Kaduna Polytechnic is one of the earliest polytechnics in Nigeria, located at Tudun Wada area of Kaduna South local government of Kaduna state, North-Western Nigeria. It was established in 1956 as Kaduna Technical Institute after the British Government accepted the upgrading of Yaba Higher College (now Yaba College of Technology) to a technical institute and also proposed the establishment of technical institutes in Kaduna and Enugu through the recommendation of the Higher Education Commission. The polytechnic offers National Diploma and Higher National Diploma courses at the undergraduate level. In 2019/2020 academic session the institute will start awarding National Diploma in Railway Engineering Technology as approved by NBTE on 30 January 2020. The board of Governors of Kaduna Polytechnic was set up in 1991, with representative of eleven state governments, universities, rectors. the board is responsible for the supervision and control of the school. they are called the Governing Council.
This study delves into the application of synthesized benzimidazole-derived azo dyes to nylon 6, 6 fabrics and evaluation of their dyeing efficiency. As reported in the first series of this research, ten novel azo acid dyes were synthesized from benzimidazole derivatives using H-acid, Gamma acid, J-acid and Tobias acid as the coupling components and both the synthesized intermediates and the dyes were characterised and their properties and structures confirmed using UV–Visible, FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques. The dyeing efficiency of the dyes was investigated on nylon 6, 6 fabrics, and the fastness to perspiration, light and washing were assessed. They showed very good percentage exhaustion (64–89)
This study describes the design, synthesis and characterisation of benzimidazole-derived azo dyes. Ten novel azo acid dyes were synthesized from benzimidazole derivatives using H-acid, Gamma acid, J-acid and Tobias acid as the coupling components. The synthesized intermediates and the dyes were characterised and their properties and structures confirmed using UV–Visible, FT-IR and 1H-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The electronic absorption spectra of the synthesized dyes were within the wavelength range of 492‒660 nm in DMF at a uniform absorption intensity ranging from (0.18‒2.03) × 104 L.mol− 1 cm− 1 The FT-IR spectra of all the dyes showed peaks within the range of 3365‒3712 (cm− 1) corresponding to O–H stretching; 3425‒3362 (cm− 1) indicating N–H stretching; 1643‒1476 (cm− 1) confirming the presence of (–N = N-) and 1431.3‒1185 (cm− 1) which are attributed to (S = O) stretching. The 1H-NMR (δ) spectra of the dyes confirmed the presence of methyne (-CH-) groups between the range of 1.50‒1.89 ppm; methylene (-CH2-) groups between 1.27 and 1.47 ppm; methyl (-CH3-) groups between 1.16 and 1.20 ppm; aromatic protons between 6.78 and 8.63 ppm and carboxylic acid (-RCOOH) group between 10.36 and 12.78 ppm.
his study examined the impact of tomato contract farming on productivity, income, and household welfare of smallholder farmers in Kano State, Nigeria. Tomato production plays a critical role in food security and livelihood enhancement in northern Nigeria; however, smallholder farmers continue to face challenges such as limited market access, price volatility, inadequate input supply, and low productivity. Contract farming has been promoted as an institutional arrangement capable of addressing these challenges through assured markets, input provision, and technical support.Primary data were collected from tomato farming households using a multistage sampling technique. Structured questionnaires were administered to both contract and non-contract farmers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents, while econometric techniques, including propensity score matching and productivity analysis, were employed to estimate the impact of contract farming participation on farm performance and household welfare. Poverty and welfare effects were evaluated using standard poverty indices.The results revealed that participation in contract farming significantly increased tomato yield, farm income, and household welfare compared with non-participating farmers. Contract farmers exhibited higher productivity levels, better access to modern inputs, and lower poverty incidence. Education, farming experience, farm size, access to credit, and extension contact were identified as key determinants of participation. Despite these benefits, challenges such as delayed payments and weak contract enforcement were reported. The study concludes that contract farming is an effective mechanism for improving smallholder tomato production and welfare, and recommends strengthening institutional support, improving contract enforcement, and expanding access to credit and extension services.
Amid growing demand for sustainable energy, this work explores the production of third-generation biodiesel from waste Gmelina arborea leaf biomass using calcium hydroxide as an earth-abundant heterogeneous catalyst under mild conditions. Biodiesel synthesis was systematically investigated using a Box-Behnken design with 17 runs, with yields quantified as both percentage yield and specific yield (mg/g). Biodiesel yields varied widely, ranging from 0.23 to 30.00% (17.1-1259.8 mg/g), indicating a strong dependence on synergistic interactions among operating parameters rather than on individual variables alone. Reproducibility analysis conducted under identical reaction conditions yielded a mean biodiesel yield of 6.38% with a coefficient of variation of 36.1%, indicating acceptable process stability for a heterogeneous lignocellulosic system. While one-way ANOVA indicated that temperature alone did not exert a statistically significant influence on biodiesel yield within the studied range (p > 0.05), the strong variation in yields across different parameter combinations, culminating in a peak yield of 30.00% at 50 °C, 40 min, and 2.0 wt% catalyst loading, suggests that temperature effects are highly dependent on synergistic interactions with catalyst loading and reaction time. Overall, the results demonstrate that waste leaf biomass can serve as a viable third-generation biodiesel feedstock when coupled with mild calcium hydroxide catalysis, offering an energy-efficient and sustainable pathway that minimises food-fuel competition and supports circular bioeconomy development.
The transition toward sustainable and circular bioeconomies requires environmentally benign and resource-efficient routes for producing value-added chemicals from renewable feedstocks. This study presents a rapid and novel approach for synthesising methyl butanoate via a barium chloride-catalyzed thermal hydrolytic process using Gmelina arborea leaf biomass as a low-cost lignocellulosic resource. Unlike conventional esterification methods that depend on refined substrates, corrosive catalysts, and extended reaction times, this process operates under mild conditions (80 °C, atmospheric pressure) with short reaction durations (10–50 minutes). Results show that the highest methyl butanoate yield (≈13.52% and ~900 mg/g) is achieved at 10 minutes, demonstrating good reproducibility (RSD ≈ 6%). ANOVA confirms that reaction time significantly influences yield (p < 0.05), with longer durations reducing performance due to competing reactions and equilibrium constraints. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis validates ester formation and composition. This work addresses a key research gap by enabling direct conversion of waste biomass into short-chain esters through a simple, rapid, and energy-efficient pathway. The approach aligns with Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) through biofuel development, SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) via process innovation, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through biomass valorization, and SDG 13 (Climate Action) by promoting low-carbon processes. Overall, the study establishes a sustainable alternative for ester production with reduced environmental impact and operational complexity.
