against political intrusion at the sub-national level. It recommends targeted institutional reforms for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and greater engagement of civil society organizations to enhance accountability and safeguard electoral integrity.

Overall, this research contributes to the broader discourse on democratic consolidation by providing a detailed, state-level analysis of electoral politics and highlighting the need for context-specific strategies to strengthen democracy in Nigeria’s federal system.

The study examined N-Power policy and youth unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The objectives of the study include the following: to examine how N-Power programme has reduce the rate of unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, to investigate N-Power programme influence on skill acquisition amongst youth in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, to examine the challenges facing N-Power programme in the reduction of unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, and give possible recommendations to the challenges facing N-Power programme towards unemployment reduction in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study comprises all staff of Egor Local Government Area and all beneficiaries of the Npower programme in Egor Local Government Area. According to the Human Resource Department of Egor Local Government Area, the total staff strength of council members is 1087, while that of Npower (N-Agro, N-Comm, N-Health and N-Tech) beneficiaries is 556. The instrument used for the collection of data was the questionnaire, which was administered to the study's sampled respondents. Out of the 185 questionnaires distributed, 177 copies were retrieved. The data collected was analyzed using simple percentage and chi chi-square analytical method to test the hypotheses generated for the study. The study discovered, amongst others, that, N-power programme has contributed to the reduction of unemployment in Egor Local Government Area. The study also discovered that factors like inadequate funding, lack of fairness in the selection, and inadequate supervision are challenges facing the N-Power policy and youth unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Furthermore, policy recommendations were adopted which include, amongst others, that adequate funding of the N-power programme should be made available for the sustainability of the programme. Also, programme continuity should be ensured at all costs. Every succeeding government should evaluate the social intervention programmes of the preceding government, adopt, implement and sustain the positive impacting ones and abrogate the negative ones.

This study examines the relationship between exchange rate fluctuations and Nigeria's export performance with the overarching objective of assessing their impact on the country's economic development. The research aims to determine the extent to which exchange rate changes influence total exports and, consequently, the overall economic growth of Nigeria. Employing secondary data from the statistical Bulletin of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the analysis focuses on the relationship between exchange rates(EXR), interest rates(INT), inflation rates(INF), and trade balance(EX) as independent variables, and the GDP as the dependent variable. The findings reveal that inflation rates negatively affect GDP, while interest rates have a positive impact. Exchange rate volatility exhibits a negative correlation with GDP growth. The study concludes that exchange rate fluctuations significantly influence Nigeria’s economic performance, particularly its production capacity. Therefore, the implementation of an effective exchange rate regime is imperative. Such a regime would mitigate inflationary pressures enhance Nigeria’s balance of trade and bolster its production capabilities, ultimately fostering positive economic growth

This study investigates the comparative effects of oil and non-oil exports on economic growth in Nigeria from 1990 to 2022. Using regression analysis, the research examines how changes in investment, oil exports, non-oil exports, and exchange rates impact Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP). The findings reveal that non-oil exports significantly and positively influence economic growth, emphasizing the necessity of diversifying Nigeria's export base. Conversely, oil exports show a negative but statistically insignificant effect on RGDP, indicating limited impact despite the sector's economic prominence. Additionally, exchange rate depreciations positively affect economic growth by enhancing export competitiveness. However, investment changes do not exhibit a statistically significant effect on RGDP within the model. The study underscores the importance of policies aimed at export diversification, competitive exchange rate management, and investment attraction to foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Nigeria. The results suggest that reducing dependence on oil revenues and promoting non-oil sectors are critical for economic resilience and long term development.

The study analysed the impact of currency devaluation on economic growth in Nigeria, using secondary data sourced from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletins, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The data covered a period from 1981-2021. Auto-regressive distributed lag model (ARDL) and multiple regressions analysis were employed to examine the relationship between the dependent variable (GDP) and independent variables (Exchange rate, inflation rate, foreign direct investment and Investment). Findings reveals that GDP has a negative relationship with inflation rate, FDI, GFCF and a positive relationship with exchange rate. In conclusion, currency devaluation has significant and statistical impact on economic growth in Nigeria. This study recommends that government should employ the use of managed exchange rate system to enhance competitiveness without causing excessive depreciation since currency devaluation positively influences economic growth.

The study focuses on the Impact of Sexuality Education in Reducing Unprotected Intercourse Among Undergraduates of University of Benin, to make it possible four purpose of the study were raised to Investigate the challenges of unprotected sex faced by University of Benin students, Investigate the factors responsible for unwanted pregnancy in university of Benin students, Ascertain the psychological effect of unwanted pregnancy and STIs on students’ performance in University of Benin students and Examine why students engage in unprotected sex. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design method with survey instruments deployed to gather relevant data for analysis. Simple random, stratified and purposive sampling technique was used to select one hundred and fifty (150) accessible respondents for the study. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire; it was a self-designed instrument, built around the research questions and was validated by the researcher's. The data collected for the research question was analyzed using the method of frequency and percentage