This study examines how digital transformation can strengthen public administration and enhance administrative outputs in Nigeria. The theory is anchored on New Public Management (NPM) theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) hinged on content analysis. The findings reveal that digital applications significantly improve administrative transparency, reduce service delivery delays, and enhance record preservation. However, challenges such as insufficient funding, inadequate ICT infrastructure, low digital literacy among civil servants, and resistance to innovative reforms pose significant obstacles to effective implementation. Additionally, the study identifies other challenges affecting digital transformation, including cybersecurity risks and unequal access to technology across different regions of the country. The study therefore recommends the following: adequate investment in ICT systems, continuous staff training, and the provision of necessary infrastructure to ensure efficient and effective digital service delivery,
The Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability overestimate their skills, emerges as a fundamental challenge for public administration, a field founded on the principle of meritocratic expertise. This comprehensive scoping review synthesizes and analyzes the scattered academic research on the manifestations and consequences of this phenomenon in administrative, educational, and political contexts. The findings reveal that "meta-ignorance" is not merely an individual psychological error but is systemically reinforced by organizational structures that lack objective feedback mechanisms. This dynamic leads to failed policies, undermines organizational learning, and erodes public trust. In response to this identified knowledge gap, the article proposes a new conceptual framework, Institutional Metacognition, which shifts the focus from individual incompetence to the institutional capacity for collective self-assessment and correction. This framework offers a diagnostic and normative tool for designing public organizations that promote epistemic humility and effectiveness.
Using an event history analysis approach, this study examines the adoption of budget stabilization funds (BSFs) among U.S. states. It delves into two primary mechanisms of policy diffusion, learning and emulation, and finds evidence that emulation is the driving mechanism of BSF adoption. In particular, a state is more likely to adopt BSFs if its richest neighboring state has already adopted BSFs, indicating that states follow the lead of their more affluent neighbors in adopting financial stabilization measures. Additionally, a state is more likely to adopt BSFs if its governorship and legislature are under unified party control, its balanced budget requirements are less restrictive, and it has a lower unemployment rate.
High-quality entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and economic resilience. Drawing on institutional complementarity theory, this study investigates how government, market, and societal institutions jointly shape entrepreneurial quality under different macroeconomic conditions. Using a panel fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 81 countries from 2007 to 2017, the study identifies six institutional configurations that lead to high-quality entrepreneurship. From these, it derives three distinct context-sensitive models of institutional complementarity. These models reflect how institutional domains interact functionally rather than additively, with different configurations prevailing under economic recession, moderate prosperity, and general growth. By integrating economic cycles into the logic of institutional complementarity, this study advances a temporally contingent, configurational understanding of institutional effectiveness. The findings contribute to institutional and entrepreneurship theory and provide actionable insights for policymakers seeking to foster entrepreneurship through adaptive institutional design.
Every government goes with policies and every policy is to serve some interests and every society or political system is composed of interest groups. The interest groups otherwise known as pressure groups try to exert influence on government policies. This study therefore is on the effectiveness of pressure groups in influencing public policies in Nigerian polity. Secondary sources of data were utilized. The study discovered that pressure groups have basic functions which if sustained will help them influence public policies; the groups have many strategies being utilized in influencing public policies and there are significant factors militating against the abilities of the pressure groups to influence public policies. This study concluded that for any political system to work, the activities and demands of pressure groups are key factors. The study therefore recommended inter alia: the functions of pressure groups be sustained, the strategies adopted by pressure groups in influencing public policies to be sustained as well; and that those factors militating against the abilities of pressure groups in influencing public policies to be addressed in a round table before policies are formulated.
This study examines the impact of e-governance systems on administrative efficiency, focusing on workflow optimization, service delivery speed, transparency, cost reduction, and employee productivity. Using a mixed-methods approach combining survey data from public institutions and qualitative interviews with administrative officers, the study evaluates how digital office systems influence institutional performance. Findings reveal that e-governance significantly enhances administrative efficiency by reducing processing time, minimizing bureaucratic bottlenecks, improving record accessibility, and strengthening accountability mechanisms. However, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited digital competence, resistance to change, and cybersecurity concerns hinder optimal outcomes. The study recommends strategic investments in ICT infrastructure, capacity building, policy harmonization, and cybersecurity frameworks to maximize the benefits of digital governance.
This article critically analyzes the exercise of the Executive Prerogative of Mercy (POM) under Section 175 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, focusing on the controversial 2025 Presidential Clemency granted by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. The clemency, though including restorative acts like posthumous pardons for the Ogoni Nine, was fundamentally undermined by the concurrent commutation of sentence for a high-profile murder convict and the full pardon of a financial crimes convict. The study argues that these actions expose Nigeria’s crisis of elite impunity. The constitutional check—consultation with the Council of State—is ceremonial, leaving the POM virtually unfettered and often used for political patronage rather than genuine justice. This practice severely diminishes the deterrent effect of judicial sentences, compromises the anti-corruption mandate, and erodes public faith in judicial finality and the Rule of Law. Drawing on comparative analysis, particularly the robust judicial constraints in India, and the article recommends urgent structural reforms. These include a constitutional amendment to explicitly exclude corruption and violent crimes from the presidential pardoning power, and the institutionalization of robust judicial review to enforce public fiduciary standards and safeguard democratic accountability in the application of mercy.
The growing urgency of global environmental challenges has intensified the demand for sustainable practices. While societies increasingly acknowledge the need for environmental action, the role of families as foundational units for shaping sustainable values and behaviors remains underexplored. Many households continue unsustainable practices due to limited environmental knowledge, inadequate motivation, and insufficient resources. This study investigates how heightened environmental awareness and active family engagement contribute to sustainable living. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates a literature review with a survey of 100 respondents in Ogun State, Nigeria, to assess levels of environmental awareness, attitudes, and sustainable practices. Findings reveal that families with higher environmental consciousness are more likely to adopt sustainable behaviors such as recycling, waste reduction, and energy conservation. Education plays a central role: parents and children who understand the consequences of environmental degradation demonstrate greater commitment to sustainability efforts. The study concludes that addressing gaps in awareness, education, and family engagement is essential for strengthening environmental stewardship. Recommendations include integrating sustainability into family-oriented programs, expanding access to environmental education, and creating policy incentives that encourage eco-friendly household practices. Strengthening family capacity in environmental decision-making can generate a ripple effect that advances a greener and more sustainable future.
This study examined the relationship between employment procedures and productivity in the Anambra State Ministry of Education, Awka. Specifically, it focused on how recruitment and selection processes influence employees’ effectiveness, dedication, and commitment. Using a descriptive survey research design, data were collected from staff within the ministries and analyzed to determine the impact of employment procedures on productivity. Questionnaire was employed as the instrument of data collection. The data generated were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square statistical test. The findings revealed that recruitment and selection criteria significantly affect workers’ effective service delivery, indicating that well-structured employment processes enhance performance. Additionally, the quality of recruitment and selection was found to have a significant influence on employees’ dedication, while the criteria used in these processes significantly impacted workers’ commitment. These results suggest that strategic employment procedures are critical for fostering a motivated and productive workforce within the Ministry. The study recommends that the Ministry adopt robust recruitment frameworks to ensure that highly qualified and committed personnel are selected, thereby improving overall organizational productivity.
The Nigerian constitutional principle of Federal Character (FC), which was adopted in 1979 and retained in the 1999 Constitution, mandates equitable representation of all states and ethnic groups within the federal public service. This study employs an ecological lens—specifically Fred W. Riggs’s Prismatic Model—to analyze the inherent tension between the societal necessity for representativeness and the administrative ideal of meritocracy. It is designed to mitigate horizontal inequalities and promote national loyalty, and its findings indicate that the policy’s implementation has largely failed to achieve national cohesion. Critically, the institutionalized demand to fulfill ethnic and state quotas frequently supplants technical competence, leading to institutional mediocrity, administrative inefficiency, and the recurring failure of public infrastructure projects. Quantitative analysis confirms a strong correlation (r = 0.756) between FC imperatives and civil service appointments, suggesting a process driven by quota fulfillment rather than universalistic criteria. Furthermore, the lack of meritocracy serves as a "push factor" contributing to the emigration of skilled professionals (brain drain). The study concludes that the current practice of Federal Character exacerbates state fragility by institutionalizing prebendalism. To harmonize representation with efficiency, the research proposes a hybrid framework that restricts quota-based recruitment to entry-level positions while ensuring senior cadre appointments remain strictly merit-based.
This study examined the relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and credit risk management of deposit money banks in Rivers State, Nigeria. The methodology employed is survey design involving data collection using a self-administered questionnaire. The data was collected from deposit money banks in Rivers State. Out of the 14 Listed Deposit money Banks in Nigeria, 13 banks were selected based on a simple random Sampling Technique. The study adopted statistical Package for Statistical sciences (SPSS) version 20. Regression analysis was used to predict the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable and was also used to either accept or reject the null hypothesis. Validity and reliability test was carried out. The study modeled credit risk management as the function of an automated chatbot banking, a deep learning machine, a machine learning solution, and Natural language processing. The researcher concludes that artificial intelligence significantly affects the credit risk management of deposit money banks in Nigeria. The study recommends that banks should continue to integrate AI technologies across various departments, including credit assessment, fraud detection, and operational risk management. Banks should prioritize the adoption of AI systems that can automate routine tasks, improve decision-making processes, and reduce human error; ultimately enhancing risk management capabilities. They should also collaborate with fintech firms to enhance their credit scoring models, ensuring they are leveraging the most up-to-date data and technologies.
This study examines the role of electronic records management in promoting transparency and accountability in the Nigerian public sector. The study adopts a qualitative conceptual approach and relies on recent scholarly literature, policy documents, and insights from administrative practices within public institutions. The paper discusses how effective ERM systems can improve documentation processes, enhance access to information, support audit processes, and reduce opportunities for manipulation of official records. The study also identifies key challenges affecting the implementation of ERM in Nigeria, including inadequate infrastructure, limited technical expertise, weak policy enforcement, and resistance to technological change. The paper argues that strengthening electronic records management through improved policies, institutional capacity building, and supportive legal frameworks can significantly enhance transparency and accountability in public administration. The study therefore contributes to ongoing discussions on governance reforms and digital transformation in Nigeria’s public sector.
This paper seeks to interrogate the relationship between culture and foreign policy, specifically, to evaluate the connection of culture and the pursuit of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in particular. The challenge before us as individuals and government, has been to explore ways to rededicate ourselves to the appreciation, development and patronage of our cultural resources as available in their environment, collections in the museums, cultural centers, art galleries and archives. Using content analysis, the study revealed that Nigeria’s cultural heritage can play significant roles in shaping foreign policy objectives and strategies. The paper recommended among others that Nigerian government should renew the quest for the return of Nigeria’s stolen artifacts. They should develop a conscious policy of building cultural houses in strategic countries of the world as it has done in Brazil and China. Again they should explore and take advantage of the outward migration of a large number of Nigerians who have moved with their social life to other parts of the world.
Global warming has emerged as a critical threat to food security in Nigeria, where agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for a majority of the population. This study investigates the effects of rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, desertification, and increased frequency of droughts and floods on Nigeria’s food production systems. It highlights how climateinduced stresses have led to declining crop yields, livestock mortality, and reduced fisheries output, particularly in climate-vulnerable regions such as the North-East and middle Belt. The research further explores how these environmental changes exacerbate poverty, food inflation, and regional instability. Drawing on empirical data and local case studies, the study underscores the need for adaptive agricultural practices, and strengthened government intervention. The paper concludes that without immediate and coordinated efforts, global warming will continue to undermine Nigeria’s ability to achieve sustainable food security and rural development.
This study investigates the nexus between hunger, poverty, food insecurity, and electoral manipulation in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on hunger as a political instrument for votebuying. The research employed a quantitative survey approach, complemented with secondary data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A total of 400 respondents were sampled across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, representing both urban and rural communities, through structured questionnaires. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and logistic regression models, which were used to establish the relationships between socio-economic conditions and electoral inducement. The findings reveal that food insecurity is pervasive: about 72% of respondents experiencing severe food insecurity admitted that they were offered food or consumables in exchange for their votes during elections. Logistic regression analysis further confirmed a significant positive relationship between household poverty levels and vulnerability to electoral inducement (p < 0.05). The results also highlighted that rural dwellers and women are disproportionately affected by hunger-driven vote-buying, deepening clientelistic relations and undermining democratic accountability. It recommends strengthening electoral laws to criminalize food-based inducements, investing in agriculture to reduce food scarcity, and implementing broadbased poverty alleviation programmes. Ultimately, addressing hunger is not only a development imperative but also a prerequisite for safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
Democracy has been instrumental in facilitating political and socio-economic growth in many nations throughout history, outperforming other political structures. However, Nigeria's democratic journey has been marred by challenges such as political corruption, racial politics, and the politics of godfatherism. Since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999, godfatherism has intensified, hindering democratic consolidation, undermining effective governance, and limiting democratic representation. This paper examines the nature, causes, and effects of godfatherism on Nigeria's nascent democracy, anchoring its investigation on the elite theory. We argue that godfatherism poses a significant threat to peaceful coexistence, law and order, and national development. Through a review of secondary evidence, including journal articles, textbooks, and internet sources, this theoretical paper highlights the implications of godfatherism on Nigeria's democratic development and national growth. The study concludes with recommendations for addressing this menace and promoting good governance, democratic consolidation, and sustainable national development.
