Journal of Administration and Management Sciences

BEYOND POLITICS: SOUTH EAST NIGERIA ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND THE PLACE OF FREE TRADE ZONES

Orji Stella Ifeoma Orji — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Since 2017, the South Eastern region of Nigeria, comprising of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo State have advocated for economic integration to enhance its regional prominence. The study explores the transformation potential of Free Trade Zones (FTZ) in accelerating economic growth and integration in the South East, leveraging the Free Trade Zone Act of 2019, which provided tax breaks and streamlined custom procedures. Utilizing a qualitative research methodology and a system theory as the theoretical framework, this paper draws from secondary data sources and employs content analysis. The findings reveal that FTZs attract. significant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which the region can strategically harness. Moreover, the implementation of FTZs is shown to reduce unemployment rates and increase the region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The study emphasizes that these economic benefits are sustainable only if state policies are designed with long - term perspective, transcending political tenures. Recommendations include the adoption of enduring policies to ensure the institutionalization of FTZs, thereby serving as a cornerstone for economic integration in the South East region of Nigeria. Also the quantum of diaspora remittance into the country can be directed towards investment given the right atmosphere.

SMES AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY BUSINESS MODELS’ ADOPTION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CONCEPTUAL REVIEW

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The circular economy (CE) represents one of the most progressive paradigms in contemporary business management, emphasizing the deliberate integration of environmentally responsible practices to achieve both present and future sustainability objectives. Despite its growing relevance, much of the academic and professional discourse has predominantly focused on large corporations, often overlooking the crucial contribution of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) in advancing sustainability transitions. Against this backdrop, the present article provides a comprehensive review of circular economy business models as instruments for sustainable development and explores the specific barriers constraining the adoption of CE practices within the Nigerian SME sector.

SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AND CUSTOMERS’ LOYALTY TO TELECOM SERVICE FIRMS IN CROSS RIVER STATE: A CASE STUDY OF MTN

Laiatu Mathias Laiatu, Awara, N.Fr Awara, Anyadighibe, Joseph Anyadighibe — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The study evaluated attendees' spending behavior and satisfaction during Calabar carnival in Cross River State, Nigeria. It was motivated by the drive to improve service qualities of this globally-rising carnival. While past studies examined cultural, socio-economic, and developmental impacts of festivals globally and regionally, none specifically focused on attendees’ satisfaction and spending behavior during festivals in Calabar. Hence, the study sought to: examine the correlation between socio-cultural factors, demographic characteristics, and attendees spending behavior and activities with regards to the services rendered during the carnival. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative inferential statistics with qualitative descriptions to provide comprehensive insights. These results confirmed that socio-cultural activities, demographics, and challenges are strongly associated with attendees’ satisfaction and spending.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL VS DIGITAL ADVERTISING IMPACTS ON CONSUMERS’ PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR

Willie Ebri Ebri Ebri, Bassey, Agnes Edem Bassey, Enyam, Joseph Kelvin Enyam — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The study undertook a comparative analysis of traditional versus digital advertising on consumers’ purchase behavior in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. While the traditional advertising has relied on mass media such as television, radio, newspapers, billboards and magazines to reach the target audience, the digital advertising goes through online platforms such as social media, search engines, mobile apps, websites, and many more. There have been arguments on which of these two strategies would serve modern businesses more, hence, this research. The specific objectives were to: assess the impact of traditional advertising, influence of digital advertising, and the effectiveness of traditional versus digital advertising in driving consumers’ purchase-behavior. The study adopted a descriptive and comparative survey research design. Face and content validity were used to confirm the instrument’s consistency, while the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient method was used for the reliability, getting a value of 0.81, which indicated an acceptable level of internal consistency. Data analysis was through independent t-tests and ANOVA, using the SPSS software. The results reveal that while traditional advertising remains influential due to its credibility and wide audience reach, the digital advertising provides interactivity, personalization, and measurable outcomes, which significantly shape modern consumer behavior. That is, younger consumers are more responsive to digital media, while older consumers tend to trust traditional platforms. The analysis, however, confirmed that an integrated digital and traditional advertising approach yields optimal consumer response and brand performance.

ATTENDEES' SPENDING BEHAVIOR AND SATISFACTION DURING CALABAR CARNIVAL IN CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Iwuchukwu, Goodluck N Iwuchukwu, Orji Nina Orji, Ojike, Chris Ifeanyi Ojike — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The study evaluated attendees' spending behavior and satisfaction during Calabar carnival in Cross River State, Nigeria. It was motivated by the drive to improve service qualities of this globally-rising carnival. While past studies examined cultural, socio-economic, and developmental impacts of festivals globally and regionally, none specifically focused on attendees’ satisfaction and spending behavior during festivals in Calabar. Hence, the study sought to: examine the correlation between socio-cultural factors, demographic characteristics, and attendees spending behavior and activities with regards to the services rendered during the carnival. A descriptive survey research approach was used in the study. These results revealed that socio-cultural, demographics, economic, and developmental factors are strongly associated with attendees’ satisfaction and spending habits during the carnivals.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND CALABAR PORT PERFORMANCE TOWARDS ENHANCED EFFICIENCY OF SEAPORTS’ ADMINISTRATION: A CONCEPTUAL REVIEW

Agu, Ben Chukwuma Agu, Abosede A. Usoro Abosede, Ndubuisi, Onwasoigwe Onwasoigwe — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Financial status is used to evaluate an organization's performance as a gauge of its value-creation efforts. Businesses generate value by being creative and effective to satisfy stakeholders and gain an advantage over rivals. By leveraging their strengths and taking advantage of all the opportunities at their disposal, organizations can establish a connection with their surroundings. This aids them in managing their vulnerabilities and environmental threats. Using a hermeneutic method, the study provided an empiricism-free analysis and interpretation of extant literature. To increase performance through frequent environmental analysis and make it easier to set quantifiable goals in line with an entity's corporate goals, the Calabar port management could benefit from implementing such strategic management. This will mean coming up with plans, selecting the best ones, allocating funds, and monitoring the strategies to ensure they work.