Background This study examines the growth trends in the COVID-19 pandemic and fatalities arising from its complications among tested patients in West Africa. Countries around the world have employed several measures in order to control the spread of the disease. In spite of the poor state of the healthcare delivery system in West Africa, the spread of the pandemic is relatively low compared to reported cases in other regions of the world. The study addresses this phenomenon by asking the question: is the low incidence of COVID-19 in the West African sub-region a mitigating healthcare delivery system or just a matter of time? Methods The study adopted a cross-sectional time series method. Data for Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Niger Republic, and global data were extracted from the World Health Organization COVID-19 databank. Data were extracted in intervals of 7 days from March 15 through April 19, 2020. Data regarding the incidence growth rate and fatalities arising from COVID-19 complications were generated from the total reported cases and fatalities over specified periods. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were carried out using Stata version 14. Results Results showed that the trends in growth patterns of COVID-19 for Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Republic of Niger, and West Africa generally followed the same fluctuating curves. The COVID-19 pandemic accounted for 92.3%, 97.8%, 90.3%, 65%, 90.4%, 93.6%, and 97% of complications that led to deaths of patients in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Niger Republic, Ivory Coast, and West Africa, respectively. Also, the results established that there was a significant positive association between increased incidence of COVID-19 and percentage increase in fatalities arising from its complications in West Africa (ß = 0.032; t = 12.70; p < 0.001). Conclusion The threat presently posed by COVID-19 seems to be minimal in West Africa despite the poor state of the healthcare delivery system in the region. It is unlikely, however, that the region is well prepared for the pandemic in the event that it escalates out of control with time.

The study finds empirical evidence regarding the role of corruption in the development of human capital in Nigeria for 1996–2019 period. Using ARDL technique to examine the long-run and short-run relationship between corruption and human capital development, and VECM to assess the causal effects, the analysis involves the inclusion of two corruption indicators (corruption index and control of corruption) as well as two human capital development measures (human capital index and life expectancy at birth). Findings obtained are consistent with efficiency-reducing theory (corruption is harmful), as the empirical evidence indicates that corruption has a significant impact on human capital development, suggesting that the incidence of corruption is a crucial element in the development of human capital. Further evidence reveals that there exists bidirectional causality between corruption and human capital development, implying that both the level of corruption and human capital development are interlinked and mutually inducing. Hence, the entrenched phenomenon of corruption in the country seems to have presaged long-term poor human development. It is therefore suggested that aside existing institutions established to curb corruption, such policy measures, which include addressing factors that incentivise corruption such as inappropriate regulatory frameworks, rent-seeking dispositions, among others, need to be initiated and promoted.

Background Delayed first antenatal care contact refers to first antenatal care contact occurring above twelfth weeks of gestation. Studies in Nigeria and in other countries have examined the prevalence and predictors of delayed first antenatal care contact. Nevertheless, existing studies have rarely examined the predictors among primiparous women. In addition, the evidence of higher health risks associated with primigravida emphasizes the need to focus on primiparous women. This study, therefore, examined the predictors of delayed first antenatal care contact among primiparous women in Nigeria. Methods The study was a descriptive cross-sectional design that analyzed data extracted from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The study analyzed a weighted sample of 3,523 primiparous women. The outcome variable was delayed first antenatal care contact. explanatory variables were grouped into predisposing, enabling, and need factors. The predisposing factors were maternal age, education, media exposure, religion, household size, The knowledge of the fertile period, and women’s autonomy. The enabling factors were household wealth, employment status, health insurance, partner’s education, financial inclusion, and barriers to accessing healthcare. The need factors were pregnancy wantedness and spousal violence during pregnancy. Data were analyzed using Stata 14. Two multivariable logistic regression models were fitted. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Nearly two-thirds (65.0%) of primiparous women delayed first antenatal care contact. Maternal age, maternal education, media exposure, religion, household membership, and knowledge of the fertile period were predisposing factors that significantly influenced the likelihood of delayed first antenatal care contact. Also, household wealth, employment status, health insurance, partner’s education, perception of distance to the health facility, and financial inclusion were enabling factors that had significant effects on delayed first antenatal care contact. Pregnancy wantedness was the only need factor that significantly influenced the likelihood of delayed first antenatal care contact. Conclusion The majority of primiparous women in Nigeria delayed first antenatal care contact and the delay was predicted by varied predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Therefore, a public health education program that targets women of reproductive age especially primiparous women is needed to enhance early antenatal care contact in the country.

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The threats posed by bank criminality to nation building are such that an emerging nation such as Nigeria must not overlook. In spite of its negative implications, previous studies addressing the menace have either adopted the descriptive approach or focused majorly on reoccurrence of armed robbery during the festive periods. Also, there is a dearth of studies that employed the mix-methods approach and adopted the tripartite analysis technique to examine the causal effect association between bank criminality and its predictors. This study addresses these limitations by asking this question; what are the contextual influences of the various forms of bank criminality in Osun East Senatorial District? The outcome variable of the study was bank criminality, and the explanatory variables were contextual influences and broadly categorised into security mechanisms and human induced factors. Stata version 14 was employed in quantitative data analysis while the qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. Results showed that security mechanisms ( 2 =17.502; p<0.001;  2 =8.467; p<0.037;  2 =11.09; p<0.004;  2 =7.876; p<0.049;  2 =16.233 p<0.001;  2 =10.954; p<0.01) and human induced factors(ß =-0.226; t=-4.44; p<0.000; ß = 0.173; t=2.52; p<0.015; ß = 0.147; t=3.87; p<0.007; ß =-0.136; t=-2.56; p<0.013; ß =-0.206; t=-3.53; p<0.001) were predictors of bank criminality The study conclude that bank human induced factors, that is, bank employees' efficiency and security mechanism functionality are indispensable to curtailing various forms of bank criminalities. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes in the existing literature by investigating the contextual predictors of bank criminality beyond the conventional approach; it documents the influences of human induced factors and security mechanisms on bank criminality, as such document provides insights to preventing banks and their customers from losing funds and vital information to criminals. 1. INTRODUCTION In Nigeria, the incidence of crime, especially as it relates to cyber and internet banking scam is no doubt on the rise over the past few decades. Retrospectively, bank criminality in Osun East senatorial district is no exception. In fact, across financial institutions in Nigeria, bank criminality remains one of the major challenges faced by financial institutions in service delivery to their customers (Hassan et al., 2012). The incidence of criminality in many of the banks across communities in Nigerian has been a prime concern. As a matter of urgency, the danger posed by bank criminality cannot be overlooked. This is needful, when especially the persistent incessant of internet fraud,