BUSINESS AND FINANCE JOURNAL

This study examines the correlation between team building and employee productivity across industrial enterprises in Rivers State, Nigeria, emphasising the moderating influence of organisational culture. Low production efficiency and poor work quality are signs of low staff productivity, which makes it harder for companies to compete when they face problems with infrastructure and supply chains. The objective is to analyse the influence of team building dimensions (cohesion and communication) on productivity indicators, with organisational culture serving as a moderating factor. A cross-sectional design was utilised, employing questionnaires distributed to 42 managers from 10 organisations, with 33 valid replies analysed using the Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient in SPSS. The results show that there are significant positive correlations between cohesion and output efficiency (r = .641, p < .000), cohesion and work quality (r = .776, p = .001), communication and output efficiency (r = .423, p < .000), communication and work quality (r = .644, p < .000), and a moderated relationship by organisational culture (r = .586, p = .001). Team building greatly increases productivity, and this effect is much stronger in cultures that favour it. To enhance productivity, it is recommended to do frequent team-building workshops, set up mentoring programs, use digital communication tools, create feedback loops, and make cultural policies that incorporate everyone. Further study should look into effects that are exclusive to certain sectors and that last over time.

This study examined the relationship between financial inclusion and economic performance in Nigeria using annual time series data from 2000 to 2025. Secondary data were sourced from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Central Bank of Nigeria, and Global Findex. Financial inclusion was measured using two indicators: commercial bank branches per 100,000 adults and financial market development and access, while economic growth was proxied by the GDP growth rate. The analysis was conducted using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method.The results indicate that banking infrastructure has significant positive impacts on economic growth, highlighting the benefits of expanding bank branches in Nigeria. However, financial market participation has no significant impact on economic growth. These results suggested that while expanding banking access yields immediate growth benefits, long-term reforms are pertinent to deepen financial markets. Policy implications include the need to increase the number of banks, enhance financial literacy, integrate digital finance solutions, and implement capital market reforms. The study concludes that a balanced strategy combining improvements in banking access with capital market development is essential for achieving sustainable growth and inclusive development in Nigeria.

This study examines the Privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and its implications for SMEs performance: evidence on profitability, employment generation and expansion in Nasarawa state. The study adopted mixed research method and used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Questionnaire forms and interview guides were used as data collection instruments employed for the study. The questionnaire forms were administered to 315 SMEs registered with the Nasarawa State Government in the 13 local government areas of the state. However, only 300 were analysed. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were employed to assess the relationship between changes in electricity supply following privatization and indicators of firm performance, including profitability, employment generation, and business expansion. The findings indicated that PHCN electricity supply remains low and has negative impact on the productivity, profitability, expansion and job creation capacity of SMEs in Nasarawa State. With this, SMEs in Nasarawa State have resorted in the use of alternative power source such as generators and solar panels. The study therefore concluded that electricity supply has not improved significantly, and this has negatively impacted the performance of SMEs in Nasarawa State. The study therefore recommended that government should introduce a workable subsidy policy or grants that will mitigate the effect of power outages.

The need for accountability cannot be over emphasized. Despite advancements in fraud detection technologies and forensic accounting practices globally, organizations in Lagos continue to face significant gaps in recovering losses, delays in detection and limitations in accuracy due to infrastructural, technical and regulatory constraints. The study examined the effect of forensic accounting techniques (investigative tools, litigation support, digital analysis and data mining) on fraud detection (losses recovered, detection time, and accuracy rate)in Lagos State public sector.. The study employed a survey research design with a population of 2400 staff across Lagos public finance and audit departments. A sample size of 343 respondents was selected using Taro Yamane formula and stratified sampling technique. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and the instruments reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients and KMO tests ensuring robustness in measurement. Data was analysed using descriptive and multiple regression analysis to test the hypothesized relationships. The results and findings showed that forensic accounting techniques had a positive and significant effect on losses recovered from fraud detection (LR) for hypothesis one (Adj R2 = 0.714, F(4, 290) = 177.841, p < 0.05). Forensic accounting techniques had a positive and significant effect on detection time (DT) for hypothesis two (Adj R2 = 0.831, F(4, 290) = 350.823, p < 0.05). From the findings and results, the study concluded that forensic accounting techniques has a significant effect on fraud detection in Lagos state. It was also seen that artificial intelligence further strengthened these effect acting as a significant moderator that enhances the efficacy of forensic tools. The study however recommended that Lagos state should establish a central asset recovery and forensic support unit to coordinate recovery efforts across agencies. Furthermore, they should mandate forensic accounting input at the onset of all major financial investigations.

This study examined the impact of direct tax assessment on economic growth in Rivers State. Ex-post facto research design was adopted because of the nature of the independent variable which has already occurred, and the researchers are examining its impact on the dependent variable – economic growth. The data used for this study was generated from historical economic operations, The study employed Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) because it is a statistical model used to analyse relationships between two variables. With the help of the E-view version, the data was analysed and the following findings emerged: the study's findings showed that PAYE and RGDP in Rivers State do not have a statistically significant association. This suggests that, based on our data, PAYE is not having a major impact on the region's infrastructure's economic production. Therefore, we recommend that improving tax laws is essential to promoting economic expansion. Additionally, increasing the effectiveness of PAYE collection would increase tax revenues, which could then be used to fund vital initiatives like infrastructure and healthcare. The study's examination of how taxes affect the development of healthcare and road infrastructure is one of its main contributions. The study demonstrates that although there is a connection between taxes and the advancement of healthcare, the impact on the development of road infrastructure is very noteworthy and requires additional governmental consideration. The study emphasizes the multifaceted function of taxes in promoting social and economic development by connecting tax revenues to these vital public services.