The existing banking ATMs in Nigeria do not adequately cater for a variety of people with varying abilities and literacy levels despite the significant importance of ATM technological innovations in Nigeria, especially in the banking sectors. Illiterate and semiliterate Nigerians, representing about 40.33%, do not perceive the ATMs as useful or easy-to-use. The purpose of this case study was to identify strategies used by software developers of banking ATM systems in Nigeria to create easy-to-use banking ATM system interfaces in Nigeria. The technology acceptance model was adopted as the conceptual framework. One organization in Enugu, Nigeria was used for this study's population. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth faceto-face interviews with nine banking ATM system interface developers and the analysis of 11 documents. Findings from the participants were validated through member checking. One major theme that emerged from data analysis was value of pictorial images and voice prompts in interface design, that encompass the use of: (a) pictorial images, and enhanced voice prompts with short transaction cycle, (b) voice feedback in users' own language, (c) text-free user interface and extensive use of hand-drawn, and (d) graphics /imagery and voice as inputs. Strategies illustrated by the findings from this study may serve as a basis for positive economic development and social change in this area and may advance the use of other technology outlets that require easy-to-use system interfaces.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has long been in a relationship with ergonomics, as a user is expected to have a suitable environment to display a good user experience. This study aimed to identify how organizational or employers' ergonomic values and culture influence employees’ choice of organization to work for. A survey questionnaire, containing 30 items with a Likert Scale (Strongly disagree -1 and 5 for strongly agree) was adopted. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed and a sample of 250 full-time employees from various companies was used. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive means and correlation via SPSS.21. Results show that a significant dependent relationship exists between employee values and the organization’s ergonomic values (r=0.947; p<0.01), and between employee’s values and mean congruence between values (r=0.829; p<0.01). No significant relationship was found between organizational values and mean congruence between values (r=0.096; p>0.05). The findings in this study may provide direction on how organizations should adopt a better ergonomic design approach for mutual benefits with present and prospective employees.

Recent advancements in Frontier Technologies and Innovations (FTI), including artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology have shown significant and tremendous potentials for sustainable development globally. Despite this, Africa appears to be unprepared to equitably use or adopt these technological innovations. Evidence has shown that the ongoing global growth in FTI negatively impacts Africa with multifaceted inequalities ranging from poor global class, persistent poverty, disparities in income-earning opportunities, internet usage, pay gap, poor standards of education and health, etc., resulting majorly from poor adoption of technological innovations and favorable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policies, culture, ethics, and values. Significant digital divides were evident between the technologically advanced countries and backward countries such as Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic because technological innovations have become critical tools for addressing the spread of the disease. This study highlights the strategy for coping with FTI for sustainable development in Africa. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was adopted as the study conceptual framework. UTAUT model claims that users' acceptance behavior toward technology is determined by users' decision to use technology and the perceived benefits thereof. The researchers explored a narrative review, analysis, and synthesis of vast works of literature that revealed significant information on strategies for coping with FTI in Africa. The researchers also conjointly extracted peer-reviewed articles among the last five years from electronic databases, engaging some keywords like "Frontier Technologies and Innovations in Africa' 'Coping with Frontier Technologies and Innovations' leveraging resources of Africa via Technology and Innovation", etc. Results show that global progress was associated with sharper inequality between countries, with widening disparities in FTI adoption, literacy level, and access to products, social services such as ICT infrastructure, electrification, education, and health. Results also show that literacy empowerment in Africa especially among women, on technology adoption, policies, culture, ethics, and values may advance sustainable goals, leverage their literacy abilities for FTI adoption, and close widening gaps and inequalities in global FTI.

No abstract

The world now lives in an ageing society. Significant empirical evidence from the literature revealed that the world’s total fertility rate (TFR) estimate has experienced a declining trend from 5.30 in 1963 to 2.3 in 2020. The TFR for 2023 for the United States was 1.84, Canada 1.57, United Kingdom 1.63, Germany 1.58, Japan 1.39, China 1.45, Nigeria 4.57, India 2.07, Ghana 3.61, with Taiwan 1.09 and Niger 6.73 having the least and highest respectively. Non-adherence to God's childbearing principles, a female's age when she has her first child, educational opportunities, access to family planning, and government acts and policies affecting childbearing are all factors that may influence TFR. Despite the danger posed by the declining TFR trend, childbearing challenges and complications primarily due to low and excessive birth weights at delivery have heightened this danger. This study highlights strategies to leverage the provision of a computerized expert system (ES) solution to the problems of complications primarily due to low and excessive birth weights at delivery. A Knowledge-Based System (KBS) framework to simulate the problem-solving behavior of an expert in a narrow domain or discipline to unite the accumulated expertise of individual disciplines such as gynecology, ultrasonography, computer software design, and engineering was adopted. Fetal weight has been found to be a function of fetal head circumference (HC), femur length (FL), abdominal circumference (AC), and biparietal diameter (BPD) and predictable with a polynomial equation. Also, fetal age has been found to be a function of fetal weight and predictable by an equation. The equations for the determination of conception date and delivery dates were derived. The Expert System (ES) primarily estimates fetal parameters (fetal weight, fetal age or gestational age, conception date, and delivery date) in the first trimester using ultrasonographic fetal biometric data. The result of this study may eliminate or reduce the occurrence of potential complications associated with the birth of both small and excessively large fetuses, thereby contributing to reviving the world declining population.

Empirical evidence has shown that academic performance is shaped by the dynamic interplay between three spheres: the family, the school, and the community. Epstein's theory suggests that sibling structure can impact academic performance through various mechanisms. This study examines the influence of sibling structure on academic performance, with a specific focus on younger and elder siblings. Utilizing a sample of 600 students from three tertiary institutions in Enugu, Nigeria, the authors investigated the impact of birth order and age gap within siblings on academic achievement. The authors adopted the Epstein Model (1987) as the theoretical framework for this study. Results from statistical analysis, including t-tests and correlation analysis, show that the mean academic performance of elder siblings was significantly higher than those of younger siblings (t = -6.331; mean1=2.75; mean2=3.26; df= 589; p<0.01). There was a statistically significant dependence relationship between academic performance and sibling structure X2 = 154.973; df =4; n = 600; p<0.01), with a coefficient of variation of approximately 0.4532, suggesting that about 45.32% of the variations or dependence in academic performance can be attributed to sibling structure. Siblings' family socioeconomic status had no statistically significant influence on their academic performances X2= 10.676; df=16; p=.829; p>0.055), These findings contribute to the existing literature by highlighting the importance of considering sibling structure when examining academic outcomes. Understanding the differential impact of birth order and age gap on academic performance can inform educational policies and interventions aimed at enhancing educational opportunities and support for both younger and elder siblings.

Globally, sustainable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) innovations are significant in realizing sustainable research and innovations in tertiary institutions. Despite this laudable global impact of ICT on research and innovations, poor ICT policies and practices, coupled with bad economy that plagued sustainable ICT innovations in Nigeria have hindered sustainable research and innovations in tertiary institutions. This study adopted the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the study conceptual framework. UTAUT model postulates that users’ acceptance behaviour toward a technology is determined by users’ decision to use a technology, and the perceived benefits thereof. The authors explored a narrative review, analysis, and synthesis of vast works of literature that revealed significant information on impact of sustainable ICT on sustainable research and innovations in Nigeria. The authors also extracted peer-reviewed articles within the last five years from electronic databases using some keywords such as “ICT impact on research innovations”, “ICT adoption in tertiary institutions”, “ICT usability Trends ”, and so on. The results from this study revealed that strict adherence to ICT policies, laws, guidelines, and sustainability, coupled with good formulation and communication of same, are the major impact of sustainable ICT that can leverage research and innovations in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Results from this study may increase understanding, minimize corrupt practices and encourage value for ICTs that can positively impact research and innovations in tertiary institutions for economic development in Nigerian.

Introduction: Significant empirical evidence from literature revealed that women constitute half of the world’s human capital. Evidence also shows that women have the potentials to redress gender gaps in all facets of all scientific endeavors if empowered through Information and Communication Technology (ICT), favorable ICT laws, policies, cultures, ethics, and values. Despite these important women virtues, there are numerous pieces of evidence in the literature that support significant gender gaps in internet use (23%), literacy rate (48.6%), pay gap (22%), scientific innovations, etc., resulting majorly from restrictions placed by cultural laws, ethics and values that impose gender sensitive ICT policies, especially in Africa. This study highlights strategies to leverage the economic empowerment of women in Science through ICT adoption, favorable ICT policies, culture, ethics, and values. Methodology: The authors adopted the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the conceptual framework for this study. The authors also explored a narrative review methodology where related research findings from peer-reviewed articles are used to draw holistic findings that revealed significant information on strategies for leveraging economic empowerment of women in science through ICT adoption, favorable ICT policies, culture, ethics, and values. Results: Results show that leveraging their literacy abilities for ICT adoption may increase their sociability capital resources thereby advancing sustainable goals for significant national economic development. Discussion: Gender gaps may result among women in science diverting time for circular works, due to unfavorable customary laws, ethics, and values, to meet family responsibilities or having less control over finances, which negatively impact their affordability of ICT facilities. Conclusion: There cannot be effective science education, especially among women without effective leveraging of ICT innovations, literacy, adoption, and usage required to leverage economic empowerment of women in Science.