GPH-International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research

Manpower Development Strategies and Firm Productivity in the Hospitality Industry Yenagoa Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Tariere Lovelyn Alibe — 2026-09-18

This study examined the effect of manpower development strategies on firm productivity in the hospitality industry in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of training and development, talent retention, and diversity and inclusion on firm productivity. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 327 staff of selected hospitality firms, from which a sample size of 180 respondents was determined using Yamane’s formula. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was established through face and content validity. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of SPSS version 25. The study focused on examining the relationship between manpower development strategies and firm productivity in the hospitality industry. The study concluded that effective manpower development strategies are important for improving firm productivity and process efficiency in the hospitality industry. It recommended that management should invest in continuous training and development programmes that equip employees with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to improve productivity.

BRIDGING THE TRADE FINANCE GAP FOR SMEs IN AFRICA: THE ROLE OF AFREXIMBANK, COMMERCIAL BANKS AND GOVERNMENT

Nwosu, Sheldon Tochukwu — 2026-09-21

This study examined the reported relationship between three major sources of finance such as Afreximbank financing, commercial-bank financing and government-supported finance and the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across African regional economic communities. The study was motivated by persistent evidence that inadequate trade finance constrains working-capital availability, export participation and productive investment, particularly among smaller firms. A country-level panel framework was specified for 45 African countries over 2000-2026, with SME productivity, employment, export share, GDP contribution and value added treated as alternative performance outcomes. The reported analysis comprised descriptive statistics, pairwise correlations, panel unit-root tests, Hausman model selection, fixed-effects panel estimation and robustness checks. The reported estimates showed positive associations between each financing source and all five SME performance measures. Commercial-bank financing recorded the largest coefficient in each baseline specification, followed by Afreximbank financing and government financing. Inflation was reported to be negatively associated with SME performance, whereas GDP and trade openness were generally positively associated with performance. Regional estimates indicated the strongest reported financing-performance associations for SADC, followed by COMESA, EAC, ECOWAS and UMA. The study interpreted these results as evidence in favour of a complementary financing architecture in which commercial banks provide scale and proximity, Afreximbank provides regional trade-finance and risk-sharing capacity, and governments address market failures through guarantees, credit infrastructure and targeted interventions. Because the underlying data are observational and several financing variables are highly correlated, the findings were interpreted as conditional associations rather than definitive causal effects. The study recommended stronger credit-information systems, regional guarantee mechanisms, digital trade-finance infrastructure, improved institutional coordination and greater macroeconomic stability.

CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION IN AFRICA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ECOWAS AND THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA (AfCFTA)

Okoro, Peter Tochukwu — 2026-09-23

The paper examined African regional integration through a comparison of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Guided by Bela Balassa’s stages of economic integration, the study used a qualitative comparative design based on institutional documents, trade data and relevant secondary literature. It examined tariff liberalization, free movement, customs arrangements, non-tariff barriers and emerging continental trade rules. The findings show that ECOWAS has developed a more established institutional framework, reflected in free movement and sub-regional trade, but deeper integration is still constrained by infrastructure deficits, policy differences, weak compliance and delays in monetary integration. AfCFTA, on the other hand, has a broader continental reach and has moved from negotiation towards implementation through initiatives such as the Guided Trade Initiative and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System. However, differences in infrastructure, productive capacity, customs systems and national implementation are significant limitations to the extent to which its opportunities are realized. It was concluded that institutionally, ECOWAS and AfCFTA should be regarded as complementary levels of African integration rather than competing frameworks. Among others, the study recommended greater use of interoperable payment systems to facilitate cross-border transactions and aid regional trade.

Financial Integration and the Growth of Selected Nations in ECOWAS

Munyale Dauda — 2026-09-24

This study investigated the impact of financial integration on the growth of selected nations in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) between 2001 to 2024. The specific objectives of the study are to examine the effect of financial soundness, exchange rate and tariff on economic growth in ECOWAS. The study collected panel data from the World Bank, WTO and UNCTAD and used the fixed effect model to analysed the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Based on the fixed effect model, the findings showed that, export financial soundness was found to have positive and significantly effect on economic growth in ECOWAS. Also, exchange rate has positive and significant effect across ECOWAS member states. Nevertheless, tariff has negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in ECOWAS. In line with the results, the study concludes that, financial integration exerts a meaningful influence on economic growth in ECOWAS. Based on the findings, it was recommended that, there should be diversification of ECOWAS economy in terms of exports. Thus, financial integration should lead to better diversification of risks and makes a positive contribution to financial stability by improving the capacity of economies to absorb shocks.