GROWTH

The relationship between government health expenditure, human capital development and
economic growth in Nigeria was explored in this study and the period of study was from 1981 to
2023. To find out the impact of government health spending on economic growth, to know its
impact on human capital development and to analyse the role of human capital development in
economic growth. The data are of annual time-series data that were sourced from Central Bank
of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, the National Bureau of Statistics and also from World
Development Indicators. Economic growth was proxied by real per capita GDP, while
government spending on health and education was proxying government health expenditure and
human capital development, respectively. The study was conducted using descriptive statistics,
Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test, Johansen cointegration test and Vector Error
Correction Model (VECM). The dynamic relationships among the variables were also examined
through the forecast error variance decomposition and impulse-response analysis. The first
difference of the variables was found to be stationary by the unit-root test and the cointegration
result verified the existence of long-run relationship between the variables. Estimated results
showed that government health spending negatively and significantly affected economic growth.
It also had a major adverse influence on human capital development. The ability of human
capital development, however, had a positive and significant impact on economic growth. The
error-correction coefficient found that about 6 per cent of the deviation from the long-run
equilibrium was corrected every year. The results indicate that – if there is a poor allocation of
public funds, poor monitoring and poor efficiency in the use of the funds – the result of an
increased health expenditure may not be the desired economic and human-capital outcomes. The
study, therefore, found that the provision of support to improve funding needs to be coupled with
an improvement in health and education service provision and delivery. It suggested ramp up and
continued investment in health and education, tighter budgetary control, better primary
healthcare facilities, better accountability in public spending and greater access to good quality
social services.

This study investigated the impact of government debt, revenue, and their relationship with economic growth in Nigeria over the period 1990 to 2024. It aimed to examine the effects of government debt on economic growth, the influence of government revenue on growth, the impact of debt on Nigeria’s annual GDP growth rate, and the role of internally generated revenue. Secondary data were collected primarily from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Debt Management Office, National Bureau of Statistics, and World Bank databases. The methodology adopted included an econometric model estimated using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and panel fixed effects to analyze the short-run and long-run effects of government fiscal variables on economic growth. Results revealed that government debt had a positive but statistically insignificant effect on economic growth in the short run, implying that borrowing provided some support to government sustainability but lacked robust growth stimulation. In the long run, debt demonstrated a negative and insignificant relationship with growth, suggesting potential crowding-out effects and fiscal risks that align with some extant Nigerian literature. Government revenue showed a positive and statistically significant association with economic growth, confirming its critical role in funding development projects and stimulating the economy. Internally generated revenue also had a positive yet statistically insignificant impact, indicating sensitivity in tax policy implementation to avoid negatively affecting production and economic activity. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the government implement prudent debt management policies to ensure borrowing supports growth without generating harmful longterm consequences. Tax authorities were advised to improve revenue collection efficiency by adopting fair tax policies that avoid overburdening taxpayers, thus encouraging sustainable economic expansion. Policymakers should focus on enhancing government revenue via effective fiscal measures to provide sufficient funds for infrastructure and development. Additionally, relevant agencies needed to strengthen internally generated revenue systems by promoting transparency and fairness, which would improve economic stability and growth prospects. These steps would help balance the benefits of government fiscal interventions while minimizing risks to Nigeria’s economic future

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a vital staple crop in many tropical regions, valued for its carbohydrate-rich tubers and economic importance. Bag propagation, which uses polythene bags filled with soil, has become a viable substitute that improves plant establishment, makes fertilizer management easier, and permits controlled growth conditions. This study evaluated effects of cow dung on bag propagated yams growth and yield performance. A private farm in Ogida, Benin City was the experimental site. Two treatments (control and cow dung) utilized in the experiment were laid out as a paired plot. Cured cow dung manure was applied at planting. Data collected on the number of leaves, vine length, and stem diameter were collected and recorded at intervals whereas tuber weight, vine weight, and number of leaves were collected at harvest and recorded. Data collected were analyzed as unequal variance t-test. Results revealed that cow dung significantly enhanced the vegetative growth of yam plants, particularly during the early and mid-growth stages. Variables such as vine length (p ≤ 0.05) and number of leaves (p ≤ 0.05) showed statistically significant increases compared to the control. The most notable impact was observed in tuber weight, where cow dung application led to a highly significant increase (p ≤ 0.05), with mean tuber weight rising from 0.25kg (control) to 0.7 kg (cow dung) an increase of approximately 180%. In conclusion, cow dung was effective and is a sustainable fertilizer for bag-propagated yam, enhancing growth variables and yield while probably improving soil fertility and structure for long-term agricultural productivity.

This study examined the impact of forensic accounting on the growth and development of the Nigerian economy, with specific focus on fraud investigation, litigation support, expert witness services, and financial reporting quality enhancement. The study adopted a survey research design, targeting 110 respondents comprising accountants, auditors, forensic practitioners, and finance officers in selected public sector institutions and professional accounting firms in Edo State. Out of the distributed questionnaires, 110 were duly completed and analyzed using E- Views 10 and SPSS 22. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed to evaluate the data and test the research hypotheses at the 5% significance level. The findings revealed that fraud investigation, expert witness services, and financial reporting quality enhancement significantly influence economic growth and development, with expert witness services exerting the strongest effect. Conversely, litigation support was found to have no significant impact, suggesting institutional and systemic limitations in its application. The study recommends strengthening fraud investigation frameworks, improving expert witness training, embedding forensic oversight in financial reporting, and reforming the judicial system to maximize the developmental potential of forensic accounting practices.

This study examined the impact of venture capital financing on the performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Benin City, with emphasis on growth, profitability, and innovation capacity. The study adopted a survey research design and primary data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires to 205 SME owners and managers who have received or sought venture capital support. A total of 198 valid responses were retrieved and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The descriptive results revealed that respondents generally perceive venture capital financing as
a catalyst for business expansion, increased revenue, operational efficiency, and enhanced innovative capability. The inferential analysis further confirmed these perceptions. The regression results showed that venture capital financing has a significant positive effect on SME growth ,profitability, and innovation indicating that venture capital financing explains 67.9% of the variation in SME performance. The findings reveal that venture capital financing significantly contributes to the growth and competitiveness of SMEs by providing not only financial support but also managerial expertise, mentorship, and access to networks. However,
challenges such as limited awareness, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and high investment risks hinder the full realization of venture capital’s potential. In Benin, however, the venture capital market remains underdeveloped due to regulatory bottlenecks, low investor confidence, and limited awareness among entrepreneurs. The study concludes that venture capital financing plays a strategic role in improving SME performance in Benin City by fostering growth, increasing financial outcomes, and encouraging
innovation. It recommends that government and private sector stakeholders enhance access to venture capital through policy support, investment incentives, and awareness programmers, in order to strengthen SME development and economic sustainability and also strengthening Nigeria’s venture capital framework is essential for unlocking the full potential of SMEs in driving sustainable economic growth and competitiveness.

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has transformed how businesses attract, engage, and retain customers, making digital marketing a vital tool for organisational growth. This study examined the relationship between digital marketing practices and the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Benin City, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of social media marketing, search engine optimisation, email marketing, and content marketing on SME growth. The research adopted a quantitative survey design, with data collected from selected SMEs operating within Benin City. Hypotheses were tested using statistical techniques to determine the significance of the relationships between the identified digital marketing practices and SME growth indicators. The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between social media marketing and SME growth, as well as between search engine optimisation and SME growth. Similarly, content marketing demonstrated a positive and significant effect on SME growth. In contrast, email marketing showed a positive but insignificant relationship with SME growth, suggesting limited effectiveness in the studied context. These findings highlight the importance of leveraging social media, SEO, and content strategies to drive business expansion while recognising the need for improved email marketing adoption and practices. The study concludes that digital marketing practices are critical enablers of SME growth in Benin City, but their impact varies across different strategies. It recommends that SME owners and managers invest in capacity building, technology adoption, and tailored digital strategies to enhance xiv competitiveness. Policy makers are also encouraged to support SMEs with training, digital infrastructure, and enabling policies that foster sustainable growth in the digital economy

River systems are valuable to human beings; meanwhile, they are intensively influenced by human activities. especially urbanization. In this study, we evaluated water quality of Amagba- Okoroma River, Benin City using analysis of water physico-chemical parameters recorded seasonally from March to April 2023 (dry season) and June and July 2023 (rainy season). Three sampling sites were selected along the course of the river from upstream (site 1) to downstream (site 3) associated with various anthropogenic activities. Water samples were collected and anlysed using standard procedure. Of the 21 water physico-chemical parameters anlysed, 5 parameters namely, turbidity (15.5 NTU), pH (5.4), Cr (0.15 mg/L), Cu (0.34 mg/L) and Zn (0.66 mg/L) exceeded the stipulated Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) guidelines. The result revealed that 3 parameters, namely, air temperature, water depth, and transparency showed
significant spatial variation across the three sites. Additionally, statistically significant seasonal variation was observed in 2 parameters in dry and rainy season namely, nitrate-nitrogen and sulphate. Water quality index (WQI) results reveal that water samples from each site were rated to be of excellent water quality, however, site 1 upstream had the best quality followed by site 2 and site 3 respectively. To preserve this water resource against pollution, the implementation of stringent guidelines as well as routine biomonitoring are needed to enhance its health status

This study examines the role of government policies in the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, focusing on access to finance, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed and successfully collected. Data analysis was conducted using tables, percentages, and chi-square analysis via SPSS software to test the research hypotheses. The findings reveal a significant relationship between government policies and access to finance for SMEs in Nigeria. Additionally, government regulatory policies have a significant effect on the business environment, and government infrastructural policies positively impact the operational performance of SMEs. The study highlights the crucial role of effective government interventions in fostering SME growth. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the government implement policies that enhance financial access, simplify regulatory processes, and invest in infrastructure to create a more enabling environment for SMEs in Nigeria.

The paper examined economy growth and indirect tax. The objectives of the study were to examine the impact of direct tax on economic growth in Nigeria. To achieve these objectives, secondary data was sourced. Based on these findings, the paper recommended amongst others that Nigeria government should coordinate their industries so that more revenue be generated and should be well managed by channeling it to the critical sectors in the absence of systemic corruption in order to enhance economic growth.

The study empirically examined the relationship between bank lending and the growth of the Nigerian economy for the period 1992 to 2021. The ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation technique was employed in the empirical analysis of data. The result from the analysis revealed that, credit to private sector (CPRIV) has significant positive relationship with economic growth in Nigeria; credit to public sector (CPUB) has an insignificant negative relationship with economic growth; while inflation rate (INFL) has a weak negative effect on economic growth, and this suggests that it does not play any significant role in the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. Those of exchange rate (EXCR) has significant positive effect on the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. The study recommends that, credit to private sector should be given more priority if the economy would grow as expected because, through the private sector the real sector of the economy which is central to the economy are directly affected. Failure to do this will only spell doom to the Nigerian economy. Also, there is need to review lending policy on a continuous basis with respect to interest rate with a view to ensuring that the level and structure of interest rates are adequate and consistent with policy objectives of making lending more accessible to private and public sectors of the economy.