The utility of Nru clay for industrial application, which was taken from the Nsukka local government area in Enugu State, Nigeria, is assessed in this study for its physical and chemical properties. The clay was investigated chemically which showed SiO 2 51.2%, Al 2 O 3 18.3% as the predominant constituents while other metallic oxides such as Fe 2 O 3 5.3%, MgO 2.2%, Na 2 O 1.8%, CaO 1.4%, K 2 O 1.3% and MnO 0.7% were present in considerable proportion. The physical and mechanical analysis acknowledged a range in the linear shrinkage (4.17 - 6.25%), total shrinkage (7.8 - 10.2%), apparent porosity (36.92 – 26.58%), apparent density (2.59 - 2.37 g/cm3), bulk density (1.63 - 1.74 g/cm3), water absorption (22.64 – 15.33%) and modulus of rupture (6.70 – 9.15 kg/cm2) with an increase in firing temperature from 900°C to 1200°C. Nru clay can withstand heat without melting or deforming at temperature up to 1200 °C and exhibited reasonable plasticity with a modulus of plasticity of 1.42. We can infer from our investigation that Nru clay is a potential raw material for industries in the production of ceramics, high melting clays, fired bricks, and paints. Alternatively, the clays’ properties can be tailored to achieve superior physical and mechanical properties by enhancing them with additives. Therefore, it can be employed to cushion the exorbitant cost of importing clay minerals from other nations.

Both government and non-governmental organisations have been making efforts in the fight against the menace of child labour, child poverty and deprivation. Despite these efforts, 70% of world's child labour still work in agricultural sector. This study examined the nexus and impact of child poverty, deprivation and other socioeconomic variables on child labour among rural farming households in Enugu State of Nigeria. Data for the study were collected using survey research design with the aid of structured questionnaire and interview. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logit regression was applied for data analysis. The result of the study shows that majority (92%) of the farming households were engaged in crop farming, majority (69%) of the children aged between 4 and 17 combined both schooling and agricultural labour. For children who were completely out of school, 5% we found to be idle while 16% engaged in agricultural labour. A significant number of children were engaged in agricultural labour, and 62.3% of them had access to primary school only. About 49.4% of children cannot obtain primary health services. Age, household size and gender of children had positive and significant (p < 0.10) relationship with child labour. We recommended a redesign of poverty alleviation programmes for rural active farmers and public schools make attractive, accessible and affordable in the rural areas.

PurposeProviding loans, particularly to small-scale farmers, is one of the roles of formal financial institutions. Lending to small farmers is risky. An institution's health is closely related to the institution's ability to manage credit and portfolio risk. Expanding smallholder farmers' access to finance while maintaining a sustainable financial system is essential; however, pandemics present additional challenges. Accordingly, as reported in the literature, the pandemic's high loan default rates and decreases in return on assets (ROAs) call for further credit risk management research. There have been limited studies on credit risk management during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), so this article aims to provide useful information on its influences.Design/methodology/approachResearchers used data from formal financial institutions in 2018 (before COVID-19) and in 2021 (during COVID-19) to accomplish the study's broad objective. Descriptive and inferential statistics were the main analytical tools. The credit risk management indicators were categorized into collateral management, loan management, loan recovery management, governance and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Weights were assigned to each category based on the importance to credit risk management. A binary logit model was employed in assessing the factors influencing credit risk management as proxied to loan repayment, while Ordinary Least Square (OLS) was used to examine factors that influence ROAs.FindingsOne of the most noteworthy findings is that credit risk management is affected by different factors and magnitudes before and during the COVID-19 era. Loan recovery and ICT management indicators were most influential during the pandemic. In addition, the study noted that low agricultural productivity during the pandemic contributed to an additional challenge in loan default rates because of various COVID-19-containing measures. Additionally, there was a lack of governance and ICT management capacity to drive credit and portfolio risk management during the epidemic.Originality/valueThe paper presents new empirical findings on credit risk management during the COVID-19 era. The study used a methodology which has not been used previously in credit risk management in Nigerian financial institutions. Therefore, this research could become the cornerstone of further academic research in other developing countries using this methodology.

This study examined the effectiveness of agricultural protection policy and other macroeconomic variables on food supply, agricultural export, and farmers welfare in Nigeria, from 1980-2016 with a special interest in their relationship with the political economy. The specific objectives were to (i) estimate the degrees of agricultural protection, domestic agricultural food supply and economic welfare to farmers in Nigeria, (ii) determine the effectiveness of agricultural protection on food self-supply, agricultural export; and farmer-welfare. Data were obtained from secondary sources. Descriptive statistics and generalized method of moment (GMM) were used. Nigeria’s self-food supply was slightly above 50% while the rest of the consumption depended on importation. The welfare measure to farmers was relatively poor and not good enough to motivate them. There was a positive and significant relationship between export and agricultural protection. A significant and positive relationship also exists between farmer-welfare and protection in the sector.