ABSTRACT
The rise of cryptocurrency, especially bitcoin, has opened up a lot of doors in the world of Financial Technology (FinTech) by attracting investors, media, and financial industry regulators. Bitcoin operates on blockchain technology, and its value is not a determinant of the value of a tangible asset, an organisation, or a country's economy. Instead, it relies on an encryption technique that allows tracking of all transactions. Globally, over $2 trillion has been generated through cryptocurrency trading. Due to these financial prospects, the youths in Nigeria have cashed in on this virtual currency to create employment and wealth. This research investigates the adoption and sustainability of bitcoin and blockchain in Nigeria. A survey method with a non-probability purposive sampling technique and a homogeneous approach was employed to collect 320 responses via an online survey. Descriptive and correlational analysis in IBM SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the collected data. According to the findings, bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency, with 97.5% acceptance, and is expected to be the leading virtual currency in the next five years. The research findings will help researchers and authorities comprehend the need for cryptocurrency adoption, leading to its sustainability.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Maize-bambara groundnut complementary foods are deficient in calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A. Food-to-food fortification could be cheaper, safer and more easily adopted by local communities compared to the use of chemically pure compounds and vitamins to enrich such foods. RESULTS: Maize-bambara groundnut complementary foods fortified for iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin A by blending with a multi-mix (1.41:1:2.25, w/w) of processed roselle calyces, cattle bones, and red palm oil in a 1:2.1 (w/w) ratio showed significant increases in calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A contents of 3.26-4.225, 0.083-0.134 and 0.015-0.017 g kg(-1) and 4855.3-7493.7 microgRE kg(-1), respectively. CONCLUSION: The maize-bambara groundnut foods had calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A contents that satisfy the proposed nutrient requirements for infants. Only the maize-bambara groundnut and maize-bambara groundnut malt fermented by backslopping [(MB)(b) and (MB(m))(b)] containing red palm oil emulsified with Brachystegia eurycoma had calcium contents significantly (P < 0.05) higher than Nutrend, a complementary food produced by Nestle (Nigeria) PLC. These products are from raw materials produced in commercial quantities by rural farmers using household level technologies which the rural and urban poor can more easily access in order to reduce micronutrient malnutrition.
