Development Research and Projects Centre

There have been speculative debates and assumptions on the causes, implications, and proper sanctions for Yahoo-Plus, primarily from academic, non-academic, and media writers. These discussions are valuable as they highlight the dangers of Yahoo-Plus and propose solutions. However, none have conducted a detailed study from the offenders' perspectives. Deviating from conventional approaches, this study examines the narrative accounts, feelings, and perceptions of Yahoo-Plus offenders in Enugu and Abakaliki Correctional Centers, Nigeria. Yahoo-Plus, defined as a hybrid cybercrime involving ritual violence (e.g., human sacrifice) to enhance online fraud success, represents a disturbing evolution in criminal behavior. Using in-depth interviews, the study explores the sociocultural and psychological drivers of Yahoo-Plus based on offenders’ interpretative meanings. A cross-sectional research design and snowball sampling technique were employed to select a sample of 42 from a population of 67 convicted and awaiting-trial inmates. Findings confirm that Yahoo-Plus is deeply entrenched in Nigeria and is increasing, driven by the utilitarian culture of modern society that prioritizes material acquisition and wealth. Based on these findings, the study calls for urgent policy measures to address social exclusion and poverty, create meaningful employment opportunities for youth, and reorient societal values through structured educational reforms. This approach aims to address the sociocultural disorientation fueling Yahoo-Plus while advocating for balanced, evidence-based policy interventions.

The impact of prior heat treatment on the welding performance and corrosion resistance of sand-cast Al-Zn-Mg alloys was investigated by treating samples before the welding process. The study utilized a 3 × 2 experimental designs consisting of six groups: three prior heat treatment states (as-cast, normalized, and quenched) and two welding conditions (welded and unwelded). All these samples were subjected to tensile and hardness tests as well as corrosion resistance assessments. Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) ranged from a minimum of 220 MPa for the as-cast welded samples to a maximum of 350 MPa for the quenched unwelded samples. A significant reduction in hardness was observed in the as-cast welded fusion zone (56.1 Hv) compared to the quenched unwelded condition, which maintained a maximum value of 92.8 Hv. The heat-treated Al-Zn-Mg alloy demonstrated superior corrosion resistance in near-neutral media but suffered a significant decline in stability when exposed to acidic environments. The research validates that the properties of sand-cast Al-Zn-Mg alloys can be successfully tailored and improved through targeted prior heat treatment processes.

Sustainable agri-food system transformation in Africa is critical for addressing the persistent challenges of hunger and malnutrition while promoting sustainability. Here, we investigate how green growth initiatives intersect with the agri-food system transformation in the African Continental Free Trade Area context. We combine World Development Indicators, International Financial Statistics, and OECD data, and we use the Prais-Winsten regression model to analyze the relationship between green growth initiatives and Sustainable Development Goal 2- Zero Hunger indicators across 46 African countries. We show that green growth initiatives positively impact agricultural productivity and cereal yield but negatively affect total fisheries production. Low-income countries, including Malawi, Uganda, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone experience mixed effects, while upper-middle-income countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Mauritius face more challenges. Economic growth, renewable energy, and financial development significantly influence agri-food system sustainability, but challenges like carbon dioxide emissions and deforestation hinder progress. Policymakers should prioritize pro-poor green technology investments, enhance finance accessibility, and implement environmental mitigation measures while fostering trade openness and regional cooperation. In Africa, green growth initiatives enhance the value added per worker in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, as well as cereal yield, but they have a negative impact on total fisheries production, according to an analysis that combines agricultural and economic data with a statistical approach.

ABSTRACTThis study empirically examines the relationship existing among Global Value Chain (GVC) participation, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and sustainable development within sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) from 2000 to 2023, leveraging data from 39 countries. Employing a Panel Vector Autoregression (PVAR) approach, the study analyzes the dynamic and bidirectional relationships among these variables, addressing critical issues such as endogeneity, heterogeneity, and cross‐sectional dependence. Empirical results reveal that increased participation in GVC participation positively contributes to sustainable development, although the impact is limited and short‐lived. Similarly, FDI was found to significantly enhance sustainable development, underlining its catalytic role in SSA economies. Conversely, the regulatory framework demonstrates mixed results; stricter regulations, unexpectedly, exhibit a negative direct impact on sustainable development, but positively respond to increased sustainable development performance, highlighting potential delays, or indirect pathways through which regulations affect sustainability. Variance decomposition analysis underscores the importance of GVCs, FDI, and regulatory intensity as drivers influencing sustainable development outcomes, while impulse response functions further explain the temporal effects of shocks across these variables. The study recommends policies fostering technological innovation, targeted green investments, and robust regulatory frameworks to maximize the sustainable development benefits derived from GVC integration and FDI inflows.

Adolescent girls face challenges in meeting their nutritional needs due to biological, cultural, and economic factors, including inadequate intake, and also face a wide range of nutritional disparities across different socio-economic statuses. The current study assesses the nutritional status, determinants, and consumption patterns of micronutrient-rich food among female adolescents in selected schools. Exactly 318 healthy adolescent girls were recruited as the study participants. A validated semi-structured questionnaire (SSQ) was used to collect data on socio-economic and demographic characteristics, and determinants, while a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used for food consumption patterns. Body Mass Index for-age z-score (BAZ) was used to evaluate the nutritional status of the adolescent girls. The result of the study found most private school adolescent girls to belong to small (36%), nuclear (62%), and monogamous (64%) families with higher weekly food expenditure (69%) compared to their public school’s counterparts. The findings also suggest private school girls have more consistent access to heme sources of iron such as meat (36%), poultry (28%), and seafood (28%), than public school girls. Similar trends were also observed in the adolescent girls' consumption of legumes, fruits, and vegetables, which are good sources of iron and folate. Adolescent girls from public schools reported lower awareness, consumption, and access to iron- and folate-rich foods, with higher percentage (65.41%) being underweight compared to girls from private schools. Finally, private school girls consume higher iron and folate-rich diets, indicating socioeconomic factors impacting access and quality, resulting in higher undernourishment rates among public school girls.

Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a generational leader, left an irreplaceable legacy when he passed away on November 4, 2011. Following his death, debates emerged not only about who would fill the leadership void but also about his unfinished business. Theories also emerged, suggesting that this unfinished business included achieving Igbo presidency, regional autonomy, Biafra’s restoration, or the publication of his promised account of the Biafran war. With the resurgence of Biafran separatism and rising insecurity in Southeast Nigeria, discussions about Ojukwu’s unfinished business have intensified, especially within movements like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASOB). This study uses documentary research and hermeneutics to examine whether the restoration of Biafra truly represents Ojukwu’s unfinished business, based on his life before, during, and after Biafra. The research finds that Ojukwu’s life was primarily driven by the pursuit of freedom and justice. It argues that Ojokwu’s unfinished business based on these primary drivers of his life is not an independent Biafran state, but a Nigeria where all citizens are treated equally and every region is allowed to develop according to its potential. The study therefore concludes that the various theories about Ojukwu’s unfinished business are complementary, and working together to create a better Nigeria would honor his legacy.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a significant global health burden, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluated the in vitro anti-sickling and hemoglobin polymerization inhibition potentials of aqueous extracts of Trigonella foenum-grae

The role of financial institutions in promoting sustainable energy practices for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) has become increasingly vital as the global transition to sustainable energy intensifies. This paper examines the strategic approach that financial institutions can take to support SMEs in adopting clean energy solutions, such as energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy. It discusses the financial barriers faced by SMEs, including high upfront costs, limited access to capital, and the lack of tailored financial products. Through an analysis of various financial tools—such as green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, venture capital, and blended finance models—this paper highlights how financial institutions can provide the necessary capital to empower SMEs to transition towards sustainable energy practices. Furthermore, the paper explores the role of risk mitigation strategies, capacity-building initiatives, and financial literacy programs as crucial components in overcoming these financial barriers. Finally, the paper emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts between financial institutions, governments, and other stakeholders to create a favorable regulatory environment that incentivizes clean energy investments. By addressing these challenges and offering strategic solutions, financial institutions can significantly contribute to the widespread adoption of sustainable energy practices, thereby improving SMEs' environmental and economic sustainability. The study concludes with actionable insights for financial institutions, policymakers, and SMEs and recommendations for future research into emerging technologies and new financial models.

ObjectivesThe research objectives were to identify and synthesise prevailing definitions and indices of resilience in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) and propose a harmonised definition of resilience in MNCH research and health programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).DesignScoping review using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and a Delphi survey for consensus building.ParticipantsMothers, new-borns, and children living in low- and middle-income countries were selected as participants.OutcomesResilience as defined by the authors was deduced from the studies.ResultsTwenty-two out of 76,566 cited studies published between 2006 and 2010 were included in the review. Thirteen (59.1%) examined maternal resilience, and nine (40.9%) examined newborn and child health resilience; most of the included studies were quantitative (n = 17; 81%). Seven studies defined ‘resilience’ in the context of maternal health, most of which described the term at the individual level. ‘Maternal resilience’ was measured using validated scales in five studies; another five defined newborn and child resilience. Only one reviewed study used maternal characteristics to identify newborn and child resilience. The synthesised consensus definition of ‘maternal, newborn, and child resilience’ is ‘A woman’s ability to prevent or adapt to significant and challenging circumstances including threats, tragedy, and trauma to herself during pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium and to her neonates or children five years or younger’.ConclusionThe information identified was limited but included a few definitions of resilience in MNCH and an index of child resilience in LMICs. The proposed definition is useful for MNCH programme implementation and interventions in LMICs.Scoping review registration: The protocol for this review was registered in the open science framework at the registered address (https://osf.io/jt6nr).