Search results

The study examined policy improvement and cassava attractiveness. The purpose was to determine the optimum rewards using three strategies: selling of farm produce to harvesters, making wholesale of harvested outputs and retailing harvested outputs.

Three hundred and sixty (360) cassava farmers were surveyed in three local government areas in Edo South senatorial district of Nigeria. From their responses, probabilities were assigned to rewards for each strategy from each of the locations. Subsequently, dynamic programming was employed in data analysis. Specifically, Howard policy improvement technique was used to forecast expected rewards to cassava farmers in the three local government areas using the three strategies.

Cassava farmers in Edo South senatorial district of Edo state, Nigeria, can maximize their earnings from cassava by retailing at the local markets in Oredo and Egor local government areas and by making wholesales at Ikpoba Okha local government area. Using this policy, they will realize approximately N2360 per basin and approximately N33040 per plot of 100 × 100 ft. This will translate to N143724 per acre (4.35 plots of 100 ft²).

Availability of storage facilities as well as technical constraints to cassava production.

Provision of jobs to the unemployed, thereby reducing the level of unemployment in the country.

Suggestion of the sales strategy that will yield optimum returns to cassava farmers, using policy iteration technique, and the projected estimates of the likely turnover when the strategy is adopted. This is a point of departure from previous studies. Thus, the study used operations research methodology to model solutions, through involvement in agriculture, to Nigeria's economic/financial problems, thus making it unique. In broad terms the study demonstrates that investment in agriculture will help to reduce unemployment and enhance the country's national income.

Emphasis of previous research on e-banking has been on factors that influence its adoption or constraints to the adoption or the extent to which customer awareness influences its adoption. This study investigated “Exposure to/usage of e-banking channels: Implications for customer awareness and attitude in Nigeria”. The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which consumers’ exposure to and usage of e-banking channels influence their awareness and attitude towards e-banking in Nigeria.

The study used the quantitative research design; specifically, the conclusive research design was used and data collection was done through the survey method. The population of the study consisted of the customers of EcoBank, First bank and Zenith bank in Edo, Kogi and Kwara states of Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit the desired data from 480 respondents selected from 30 branches of 3 banks in two states. One sample t test was used to test for significance of the usage of e-banking channels to customers’ awareness and attitude towards e-banking. Subsequently, regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive power of the e-banking channels.

Customers’ exposure to and usage of ATM, internet banking and mobile banking has significant influence on consumers’ attitude towards e-banking in Nigeria. In view of the findings, a modified model of customer usage and attitude towards e-banking in Nigeria is proposed.

The customer’s inability to exercise absolute right on the banking option to use at all times and the non-inclusion of other channels of e-banking whose usage can influence consumers’ awareness and attitude towards e-banking.

The need for financial institutions, especially banks, to expose their customers to e-banking channels to demystify their fears as well as increase their awareness and thus influence their attitude to e-banking.

Exposure of bank customers to e-banking will reduce cash transactions and thus help to significantly reduce social vices associated with physical cash, especially armed robbery.

The work is a departure from previous studies because it is the only one that has emphazised exposure to e-banking as a solution to awareness creation and positive attitude of customers. Its value lies in its potential to make e-banking user friendly in no distance time.