This study employs the cross sectional survey research design and the descriptive and ordinary least square regressions to examine the impact of Electronic-Payment Systems on the financial performance of Microfinance Banks and Institutions in Niger state, Nigeria. The results of the analysis indicate the presence of e-payment systems in the bank, which enjoys impressive acceptability, due to its ease of use and convenience. In addition, ATM facility, Internet payment options, e-payment cards, and mobile banking platforms shows a significant positive impact on the financial performance of COE-Minna microfinance bank. In essence, the improvement and review of e-payment platforms’ security, so as to attract more users, coupled with the reduction of charges associated with the use of the platforms as well as sensitization of potential users were recommended.

This study employs the logistic regression method to examine the effect of financial inclusion on the level of poverty in Niger State of Nigeria based on cross-sectional data randomly collected from 624 respondents across 224 towns and villages in 12 local government areas (LGAs) of the state. The estimation results illustrate that financial inclusion (proxied by bank account ownership, including access to bank, credit, and mobile phone) is significantly and negatively related to the level of poverty. This empirical outcome is further validated by the results of the Probit regression technique which show a significant negative relationship between financial inclusion and poverty in the state. Based on these empirical findings, the study recommends policies which include broadening bank coverage, softening credit requirements, and enhancement of people’s access to mobile phone and internet services in rural areas of Niger state.

The study employed the Probit regression on the National Bureau of Statistics general households survey data to appraise the effect of financial literacy on financial inclusion in Niger State. The estimation result shows that financial literacy positively and statistically influences financial inclusion options (account ownership, bank access, and credit access) in Niger state. Similarly, education status, age, and gender are determinants of financial inclusion. The study concluded that financial literacy is necessary for achieving financial inclusion. To encourage financial inclusion among youth, the government should include financial education in secondary school and tertiary to teach skills and information on how to utilize and manage financial services and products. The central bank should also mandate the financial institutions to establish customer financial advisory units to educate their clients on managing and using financial products and services available to them to create wealth, thus improving living standards.

The study analyses the role of the petroleum pump price on the consumer price index in Nigeria, using the Nonlinear Autoregressive distributive lag method was used to estimate the time-series data, spanning from 1980 to 2020. The study reveals a long-run equilibrium was found between the consumer price index and petroleum pump price measures. The empirical results obtained revealed an asymmetric relationship between the petroleum pump price and the consumer price index in Nigeria. The study recommended that the policymakers should transparently commit resources into rehabilitation and maintenance of domestic refineries to enhance their functionality and as well reduce importation cost to curtail frequent petroleum pump price adjustment that spiral domestic inflation.