UNILAG Journal of Business

COMMUNITY SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ABUJA, NIGERIA

S. E. ABANG — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The number of Nigerian citizens falling into the poverty bracket is increasing daily as reported by the World Bank in 2023. Government effort in addressing the increasing poverty level in the country has not yielded the desire results, hence the adoption of community social entrepreneurship as a complementary approach to government efforts in reducing poverty in Nigeria. This study investigates empirically community social entrepreneurship as a complimentary approach to government effort in poverty reduction, using Gwagwalada area council in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria as a case in point. The quantitative research approach was adopted, using the cross-sectional survey research design to systematically select 144 respondents from the three communities that have benefited directly from the social enterprises installed by the nongovernmental organization in the study area, out of which 89 questionnaire were correctly filled and returned to the researcher for analysis. The study used both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the collected data from the units of analysis. Descriptive statistic was used to analyze the demographic characteristics of the respondent while SPSS version 27 was employed to validate the postulated hypotheses for the study. The study findings reveal that the installation of micro grain processing machine in PaikoKore community was very impactful in reducing the level of poverty in the community (β=0.369).The installation of community solar power in Dagiri improved the living standard of the people (β=0.323) while the advocacy for the use of animal dropping as manure in Dobi community increased farm output (β=0.219). This finding shows that, the regressors variable was statistically significant and have a positive effect on poverty reduction in the study area. On the strength of the findings, the study recommends the establishment and sustainability of community social enterprises as an alternative strategy for poverty reduction in the study area and Nigeria as a whole.

VALUE CREATION AND CUSTOMER RETENTION OF QUOTED PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

T. D. IBIKUNLE , I. E. OGUNTUASE — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Pharmaceutical companies have a vital role in assuring that people have opportunity to high- quality and affordable medications from preventive care to emergency interventions. Despite the contribution of the companies to citizens in developed and developing countries, the performance of the companies has been on decline in customer retention. Studies revealed that many companies have not adequately incorporated value creation activities in their operations. The study identified the effect of value creation on customer retention of quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design. The population was 308 made up of executive manager, directors and marketing department official in these quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. Data was collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire with a Cronbach alpha value greater than 0.7. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that value creation had significant effect on customer retention of quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria (Adj. R² = 0.229, F (4, 297) = 23.306, p < 0.05). The study concluded that value creation had significant effect on customer retention of quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. The paper recommended that management of quoted pharmaceutical companies should adopt proactive marketing strategies and reward programs in other to enhance performance.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTERGRATION AND PERFORMANCE OF MONEY DEPOSIT BANKS IN LAGOS METROPOLIS: A STUDY OF UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA

A.B. OFUANI , C. I OMOERA, C AKAGHA — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined Artificial Intelligence integration and performance of money deposit banks in Nigeria: A study of United Bank for Africa, using several variables and surrogates of artificial intelligence and how they affect the performance of banks. Four objectives, research questions and hypotheses were formulated for the purpose of the study. Primary data through the use of a questionnaire was collected on non-financial variables by a stratified sampling technique. 130 out of 150 copies of the questionnaire administered were duly filled, returned and analysed. The research instrument used was tested for validity and reliability. The hypotheses were analysed using Regression and Pearson Correlation. The findings showed mobile banking and robotic process automation have a positive significant effect on Bank performance while the adoption of Integrated Chatbot and the deployment of Digital Customer Support System were negatively correlated and unlikely to have a significant effect on the bank's performance. It is recommended that organizations integrate the use of artificial intelligence into banking processes to assist individuals in overcoming obstacles, rigours, and stress in the workplace, thereby increasing employee satisfaction and productivity.

INDIVIDUAL FACTORS AND SHOPPERS’ ACCEPTANCE OF ANTHROPOMORPHIC AUTONOMOUS SERVICE ROBOTS IN SHOPPING MALLS, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

S. O. AKINBODUN , B. N DIXON-OGBECHI, P. K. A. LADIPO — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined individual factors and shoppers’ acceptance of anthropomorphic autonomous service robots in shopping malls in Lagos State. This study is essential because the acceptance of anthropomorphic autonomous service robots in shopping malls is still at its nascent stage, and remains a contemporary issue among marketers, consumer researchers and practitioners most especially in Nigeria. Three specific questions were raised and aptly answered by subjecting them to hypothesis testing. Survey research design was employed. A sample size of 420 was determined from the targeted population. Data was collected via questionnaire in online setting, out of which 391 copies of questionnaire were found useful. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted for the data analysis. Findings show that individual factors – trust, enjoyment, and social influence have positive significant influence on acceptance of anthropomorphic autonomous service robots in shopping malls, Lagos State, Nigeria.

INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN NIGERIA'S DEREGULATED DOWNSTREAM SECTOR OF OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

S. E. IFERE, S. O. ANYAOGU — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Deregulation of Nigeria’s Downstream sector has given birth to a new era of opportunities and challenges for the oil and gas industry in the country. This paper explores the relationship between innovation and competitive advantage in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream oil and gas sector. The study adopted survey research design and used questionnaire to generate data from 81 senior management employees of twenty downstream companies operating in Lagos. Descriptive statistics of means and standard deviations were used to identify the relationship between the independent and dependent variables on the basis of key players’ opinion. The study shows a positive relationship between process innovation, marketing innovation and business model innovation and competitive advantage, with marketing innovation indicating the strongest effect. This outcome suggest that the adoption of process innovation, marketing innovation, and business model innovation can significantly boost the performance of firms operating in Nigeria's downstream oil and gas subsector under deregulation and generate competitive advantage. The study therefore recommends that firms operating in the sector, under the deregulation regime, should foster a culture of innovation and prioritise marketing innovation, in addition to process innovation and business model innovation, to enable them generates competitive advantage.

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF VULNERABLE WOMEN AND GIRLS IN NIGERIA: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS VIABLE TRANSFORMATION TOOL

O. OGUNSAKIN, O. E. AKOMOLAFE — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Entrepreneurship is a better tool for transforming the lives of vulnerable women and girls in Nigeria. The engagement of rights policy that revolves around economic development and livelihood opportunities for women and girls living in rural or conflict-affected communities across Nigeria will go a long way in propelling positive change. This study examines transforming the lives of vulnerable women and girls in Nigeria via entrepreneurship as a viable transformation tool. The qualitative content analysis adopted in the analysis of various data from secondary sources, which are important in the empirical understanding of the study. Women and girls are most vulnerable to the gender divide as the wave of inflation and economic meltdown continue to push many people into poverty. The study's findings critically indicated that vulnerable women and girls would have a better future with entrepreneurship programs from the Nigerian government and stakeholders. Women and girls also support the idea of training connected to vocational and trading assistance that will transform their lives for good even after conflict or economic disruption. The study concludes that the government and stakeholders should engage more in using entrepreneurship to transform vulnerable women and girls, which will inclusively be part of Nigeria's United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FACTORS THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR CONSUMERS OF POCKET-FRIENDLY SIZED BEVERAGES REPURCHASE BEHAVIOUR

A. G. ADEKOYA, O. G AYENI, O. BAMIGBAIYE-ELATUYI — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ascertaining the factors that enhanced consumers’ repurchase decision of pocket-friendly sized beverages packaging has become a subject of interest among scholars and practitioners for understanding or predicting consumers shopping behaviour. This study explores the application of Analytic Hierarchy Process to investigate factors that are critical for pocket-friendly sized beverages packaging consumers repurchase and switching behaviour. A sample of 384 of pocket-friendly sized beverage packaging consumers among undergraduate students were drawn from selected Universities in Southwest, Nigeria using a multistage sampling process. The data obtained was analysed using descriptive statistics and the Super Decision Lens 3.2.0 software. The AHP model revealed that the most critical factor in the evaluation of the Nigerian pocket-friendly sized beverages is size, dispensing mode, price, perceived quality while the least factor is the students’ disposable income. This shows that among the five criteria identified in determining consumers of pocket-friendly sized beverages packaging repurchase behaviour, size was rated highest, indicating that consumers are more conscious of the ideal volume within which pocket-sized beverages are being offered. The implication of this is that there is a need for pocket-friendly sized beverages manufacturers to re-evaluate policies in line with the identified factors in this study for sustainable competitive advantage.

IMPACT OF FIRM CHARACTERISTICS ON FIRM VALUE OF LISTED DEPOSIT MONEY BANKS IN NIGERIA

A. H. RAIMI, A. ISAH, I. DAHIRU — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Firm value of money deposit banks in Nigeria has been an issues of concern among the depositors. There could be some factors that hinders such value. As such, this study aim is to investigate the firm characteristics on firm value of 13 Deposit Money Banks that are listed on the 31^st December, 2023 under the umbrella of regulatory Nigeria Exchange of Stock. The period covered in the course of this study is 10 years which consist of 2014-2023. In measuring, firm value was connected to value of market equity plus debts of total divided by the summation all assets. Firm characteristics measured are as follows; firm size, (natural log of total assets), firm leverage, (total debt/total assets), firm age, (the number of years when firms are listed in Nigeria stock exchange and start operation). The research design of Ex-post facto was employed in this study. During data analysis the following were obtained because of the nature of the study; descriptive statistics, regression analysis, random effect, fixed effect and hausman test analysis. After testing the hypotheses, firm age was found to have a strong relationship with firm value. Meanwhile, other variables which include leverage and firm size are negatively related to firm value. Therefore, the study recommends the managers of these industries to effectively utilize the industries resources by investing the shareholder’s money into profitable ventures and to ensure better returns.