This paper analyzed the effects of board size and board composition on the performance of Nigerian banks. The financial statements of five banks were used as a sample for the period of nine years and the data collected were analysed using the multivariate regression analysis. The paper found that board size has significant negative impact on the performance of banks in Nigeria. This signifies that an increase in Board size would lead to a decrease in ROE and ROA. On the other hand, board composition has a significant positive effect on the performance of banks in Nigeria. This signifies that an increase in Board composition would lead to a decrease in ROE and ROA. It is recommended that banks should have adequate board size to the scale and complexity of the organisation's operations and be composed in such a way as to ensure diversity of experience without compromising independence, compatibility, integrity and availability of members to attend meetings. The board size should not be too large and must be made up of qualified professionals who are conversant with oversight function. The Board should comprise of a mix of executive and non-executive directors, headed by a Chairman.

This paper focuses on using Regression technique (MLR) towards finding solution to incidence of high compressor bearing temperature on one of the units at Geregu power plant in Ajaokuta, Nigeria. Monitoring of parameters related to the bearing temperature was carried out to find out causes for the high bearing temperature fault and came up with successful diagnosis by interrelating the gasturbine current lube oil test results of parameters like the kinematic viscosities, % concentration of additives and flash point with reference and standard VG46 lube oil data published in literature. Using statistical tools like the Pearson correlation and co-variant metrics for the five-years, the viscosities at 100oC and 40oC were selected as the input of the MLR model based on their Pearson coefficients of (-98.08%) and (-99.68%) respectively relative to the compressor bearing temperature and the covariance strength of the two parameters independently. The MLR model for the bearing temperature prediction gave a root mean square error of 0.121 and coefficient of determination(R2) of 99.71%. The model predicts that by the 2nd quarter of 2025, the bearing temperature would have reached the alarm point(900C) from the current value of 850C and that by the 1st quarter of 2027, the bearing temperature would have reached the trip point (1200C). Conclusion reached is that a well formulated data driven model can reliably forecast bearing temperature and together with sensors aid in gasturbine condition monitoring. Likewise, it is concluded that shearing due to the consistent high temperature operation of the gasturbine lube oil is responsible for the depletion of the Zinc(-23.9%) and Magnesium(-26%) additives leading to the decay in the viscosity and consequent bearing temperature increment. Recommendation made is to either replenish oil with antiwear additives or completely replace the oil to minimize the bearing wear rate and thus the bearing temperature.

Peptic ulcer disease is one of the commonest gastrointestinal diseases in the world and several orthodox drugs have been employed for the treatment of this disease. Although effective, some of these drugs produce adverse effects with a great tendency for the disease to reoccur. Hence, the need for further screening of medicinal plants for potential antiulcer activity and as sources for antiulcer lead compounds. Andira inermis is one of the plants identified to be used traditionally in ulcer-related conditions. This research work was aimed at evaluating the peptic ulcer-protective effects of aqueous-methanol stem bark extract of A. inermis in rats with acetylsalicylic acid and cold stress-induced ulceration. Adult Wistar rats were grouped into 5 of five rats each. Rats in Group A were administered normal saline (30 ml/kg i.p) to serve as the negative control. Rats in groups B, C and D were pretreated with the graded doses of the extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg i.p). Rats in group E were treated with Cimetidine (100 mg/kg i.p) to serve as the positive control group. Thirty minutes post-treatment, ulceration was induced with acetylsalicylic acid (150 mg/kg p.o) and all the rats were subjected to cold restrain stress for a 4h period. The rats were then sacrificed humanely and their stomachs were excised for gross examination and scoring of ulcer indices. The mean ulcer indices, percentage severity of ulceration and percentage ulcer protection were determined using corresponding calculations. The results revealed that acetylsalicylic acid combined with cold stress caused mostly marked congestion, gross erosions and deep ulcers with ecchymotic and petechial hemorrhages on the gastric mucosa of the rats treated with normal saline (30 ml/kg i.p.). The aqueous methanol stem bark extract of A. inermis significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the formation of these lesions. The extract caused increased secretion of mucous on the gastric mucosa of rats and a dose-dependent reduction in ulcer indices. This was significant (p < 0.05) at the dose of 400 mg/kg i.p of the extract. The extract, at graded doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg i.p produced percent ulcer protection of 60.0%, 73.3%, and 80.0% respectively. This was comparable to Cimetidine which showed a percent ulcer protection of 86.7%. This shows that the stem bark extract of Andira inermis possesses gastro-protective effects and has the potential to be developed as an agent for the treatment of peptic ulcers..

Financial leverage decision by firm continues to attract interest from managers, analysts, researchers, scholars as well as policymakers because of its implications for the firm and its stakeholders. This paper investigates how the complexity of business, firms’ dependence on external finance and growth opportunity affects the financial leverage decision among quoted diversified companies in Nigeria. The study took a census of six diversified firms quoted on the Nigerian capital market over the period of 10 years (2008-2017). Descriptive statistics and correlation matrix were employed with panel data analysis using Ordinary Least Square (OLS) robust model to analyse the data. The results from the study revealed that the complexity of business and growth opportunity is positive and significantly influencing the financial leverage of quoted diversified companies in Nigeria, while dependence on the external finance revealed a significantly negative effect on the financial leverage. It is recommended that the management of quoted diversified companies in Nigeria should target an optimal capital structure in line of businesses that their streams of revenue are not positively correlated. This can be achieved by taking advantage of growth opportunities in the industries where they can further diversify their businesses and enhance profit generation.