FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUCATION: KEY TO POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA (Published)
Ensuring that all societies’ young people become financially capable is now widely seen as a necessary key pillar in helping Governments build economic stability in the future. The ability to read, analyze, manage, and communicate about the personal financial conditions that affect material wellbeing is of utmost importance. Being able to manage money, keep track of personal finances, plan ahead, choose financial products and stay informed about financial matters enable the avoidance of financial disaster. This research constitutes an essential component of the theory of the strategy of financial literacy framework which articulates a strategic direction for the delivery of financial education in Nigeria. Financial literacy education is very important because the journey to obtain independence and achieve financial success cannot just be prioritized by having good educational experiences, a sound résumé and a career with a nice salary. Rather, the financial freedom road requires development of good financial habits, practice and discipline. This work adopts a secondary data approach which critically examines Nigeria’s financial literacy education framework, the significance of financial literacy education, steps for best practices in financial education and awareness, and the challenges to building sustainable financial literacy education systems. It finds that promoting financial literacy among Nigerians provides them with the essential knowledge and financial responsibility to make decisions that will better their lives and ultimately grow the economy. This is because as financial markets become increasingly sophisticated and as households assume more of the responsibility and risk for financial decisions, financial education is increasingly necessary for individuals, not only to ensure their own financial well-being but also to ensure the smooth functioning of financial markets and the economy. The paper therefore strongly recommends, amongst others, the involvement of all tiers of government as well as key institutions and the private sector in the design and implementation of financial literacy programmes across all segments and sectors of the economy.
Keywords: Economic Development, Education, Financial freedom, Financial literacy, Nigeria
Reliance on Published Financial Statements and Investment Decision Making in the Nigeria Banking Sector (Published)
Financial Reporting Standards and Practices have in the recent past come under great criticisms, demanding that accountants take further steps in ensuring that the true and fair view of the actual worth of business are also incorporated in the financial statements published by them. This was triggered off by an unpresedented line up of corporate failures like that of Enron Corporation, World.com and others coupled with the emergence of the global economic crisis. In Nigeria also, corporate failures and distresses have been witnessed in the banking sector. Evidence was the huge collapse of the Cooperative and Commerce Bank (CCB), Orient Bank of Nigeria, African Continental Bank (ACB) all due to massive accounting related frauds. This problem resulted in the establishment of Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) to prevent corporate failures particularly in the Nigeria banking sector by acquiring and financially distress companies. This paper is a critical investigation on the degree of reliance of the published financial statements by corporate investors. The study employed survey research design by which data were generated by means of questionnaire administered on one hundred and fifty corporate investors and senior management officials of the selected banks. The descriptive statistics and percentage analysis were used for the data analysis and the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistic. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software version 17.0 was employed in the analysis of data and test of hypotheses. The results reveal that one of the primary responsibility of management to the investors is to give a standardized financial statement evaluated and authenticated by a qualified auditor or financial experts (tcal (16.59) > tcritical (2.353). p < 0.05). It also showed investors do understand the financial statement well before investment decision (tcal (17.306) > tcritical (2.353). p < 0.05). The results of the analysis also indicated that investors depend heavily on the credibility of auditors/financial expert approval of financial statement in making investment decisions (tcal (4.592) > tcritical (2.353). p < 0.05) and as such published financial statement is very important in the investors’ decision making (tcal 74.500 > tcritical 6.314; p < 0.05). It hereby recommended that adequate care and due diligence should be maintained in preparing financial statements to avoid faulty investment decisions which could lead to loss of funds and possible litigations
Keywords: Banking Sector, Decision Making, Financial Statements, Investments, Nigeria