ECONOMIC

This study investigates the perceptions of students and staff at the University of Benin regarding the economic and social potential of intra‑university sporting events for sport‑tourism development and adopts a convergent mixed‑methods design. A structured questionnaire was administered to 50 students; descriptive statistics (means ± SD) summarized their attitudes, while chi‑square tests (p < 0.05) examined relationships between demographics (income, employment) and categorical benefit items, and one‑way ANOVAs (p < 0.05) tested whether composite perceived‑benefit scores differed by occupation, income level and event‑attendance frequency. Semi‑structured interviews were conducted with 12 staff members (8 academic, 4 non‑academic) and analyzed thematically. Quantitative results indicate strong agreement that internal sports competitions boost visitor numbers, local revenue and facility use (overall mean = 3.48 ± 0.58). Chi‑square analyses revealed significant a sociations between income level and perceived economic benefit (χ² = 9.42, df = 2, p = 0.009) and between employment status and perceived community involvement (χ² = 7.81, df = 1, p = 0.005). ANOVA showed that mean benefit scores varied significantly across occupational groups (F = 4.73, p = 0.012) but not by income or attendance frequency. Qualitative insights highlighted organizational challenges, resource
constraints and the role of events in fostering university‑community ties. The integrated findings suggest that well‑planned; frequent intra‑university sporting events can significantly contribute to sport‑tourism growth in the University of Benin community, offering actionable guidance for administrators, local businesses and policymakers.

This study examined the role of local government administration in promoting socioeconomic development in Nigeria, using Egor Local Government Area as a case study. The research specifically investigated how policy implementation effectiveness, provision of social amenities, and infrastructure development influence socioeconomic outcomes within the area. A descriptive and explanatory survey research design was adopted. Data were collected from 200 respondents, including residents, local government officials, and community leaders, through structured questionnaires and interviews. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The results revealed a strong positive relationship between local government administrative functions and socioeconomic development (R = 0.894, R² = 0.799, p < 0.05). Specifically, policy implementation (β = 0.364, p = 0.000), provision of social amenities (β = 0.342, p = 0.000), and infrastructure development (β = 0.328, p = 0.000) each had significant effects on socioeconomic development in Egor Local Government. The findings indicate that effective policy execution, adequate provision of social services, and sustainable infrastructural projects collectively account for approximately 79.9% of the variation in the area’s socioeconomic growth. The study concludes that efficient and transparent local government administration is vital for enhancing living standards, promoting economic productivity, and achieving grassroots development. It recommends that Egor Local Government strengthen policy implementation mechanisms, increase investment in social amenities, promote infrastructural sustainability, and enhance transparency and community participation to foster inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development.