ECO. 362—-2-6-2021 (Online Discussion Quiz 7—Informal Sector and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Economy)

I want to share a message that has been spreading all over the internet that concerns the times we are living in. Whether you believe in God or not, this is a must read message!

We can see throughout time how we have been slowly conditioned to come to this point where we are on the verge of a cashless society. Would it surprise you to know that the Bible foretold of this event? Don’t believe me? This may be the most imporant message you will read in these times…please do not ignore this!

This messsage reveals what the Mark of the Beast is, and the meaning behind counting a number people have been pondering for centuries, 666. This message also shares why Barack Obama is the Antichrist. This is truly a message from God!

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ given to the apostle John, we read:

“He (the false prophet who deceives many by his miracles) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” (Revelation 13:16-18 NKJV).

Referring to the last generation, this could only be speaking of a cashless money society, which we have yet to see, but are heading towards. Why? Revelation 13:17 tells us that we cannot buy or sell unless we receive the mark of the beast in our right-hand or forehead. We could still buy or sell among one another without receiving the mark if physical money was still currency. It logically deduces itself to this reason.

These verses could not be referring to something spiritual because the word references two different physical locations (our right-hand or forehead) stating the mark will be on one “OR” the other. It once again logically deduces itself to this reason.

Here is where it really starts to come together. It is shocking how accurate the Bible is concerning the RFID microchip. These are notes from a man named Carl Sanders who worked with a team of engineers to help develop this microchip in the late 1960’s.

“Carl Sanders sat in seventeen New World Order meetings with heads-of-state officials such as Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates of the C.I.A. to discuss plans on how to bring about a one-world system. The government commissioned Carl Sanders to design a microchip for identifying and controlling the peoples of the world—a microchip that could be inserted under the skin with a hypodermic needle (a quick, convenient method that would be gradually accepted by society).

Carl Sanders, with a team of engineers behind him, with U.S. grant monies supplied by tax dollars, took on this project and designed a microchip that is powered by a lithium battery, rechargeable through the temperature changes in our skin. Without the knowledge of the Bible (Brother Sanders was not a Christian at the time), these engineers spent one-and-a-half-million dollars doing research on the best and most convenient place to have the microchip inserted.

Guess what? These researchers found that the forehead and the back of the hand (the two places Revelation says the mark will go) are not just the most convenient places, but are also the only viable places for rapid, consistent temperature changes in the skin to recharge the lithium battery. The microchip is approximately seven millimeters in length, .75 millimeters in diameter, about the size of a grain of rice. It is capable of storing pages upon pages of information about you. All your general history, work history, crime record, health history, and financial data can be stored on this chip.

Brother Sanders believes that this microchip, which he regretfully helped design, is the “mark” spoken about in Revelation 13:16-18. The original Greek word for “mark” is “charagma,” which means a “scratch or etching.” It is also interesting to note that the number 666 is actually a word in the original Greek. The word is “chi xi stigma,” with the last part, “stigma,” also meaning “to stick or prick.” Carl believes this refers to a hypodermic needle (see photo).

Mr. Sanders asked a Boston Medical Center doctor what would happen if the lithium contained within the RFID microchip leaked into the body. The doctor responded that if the microchip broke inside a human body, the lithium would cause a severe and painful wound filled with pus. This is what the book of Revelation says:

“And the first (angel) went, and poured out his vial on the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore on the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image” (Revelation 16:2).

THE HIDDEN MEANING BEHIND THE NUMBER 666 REVEALED!

What I first want to mention, before I share what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me concerning the number of the beast, is that God confirms in threes. We can see this throughout scripture:

“For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” (1 John 5:7 NKJV).

“and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4 NKJV).

“…Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8 NKJV).

There are many more examples, but I thought I would just share three of them to make the point.

Examining Revelation 13:16,17,18, the first group of three I would like to point out is that the mark of the beast is described in three separate verses, 16, 17 and 18.

The next three I see is in verse 16, “He causes all…” is followed by three contrasting categories of people,

1 – “both small and great,
2 – rich and poor,
3 – free and slave…”.

Then unto verse 17, it opens with, “and that no one may buy or sell except one who has…”, followed by three explanations of what one must have to buy or sell,

1 – “…the mark
2 – or the name of the beast,
3 – or the number of his name”.

Now unto verse 18, we read “Let him who has understanding calculate…”, which is followed by,

1 – “the number of the beast,
2 – for it is the number of a man:
3 – His number is 666”.

The last three I see is the number “6” being used three times in a row. The reason I’m making this point about God confirming in three is because it is the key to unlocking how to calculate the number 666.

Throughout the centuries there have been people trying to calculate numbers based on titles and names that come up to the number 666 to identify one person, the Antichrist; but from Revelation 13:18, I do not see where God is telling us to count up to 666, but rather to count the number of the beast. This number is identified as 666. So the verse is telling us to count the number 666.

What does it mean to count? It means to add up. So how could we add up 666? Remember my previous point about God confirming in threes is key to unlocking the number 666. So logically, what would be the best way to count the number 666? To count it equally by using the rule of three based off the number.

We cannot count it equally as 600+60+6, this would also bring us back to the start.

We cannot count it as 600+600+600, or 60+60+60 because there are no zeroes in between or at the end of 666.

The only logical option is 6+6+6=18.

What is interesting is that the verse that reveals for us to count the number itself is verse 18 (there a total of 18 verses in Revelation Chapter 13), being the third verse out of the three verses that describe the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:16,17,18. What is 18 divided by 3? 6. So 3×6=18, or 6+6+6=18.

Another interesting point is the only two other combinations (making a total of three possible combinations) for placing a “+” symbol in between 666 are:

66+6=72 and 6+66=72.

Add both 72’s together and you get 144.

Why the number 144 is worth our attention is because the verse following Revelation 13:18 is the first time in the Bible where the 144,000 are being described in detail:

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads…” (Revelation 14:1).

Now if you add up all three numbers from counting 666 by moving the “+” symbol around, it would be 72+72+18=162. What is compelling about the number 162, is, if you divide 144,000 by 162, you get 888. The name of Jesus in Greek gematria adds up to 888. The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. Revelation 14:1 not only mentions the 144,000, but also the Lamb who is Jesus.

Now what is interesting about the number for Jesus, 888, is that if you apply the same formula that was used to count 666, you get 8+8+8=24. Why the number 24? Revelation chapter 4 tells us there are 24 elders seated around the throne of God. This is the same throne where Jesus sits.

Now if you take:

8+8+8=24

8+88=96

88+8=96

you get 24+96+96=216.

Take 144,000 divided by 216 and you get 666.

Remember that this was the same exact formula we used to count the number 666 that ultimately brought forth the number 888.

Here is a quick recap to demonstrate how this formula confirms itself as being the true way to count 666:

1: 6+6+6=18 > 66+6=72 > 6+66=72 > 18+72+72=162

2: 144,000 divided by 162=888

3: 8+8+8=24 > 88+8=96 > 8+88=96 > 24+96+96=216

4: 144,000 divided by 216=666

1: 6+6+6=18 > 66+6=72…

As you can see, it is perpetual. And remember that we consistently used a formula that worked in threes being the number that God uses for confirmation.

So what could this mean? Well we know in this world we are identified by numbers in various forms. From our birth certificate to social security, as well as our drivers license; being identified based on a system of ruler ship. So it is possible that this RFID microchip will contain a new identification that has a total of 18 characters (6+6+6).

“here the wisdom is, the one having the mind let him calculate the number of the wild beast, number for “of human” it is, and the number of it 666″ (Revelation 13:1, Greek Translation).

The Greek word “anthrōpos” being used in verse 18 where it says “of human” is the Greek strongs concordance G444. The first two definitions of the word are “a human being, whether male or female”, and, “generically, to include all human individuals”. Could the number of the beast apply to all mankind?

In the Greek (the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language), and other translations, you will notice the beast is described as an “it”, instead of “him”. The reason I’m making this point is because when a translation says “His number is 666”, this would imply a singular person, the Antichrist. But by saying “the number of it 666”, implies that it is of the beast system as a whole.

We can know the number of the beast cannot be to identify products (like a new barcode) to buy or sell because scripture says we cannot buy or sell without the number of the beast. What am I getting at? There will be instances where you could buy something someone made themselves and it wouldn’t have a store branded identification on it. But for this number to be in our chips, that is where it must be to conclude ultimately that we cannot buy or sell without having the number of the beast. As previously mentioned in Revelation 13:18, the number of the beast (6+6+6=18) is a “human number”, definition “generically, to include all human individuals”.

“Why did the Biden campaign choose 30330? 2020 divided by 666 = 3.0330 Who believes this to be a coincidence? October 2020 Isaiah 53:6 Someone said we are being whipsawed in 2020. Truly a great division is taking place between good and evil—both symbolically and literally (riots, unrest, politics). If you take the current year 2020 and divide it by the number 666 (known for its satanic implications) you will get the number 30330 (repeated). This number 30330 happens to be the number used to vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Freaky? Supernatural? Odd for sure. Whatever this means, it doesn’t seem good to me. First, why would anyone knowingly choose those particular numbers for their campaign? If they weren’t knowingly chosen, then it appears to be a supernatural act by the evil one himself and I would want to change those numbers ASAP. And if the numbers were chosen knowing their significance, are you satanic? Is this campaign satanic? Either way I do not believe this is a coincidence. And one thing is certain, 2020 is truly being divided by Satan. He is the master deceiver and spreader of chaos. Jesus calls him the father of lies.”

So I looked up this number 30330 concerning Joe Biden, and I found this information:

If you send a text to that number (at that time), you would get a response asking to support Joe’s campaign to take down Donald Trump, with one part in caps saying “CHIP IN >>” pointing to a link to go and donate.

“CHIP IN”? Obama has used this phrase in the past on his twitter and people believe it is a subliminal message to receive the mark of the beast, that is to say the implantable RFID microCHIP that will go IN our body.

Go to: http://voice-truth.org to see all the proof!

Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of life? Jesus says that we must be born again to enter the kingdom of God in the Gospel of John chapter 3.

“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:9-11).

BARACK OBAMA IS THE ANTICHRIST:

In the Islamic religion they have man called the Mahdi who is known as their messiah of whom they are waiting to take the stage. There are many testimonies from people online who believe this man will be Barack Obama who is to be the biblical Antichrist based off dreams they have received. I myself have had strange dreams about him like no other person. So much so that I decided to share this information.

He came on stage claiming to be a Christian with no affiliation to the Muslim faith…

“In our lives, Michelle and I have been strengthened by our Christian faith. But there have been times where my faith has been questioned — by people who don’t know me — or they’ve said that I adhere to a different religion, as if that were somehow a bad thing,” – Barack Obama

…but was later revealed by his own family members that he indeed is a devout Muslim.

So what’s in the name? The meaning of someones name can say a lot about a person. God throughout history has given names to people that have a specific meaning tied to their lives. How about the name Barack Obama? Let us take a look at what may be hiding beneath the surface…

“And He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven'” (Luke 10:18).

In the Hebrew language we can uncover the meaning behind the name Barack Obama.

Barack, also transliterated as Baraq, in Hebrew is: lightning

baraq – Biblical definition:

From Strongs H1299; lightning; by analogy a gleam; concretely a flashing sword: – bright, glitter (-ing, sword), lightning. (Strongs Hebrew word H1300 baraq baw-rawk’)

Barak ‘O’bamah, The use of bamah is used to refer to the “heights” of Heaven.

bamah – Biblical definition:

From an unused root (meaning to be high); an elevation: – height, high place, wave. (Strongs Hebrew word H1116 bamah baw-maw’)

The day following the election of Barack Obama (11/04/08), the winning pick 3 lotto numbers in Illinois (Obama’s home state) for 11/5/08 were 666.

Obama was a U.S. senator for Illinois, and his zip code was 60606.

These are just a few of many evidences why Barack Obama is the Antichrist. You can see many more in my article on the website above, as well as read about the dreams I’ve had concerning this man. I’m more than convinced that God has shown me that he is without a doubt the Antichrist, and we will see him rise to power in the not so dinstant future.

Jesus stands alone among the other religions who say to rightly weigh the scales of good and evil, and to make sure you have done more good than bad in this life. Is this how we conduct ourselves justly in a court of law? Bearing the image of God, is this how we project this image into our reality?

Our good works cannot save us. If we step before a judge, being guilty of a crime, the judge will not judge us by the good that we have done, but rather the crimes we have committed. If we as fallen humanity, created in God’s image, pose this type of justice, how much more a perfect, righteous, and Holy God?

God has brought down His moral law’s through the 10 commandments given to Moses at Mt. Sinai. These laws were not given so we may be justified, rather that we may see the need for a savior. They are the mirror of God’s character of what He has put in each and every one of us, with our conscious bearing witness that we know that it is wrong to steal, lie, dishonor our parents, and so forth.

We can try and follow the moral laws of the 10 commandments, but we will never catch up to them to be justified before a Holy God. That same word of the law given to Moses became flesh over 2000 years ago in the body of Jesus Christ. He came to be our justification by fulfilling the law, living a sinless perfect life that only God could fulfill; even bringing the law to it’s truest light by stating, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).

The gap between us and the law can never be reconciled by our own merit, but the arm of Jesus is stretched out by the grace and mercy of God. And if we are to grab on, through faith in Him, He will pull us up being the one to justify us. As in the court of law, if someone steps in and pays our fine, even though we are guilty, the judge can do what is legal and just and let us go free. That is what Jesus did almost 2000 years ago on the cross. It was a legal transaction being fulfilled in the spiritual realm by the shedding of His blood.

Because God is Holy and just, the wrath that we deserve could not go unnoticed. Through the perfect righteousness and justice of God’s character, it must be dealt with, it must be quenched, it must be satisfied.

For God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). This is why in Isaiah chapter 53, where it speaks of the coming Messiah and His soul being a sacrifice for our sins, why it says it pleased God to crush His only begotten Son.

This is because the wrath that we deserve was justified by being poured out upon His Son. If that wrath was poured out on us, we would all die and go to hell. God created a way of escape by pouring it out on His Son whose soul could not be left in Hades, but was raised to life on the third day and seated at the right hand of God in power.

So now when we put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14), God no longer sees the person who deserves His wrath, but rather the glorious image of His perfect Son dwelling in us, justifying us as if we received the wrath we deserve, making a way of escape from the curse of death.

Now what we must do is repent and put our trust and faith in the savior, confessing and forsaking our sins. This is not just a head knowledge of believing in Jesus, but rather receiving His words, taking them to heart, so that we may truly be transformed into the image of God. Where we no longer live to practice sin, but rather turn from our sins and practice righteousness through faith in Him.

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again'” (John 3:5-7).

Come before the Lord with a contrite spirit, humble yourself, ask Him for His forgiveness, to receive the free gift of His salvation, to receive His Holy Spirit, so that you may be transformed into a new creature, into a child of the living God.

There is a reason why the words of Jesus have been translated in to over 2000 languages, and nothing comes remotely close (the Quran just over 100), because there is a God in heaven who desires to have a relationship with you, to know Him through His word, as that is how we personally get to know anybody. There is a reason why it is the year 2021, because Jesus came to earth just over 2000 years ago fulfilling major prophecy causing a divide in our timeline.

Jesus loves you! Seek Him while He may be found! We must repent and turn from practicing sin…for if we are not following Jesus, we are following the devil. There is no neatural ground. We are either living in the lie, or the truth. God bless you!

Name: Assi Kaetti Marian
REG NUMBER: 2017/241454
DEPT: ECONOMICS

Question one:
a) Organizations can build mutuality structures and achieve improved support systems for their members: running schools, childcare centres and health centres, and mobilizing assistance during disasters of hardships.
b) Organizations can improve working conditions, including by fostering occupational health and safety approaches for informal workers.

Question 2:
Challenges:

1) Low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction;
2) Inadequate social security regulation;
3) Difficulty exercising rights, for example combating child and forced labour and discrimination;

Question 3:
1) Tender Arts Nigeria
This non-profit making organization positively impacts children and youths with focus on art therapy , art education, talent development, community development and civic engagement.

2) Friends of The Environment
This NGO promotes environmental sustainability through advocacy, education, awareness creation and initiatives in the area of renewable energy sources, waste management, economic empowerment and gender issues.
3) Plan International
This is an NGO established to promote children’s rights and equality for girls Their activities:
-Ensuring that children continue their education in safety
-Reducing maternal and child mortality amongst marginalised and vulnerable women and girls
-Nutritional support for mothers and young children
-Protecting children from violence
-Empowering young people to stand up for their rights and seek accountability from leaders. Contact Information

4) Nigerian Heart Foundation
This NGO promotes heart health, scientific research in cardiovascular health, healthy lifestyles and advocacy on heart issues.

5) Access to Education for Children
This is an NGO that promotes education for indigent children.

EKPECH AFOMA K
2015/203448
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
1)The informal economy comprises more than half of the global labour force and more than 90 per cent of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) worldwide. Informality is an important characteristic of labour markets in the world with millions of economic units operating and hundreds of millions of workers pursuing their livelihoods in conditions of informality.

The expression “informal economy” encompasses a huge diversity of situations and phenomena. Indeed, the informal economy manifests itself in a variety of forms across and within economies. Formalization processes and measures aiming to facilitate transitions to formality need to be tailored to specific circumstances faced by different countries and categories of economic units or workers.

Work in the informal economy is often characterized by small or undefined work places, unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, low levels of skills and productivity, low or irregular incomes, long working hours and lack of access to information, markets, finance, training and technology. Workers in the informal economy are not recognized, registered, regulated or protected under labour legislation and social protection. The root causes of informality include elements related to the economic context, the legal, regulatory and policy frameworks and to some micro level determinants such as low level of education, discrimination, poverty and, as mentioned above, lack of access to economic resources, to property, to financial and other business services and to markets. The high incidence of the informal economy is a major challenge for the rights of workers and decent working conditions and has a negative impact on enterprises, public revenues, government’s scope of action, soundness of institutions and fair competition.

2)challenges faced by informal sector include:
i) The informal economy tends to employ lower-skilled and less productive workers. As a result, workers in the formal economy earn, on average, about 19 percent more than workers in the informal economy.

ii)The average informal firm in emerging market and developing economies is only one-quarter as productive as the average firm operating in the formal sector. This is only in part explained by informal firm characteristics such as their younger age, less experience, and smaller size. Moreover, firms in the formal sector that face informal competition are, on average, only three-quarters as productive as those that do not. Better business climates can mitigate some of these productivity differentials

iii) Addressing informality requires well-coordinated policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Policy changes that could affect vulnerable groups can be balanced by stronger safety nets, greater labor and product market flexibility, and better access to resources for informal firms. In addition, policies to spur economic development in general can help reduce informality. Specific measures include streamlining of tax codes and enhanced enforcement of revenue collection; easing firm and labor regulations to create a level playing field for both formal and informal participants; as well as greater access to finance and public services to help increase productivity in the informal sector.
3) some non govermental organizations include:
i) BDC Business Development Center :Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) provide free marketing, financing, and business-related assistance to local entrepreneurs. They are found in all states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territories. SBDCs exist as a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and usually a local college or university, with the purpose to help foster small businesses and jobs by providing educational resources to business owners and those looking to start a business.

ii) CAFOD Catholic Agency for Overseas Development :The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) is an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It stands beside people living in poverty – whatever their religion or culture. Through local Catholic Church and secular partners, it helps people directly in their own communities and campaigns for global justice, so that everyone can reach their full potential.

iii) CEPR Center for Economic and Policy Research :The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) is an economic policy think-tank based in Washington, D.C., that was co-founded in 1999 by economists Dean Baker and Mark Weisbrot

iv) CETIM Centre Europe – Tiers Monde :The CETIM works to contribute to an exchange of critical views from both Southern and Northern societies in response to what appears to be the emerging trends for the 21st century. With this aim in mind, the CETIM has a number of tools in hand.

Okoye Kingsley Chigozie
300l
Reg no:2017/249561
The informal economy tends to be stigmatized as “illegal”, “underground”, “black market” or “grey market”. It is often called the “shadow economy” and characterized as illegal or inethical activity.
The generalization is unfair. The vast majority of informal workers are trying to earn an honest living against great odds. Rather than working in the shadows, a great many work in public spaces and make huge contributions to communities and economies. However, a fast growing view is that informal economy offers significant job
creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more
accessible goods and services. With the significant contribution of informal sector to the Nigerian economy, an undeniable truth is that
any notion of economic development in the country is one that hugely depends on the state of affairs of the informal sector. Sustainable and
inclusive economic development and job creation are unlikely to be achieved unless the potential and needs of the informal sector are
adequately considered.

Question 2

The Nigerian Informal sector players face a myriad of challenges including inadequacy of
technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development.
Policy interventions to support the
sector must therefore be two-fold.
Firstly, efforts should be made to create
more formal jobs to draw workers out of
the informal sector. Secondly, policies
should be introduced to address identified challenges in the informal sector towards improving productivity
and incomes of informal sector players.

Question 3

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society.
It is task oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGO perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.
A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.
Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from
donor agencies. Donor agencies in Edo state includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.
Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: Body Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.
In general, the Non-Governmental Organization is a positive approach to rural development

Okoye Felix Onyekachi
2017/241446
Felix.okoye.241447@unn.edu.ng

Question no. 1: In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
Ans:
An informal economy or an informal sector is that part of the economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. It consists of units engaged in the production of goods and services with the primary objective of generating employment and incomes to the persons involved. These units typically operate at a low level of organisation, with little or no division between labour and capital as factors of production and on a small scale.
The informal sector in Nigeria play a significant role in the growth of the economy through:
a) Job Creation: The informal sector through their engagement in economic activities create job for the unabsorbed labour thereby reducing the unemployment rate in the country. In Nigeria, about 60% the labour force are employed in the informal sector and this shows how vital the sector is to the economy.
b) Economic stimulation: The informal sector stimulates the economy through the production of cheap goods and services. In a developing country like Nigeria, a greater percentage of her population is poor. They depend on cheap commodities for survival. Therefore, by providing cheap goods and services, the informal sector stimulates the economy.
Question no. 2: what are the major obstacles the informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
Ans:
Challenges facing the informal sector of Nigeria include but not limited:
1 Infrastructural issues such as poor infrastructure such as transport, storage facilities, water, electricity, lack of working premises, poorly developed physical markets etc
2 Institutional issues, no access to formal training and as a result, lack of skills, lack of formal schooling and sometimes resulting to Illiteracy, limited access to land and property rights, reliance on self-supporting and informal institutional arrangements, excessive government regulations in areas such as business startups, costly business regulations lack of access to official social security schemes, lack of information on prices and viability of products.
3 Economic issues such as limited access to technology, lack of opportunities for bulk purchase, excessive registration and transaction costs, lack of working capital, insufficient funds which thwarts the drive for expansion.
Question no. 3: what are the non-governmental organizations and their role in the society?
Ans:
Non-governmental organizations are not-for-profit groups that function independently of any government. NGOs are sometimes called civil societies and are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes or the environment. NGOs perform some functions which include but not limited to:
1)Human rights protection.
2)Environmental or health care.
3)Development of communities.
4)Encourage social responsibility.
5) Provision of micro finance to small and medium scale enterprises.
6)Promote education.
7)Agricultural development.
8)Supporting human welfare.
9)Support the poor.
10) They also give support to the government for instance, during this period of pandemic, NGOs rendered financial support to government for it to be able to arrest the ugly situation.

Obioma God’swill Nnaemeka
2017/251914
Economics

Informal sector is the part of the economy that us not legally registered with the government authorities as a business entity but provide employment and means of income to those in it but cannot be fully measured in the GDP analysis because of difficulties in measuring them.

Characteristics of informal sector
. Low capital requirements
. Not legally registered
. Not formal qualifications needed but seldomly special training
. Pay below the minimum wage rate
. Owned and managed by family members
. Labour intensive method is employed

It is pertinent to understand that the information sector /Economy accounts for 90% of the employment in developing nations.

Reasons for the growth of the informal sector in developing countries includes;
-Inability of the formal sector to absorb the entire labour force
-demand for low cost goods that they produce
-extreme poverty
-bad government etc

The impact or contribution of the informal sector can be measured using
-indirect
-direct
-entreprise approach.

Major obstacles of the informal sector are classified under
*Economics
-lack of capital
poorly implemented economic policies
-poor management techniques

*Institutional
-poor legislative system
-political instability and failure
-poor land tenure system

*Infrastructural
-Poor road network
-poor power supply
-expensive communication networks

Question 3: Non Governmental organisations
They are organisations that are not under the control of the government or political party that undertake programmes and projects for the betterment of the masses with the primary profit making objectives of capitalism.

They engage in Economic development programmes, social improvements and development programmes, climate change programmes etc.

Roles of Non Governmental organisations
.Social development
.Sustainable community development
.Sustainable development
.Sustainable consumption

Esokawu Jonathan Chukwudi
2017/249500
Economics

QUESTION ONE ANSWER:
There is a widespread assumption that the informal economy has low productivity and, therefore, contributes to low growth in countries (Levy 2007).However, the informal economy does contribute to growth, especially in developing countries with large informal economies. But more work needs to be done to improve the concepts, measures, and methods for measuring the contribution of the informal economy.

It is estimated that the informal sector account for a chunk of Nigeria’s GDP by boosting the net value added through numerous unregistered and untaxed MSMEs.
For instance it is common practice to see hawkers, and road side marchants conducting there daily business. Although this activities combined, generate a lump sum amount of revenue to the economy they go, most times unmentioned in the National Income Accounting.

QUESTION TWO ANSWER:
Enterprises in the informal economy face obstacles that are sometimes similar to those experienced by formal enterprises. However, informal enterprises are much more vulnerable to the problems. These problems include;
1) Institutional Issues: This has to do with legality and registration. Because these enterprises are often not registered they tend to face unnecessary and unwarranted queries and extortions from the weak institutions in Nigeria. These most times frustrate the entrepreneur’s effort to build any meaningful enterprise. Other problems that append this one include; infrastructure issues, no access to formal training, limited access to finance e.t.c.

ANSWER TO QUESTION THREE:

NGOs, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) are non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level.it is generally established to engage in not for-profit activities (that is to say, it was not established for profit-making).

It is Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGO perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, such as; 1)bring citizen concerns to Governments, 2)advocate and monitor policies and 3)encourage political participation through provision of information.

NAME: OKEKE NANCY
REG NO:2017/249557
Email :ogadimmanancy12@gmail.com

In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The informal sector comprises of any form of business activities that are not regulated by the government.The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal sector thereby allowing the unemployed and the unemployable to find work or start their own business thus alleviating poverty and boosting income
The informal sector basically gives people the opportunity to create jobs and make their own income.So it thereby provides significant job opportunities, income generation that will help them.This in turn boost the GDP of a country thereby leading to economic growth
What are the major obstacles the informal sectors are facing in Nigeria’s economy?
A.Insecurity: Workers in the informal sector have low job security because they don’t know what will happen next .This is because of inadequate regulations or lack of proper regulations at the workplace due to the fact that it is not being monitored, controlled or regulated by the government
B.Exploitation:Most of the workers in the informal sectors are being exploited because there is no checks and balances.They always receive a pay lower than the services being rendered and thereby ends up not being satisfied.Also the jobs there are always undervalued jobs especially for women.
C.High turnover rates and low job satisfaction:This is mostly caused by inadequate social security regulation;
D.Difficulty exercising rights:It is very difficult to exercise some certain rights in the informal sector due to lack of regulations and monitoring.for example combating child and forced labour and discrimination.
Others include:Poor infrastructures, limited access to land,limited access to security etc

What are the Non-governmental agencies and their major role in the society?
Organizations which are independent of government involvement are known as non-governmental organizations. NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences.
Their Major roles are:
1.Community and rural development:Non governmental organization has helped to promote or enhance the development of the rural areas and sectors by providing essential social amenities that are needed and lacking in such areas They also develop such areas by organizing skill acquisition programmes for the youths of such communities so as to aid them in making their own income and thereby alleviating poverty in such areas.
Social development:Non governmental organizations play important roles in social development both locally and globally.Through their actions of neutrality and non partisans to politics and politics related activities,they are able to maintain institutional independence..Also development programmes like orientation of the rural sectors, poverty alleviating programmes etc helps to improve societal welfare.
3.Sustainable production and development:Non governmental organizations has aided in the production of goods and services by encouraging producers, manufacturers and infant industries by providing the necessary equipment needed in the production processes.They have also played significant role in promoting sustainable development at the international level.They focused their attention on the social and environmental impacts of the business activity.
4.Sustainable consumption:Non governmental organizations has partnered with several other businesses and industries on other to promote consumption.They achieve this goal by looking into product development, sustainable housing, labelling etc.

Name: Oroke Charity Nnedimma
Reg no : 2017/243816
Department : Economics
Course:Eco 362
Informal economy
An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
Black market sellers offer watches for sale to US soldiers in Baghdad in 2004.
Informal economy: Haircut on a sidewalk in Vietnam.
Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides critical economic opportunities for the poo and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s. Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.
In many cases, unlike the formal economy, activities of the informal economy are not included in a country’s gross national product (GNP) or gross domestic product (GDP).However, Italy has included estimates of informal activity in their GDP calculations since 1987, which swells their GDP by an estimated 18% and in 2014, a number of European countries formally changed their GDP calculations to include prostitution and narcotics sales in their official GDP statistics, in line with international accounting standards, prompting an increase between 3-7%.The informal sector can be described as a grey market in labour.
Other concepts that can be characterized as informal sector can include the black market (shadow economy, underground economy), agorism, and System D. Associated idioms include “under the table”, “off the books”, and “working for cash”.

Characteristics of informal sector
No entry requirement
Doesn’t really require professional qualification
Skills are often acquired outside formal education
Mostly house hold ownership
Those in the informal sector doesn’t pay tax
No minimum wage legislation
Thety don’t need government approval

Non Governmental organization (NGO)
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit group that functions independently of any government. NGOs, sometimes called civil societies, are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes or the environment.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
NGOs, or non-governmental organizations, play a major role in international development, aid and philanthropy.
NGOs are non-profit by definition, but may run budgets of millions or up to billions of dollars each year.
As such, NGOs rely on a variety of funding sources from private donations and membership dues to government contribution.
While “NGO” has various interpretations, the term is generally accepted to include non-profit, private organizations that operate outside of government control. Some NGOs rely primarily on volunteers, while others support a paid staff. The World Bank identifies two broad groups of NGOs:
(1).Operational NGOs, which focus on the design and implementation of development projects.
(2).Advocacy NGOs, which defend or promote a specific cause and seek to influence public policy.1
Some NGOs may fall under both categories simultaneously. Examples of NGOs include those that support human rights, advocate for improved health or encourage political participation.
How NGOs are Funded
As non-profits, NGOs rely on a variety of sources for funding, including:
membership dues
private donations
the sale of goods and services
grants
Despite their independence from governments, some NGOs rely heavily on government funding. Large NGOs may have budgets in the millions or billions of dollars.

ENEH KENECHUKWU FRANKLIN
2017/249496
ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT

1. how the informal sector contribute to economic growth in Nigeria
The informal economy is the way of life in Nigeria. According to a study by Phillips Consulting in 2014, 80 percent of participants approved of the informal economy. The unemployment rate is currently at 19 percent and growing. What this means is that people have to find ways to survive. Short of committing a crime, the alternative is entrepreneurship of any level. Students and young graduates are setting up small businesses. These range from serving as make-up artists to selling call-cards under umbrellas on street corners. Most of them are involved in informal businesses because they’ve failed to secure jobs in the formal sectors (activities from businesses that are included in the economic calculations of gross national product and gross domestic product of a country). These small businesses are seen as stepping stones and placeholders pending when they’re able to secure a place in the formal job market. The effect is that everywhere you turn, there is a business starting or blooming. These businesses require low capital and even fewer skills. In Nigeria, you can acquire goods and services of any kind informally. From cars to food, there isn’t anything that isn’t supplied by informal businesses.

2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
-Corruption
-poor human development
-insecurity
-lack of enabling envirnment
-lack of infrastructure

3.What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
Non-governmental organizations play a vital role in the shaping and implementation of participatory democracy. Their credibility lies in the responsible and constructive role they play in society. Formal and informal organizations, as well as grass-roots movements, can be recognized as partners in the implementation of People’s Agenda 21. The nature of the independent role played by non-governmental organizations within a society calls for real participation; therefore, independence is a potential attribute of non-governmental organizations and is the precondition of real participation. The community of non-governmental organizations, therefore, offers a global network that can be tapped, enabled and supported in conjunction with efforts to achieve these common goals.
NGOs are an integral part of a democratic society. Sociological sciences emphasize their importance in enhancing social integration, implementation of the principle of subsidiarity, building civil society, social dialogue and participatory democracy. The main tasks of NGOs in the health system are providing services and health advocacy. Provision of services includes medical, social and psychological services as well as, integration activities, care and nursing, material and financial support, educational and information services and training. Health advocacy is a combination of individual and social actions designed to gain political commitment, policy support, social acceptance and systems support for a particular health goal or program. An important task carried out by NGOs is participation in the formation of health policy. The increasing role of NGOs in providing social services and the participation in political processes, result in the need to confirm the validity and credibility of their operation. One of the ways could be to introduce the mechanisms to assess quality and efficiency, such as registration as a part of a legal system, self-regulatory activities (card rules, codes of ethics), certification, participation in networks, monitoring and audit.

Name: Ngene Michael C.
Reg no: 2017/246022
Dept: Economics
1. The Informal Sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regulated by the government and other public authorities; this includes enterprises that are not officially registered and do not maintain a complete set of accounts;and workers who hold jobs lacking basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Examples of informal employment workers include: street traders, subsistence farmers, small scale manufacturers, service providers (e.g. hairdressers, private taxi drivers, and carpenters), etc.
The Nigerian Informal Sector (IS) is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, the Nigerian informal sector accounted for ~65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP.

2. The Nigerian Informal sector players face a myriad of challenges including
inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development.
informal sector is also associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.

3. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) AND THEIR MAJOR ROLES.
NGO have no fixed or formal definition, they are generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of government influence (although they may receive government funding) .
NGO is a nonprofit group that functions independently of any government. NGO is an organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes of the environment. NGO activities include; environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can promote social or political change on a broad scale or locally.
The genera the roles of NGO are:
*To help educate those sections of society which were left behind in the society.
*Helps in eliminating gender inequality.
*Try to create awareness about the over utilization of natural resources and Its consequences.
*Enhance greater participation for everyone.
*Provides shelter for the poor and displaced people.
*They are helping and restoring the dignity of those who always have been ignored and never enjoyed those activities.
Moreover, the major roles of NGO can be summarized as;
i.Social Development,
ii.Sustainable community Development,
iii.Sustainable Development and
iv.Sustainable Consumption.

2014/19191
Economics

Question 1
The informal sector is part of a country’s economy that is not recognized as normal income sources. People who work in the informal sector do not declare their income and pay no taxes on them. The term includes illegal activities, such as drug pushing and smuggling. It also includes cleaning car windshields at traffic lights or doing construction work, i.e., legal work. This sector includes situations where people must work without receiving any pay. It also includes sectors in which individuals work and in exchange receive something other than money.The Nigerian Informal Sector is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, the Nigerian informal sector accounted for 65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP. The Nigerian Ministry of Labour and Productivity is of the view that the informal sector of the nation’s economy accounts for no less than 90% of new job openings in Nigeria. In the same vein, the Lagos office of Federal Ministry of Labour declared that the informal sector accounts for 80 per cent of non-agricultural employment, 60 per cent of urban employment and over 90 per cent of new jobs in Nigeria . Arguably, the informal sector constitutes the largest employer of labour and a source of living for many Nigerian. It therefore, contributes significantly to the national economy in terms of employment and income sourcing.

Question 2
Due to the nature of the informal sector, they are faced with a number of challenges that includes but not limited to:
1. They are exposed to long hours of working, harsh working environment and situation and low wage or compensation.
2. There is lack of job satisfaction and job security.
3. Absence of social security and welfare packages.
4. Women particularly receive considerable lower wages than their male counterpart for the same job and are more vulnerable to abuse.
5. It is difficult to fight for or exercise rights e.g fighting against physical and verbal abuse and discrimination of women.

Question 3
NGO stands for non-governmental organization. While there is no universally agreed-upon definition of an NGO, typically it is a voluntary group or institution with a social mission, which operates independently from the government. NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation. The roles performed by NGO include:
1. They help in developing a society, improving communities as well as promote citizen participation.
2. They embark on projects that would help develop the community they are established in.
3. They also help to monitor and criticize the policies and actions of government.
4. They complement the function of government in fighting against Human Rights abuse and discrimination
5. They can also be seen to facilitate political participation at the grassroots level.

NAME: ODOH KOSISOCHI DORIS
REG NO: 2017/249542
E-MAIL: kosisochidoris@gmail.com
DEPT: ECONOMICS

In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?

The Nigerian informal sector encompasses various economic activities that are not regulated by the government. Such as hairdressing, tailoring, farming, fashion designing, craftsmanship and so on. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment in some of the less developing countries. A fast growing view is that informal economy offers significant job creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more accessible goods and services. For a country like Nigeria with a failed government, the informal sector has played a vital role in the economic revamp over the years by various means such as ; provision of job opportunities, provision of basic social amenities like pipe borne water, drainages and so on.
The informal sector acts as a support to the economy, thus allowing the unemployed to be able to get a job to earn a living. the informal sector impacts significantly on the GDP of the country, though it is not directly accounted for because there is no remittances of tax from that sector of the economy to the government.

What are the major obstacle informal sectors is facing in Nigeria’s economy?

Lack of adequate funds and capital: accessing of loans from the financial institution and grants from the government are almost impossible for people in the informal sector of the economy.
Financial Insecurity: the informal sector is prone to external shocks such as financial crisis since they do not have insurance against loss of income or certain uncertainties.
Technological know-how: the informal sector lacks adequate technical skills to promote most of their businesses.
d. Lack of proper regulation: since the informal sector is not regulated by the government and most of its economic activities are not accounted for and most of the workers are exploited since there is no minimum wage legislation in this sector.
What are the non-governmental organizations and their major roles in the society?
These organizations are voluntary citizen’s groups which are formed for the benefit and welfare of the society. They are mostly concerned with humanitarian objectives and are instruments in solving environmental, social, and human right issues. There major roles In the society are:
They advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through the provision of information.
The non-governmental organizations mobilize and empower the poor citizens by training them through skill acquisition and so on.
Most NGOs are human right driven and they strive to protect the interest of the citizens
They act as watch dogs to the government ensuring that they provide the basic amenities for the citizen of the country.

Agbo Jennifer Amarachi
2017/249476
jenniferamarachi.agbo@gmail.com
Economics

1. CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE INFORMAL ECONOMY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA.

Although it is widely known there is always a low rate of productivity in the informal sector because of the absence of large and sophiscated machineries, small working capital and little government assistance, the informal sector invariably, does contribute to Economic growth especially in a developing country like Nigeria where there are large informal economies.

The informal sector in Nigeria provide low cost labor, inputs, goods and services to the general public especially poorer households. It has also contributed to the environmental preservation and Sustainable Development. Also it provides employment, livelihood and income for for millions of workers and business owners.

Thus, in Nigeria, the informal sector’s activities should be encouraged because it is an important vehicle for gainful employment and earning income, given the high level of unemployment and poverty existing in Nigeria.

2. OBSTACLES OF INFORMAL SECTORS IN NIGERIA.

The Nigeria informal sector face a myriad of problems and challenges of which some are; Inadequacy ok f technology, education, markets, land, and physical infrastructure, Limited access to finance, and limited skills’ development. Also, there are the problems of inadequate customers, nonpayment of debts, high taxes and license fees, unavailability of finance, lack of capital equipment and difficulties withe existing regulations.

3. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) AND THEIR MAJOR ROLES.

NGO is a nonprofit group that functions independently of any government. NGO is an organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes of the environment. NGO activities include; environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can promote social or political change on a broad scale or locally.

The major roles of NGO can be summarized as; Social Development, Sustainable community Development, Sustainable Development and Sustainable Consumption.

However, generally, the roles of NGO are:
✓To help educate those sections of society which were left behind in the society.
✓Helps in eliminating gender inequality.
✓Try to create awareness about the over utilization of natural resources and Its consequences.
✓Enhance greater participation for everyone.
✓Provides shelter for the poor and displaced people.
✓They are helping and restoring the dignity of those who always have been ignored and never enjoyed those activities.

In summary, these NGOs are walking on a national and international level and have gained great importance in the development of the society. It helps in maintaining a society which is free from all the biases and social evils. They help in creating awareness and guidance, and also pressuring government when the fail to meet their duties.

Question 1

The informal economy contributes massively to national output by providing jobs for the unemployed population, thereby absorbing excess labor from the formal economy.

Question 2

The informal sector faces various challenges which include the following:

Inadequate Fund:

Some informal sectors lack the capital to inject into their business for proper growth and cannot meet up with the requirements needed to access loans from Banks.

Unregulated Wage Scale:

The earnings of workers in the information economy are not regulated by any government agency, thus some of them earn lower than the amount of time invested in their job.

No Retirement Packages:

Unlike workers in the formal sector, people working in the information economy have no access to any retirement benefits.

Lack of Job Security:

In practice, workers in the informal sector can lose their source of livelihood arbitrarily. There is no assumption of job security, unlike the formal sector.

Question 3

Non-Governmental Organisations are non-profit entities independent of Government Involvements or influence.

They include all forms of associations that provide social and other services to their members and other people.

Major Roles of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Society:

NGOs perform many roles in society, which includes the following:

Promotion of members welfare
They carry on projects for the benefits of communities and humanity
They serve as a mouthpiece of the majority on important national issues, there ye influencing the government on decisions affecting the majority

Name :Odo Chinenye Precious
Reg no: 2017/244758
Unit: Education/Economics
Informal sector
The informal sector, also known as the underground economy, black economy, shadow economy, or gray economy, is part of a country’s economy that is not recognized as normal income sources. People who work in the informal sector do not declare their income and pay no taxes on them. The term includes illegal activities, such as drug pushing and smuggling. It also includes cleaning car windshields at traffic lights or doing construction work, i.e., legal work.

This sector includes situations where people must work without receiving any pay. It also includes sectors in which individuals work and in exchange receive something other than money.

Unlike the formal economy, economists do not include the informal sector’s components in GDP computations. This means that countries are probably richer than official statistics suggest. GDP stands for gross domestic product.
While NGO

Organizations which are independent of government involvement, are known as non-governmental organizations or non-government organizations, with NGO as an acronym. are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences. Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders.However, NGOs can also be lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic Forum. According to NGO.org (the non-governmental organizations associated with the United Nations), “[an NGO is] any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level … Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.”

Name: Sunday Emem Mfon
Reg No: 2017/242429
Department: Economics

1. It is easy to assume that informal trade exists as a result of joblessness alone, but this does not consider its true value. The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty.
But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. Townships and informal settlements are spatially distant from central business areas, where formal trade usually operates. The cooperatives and SMMEs in these areas thus have an important role to fulfil. Yet, despite its size, businesses in this sector are extremely vulnerable to external shocks. While formal companies may have built up reserves, can access debt financing or can afford insurance against loss of income, informal businesses often live hand-to-mouth and thus need to operate daily to survive.The impact on unemployment and business continuity as a result of this crisis on this sector will be immediate and severe. Linked to the role of the sector in job creation is the vital impact of informal-sector employment on poverty alleviation. The work of Cichello and Rogan (see Chapter 9 in the book and their Econ3x3 article) shows that informal-sector income is relatively effective in reducing poverty. This is because income from informal-sector work mostly flows to households that are poor. In terms of poverty impact, the destruction of 100 jobs in the informal sector is the equivalent of losing about 60 to 80 formal-sector jobs. From a poverty-reduction viewpoint this is a major finding for policy-makers: one cannot be cavalier about losing or destroying informal-sector jobs.
At this point we can already say that the overall policy goal must be to retain existing informal-sector employment (i.e. measures should do no harm), to improve the livelihoods, security and income of those already in the informal sector, and address barriers to entry and growth to create room for newcomers and employment expansion. In short, policy must enable and support enterprises and workers in the informal sector. The informal sector simply is, to borrow a phrase, ‘too big to fail’. Recognising the informal sector as an integral part of the economy, rather than ignoring it, is a crucial first step towards such a policy approach.

2. – Inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land
– Physical infrastructure,
– Limited access to finance, and
– Limited skills development.

3. NGOs are Non-governmental organizations set up purposely as a beneficial program for the less privileged and socially affected citizens of a country. It is a non-profit making organization which is organized on a local, national and international level. It is driven by people with a common interest to perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions. NGOs bring citizen concerns to the Government, monitor and advocate policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. NGOs focus on numerous aspects that are indeed important to the citizens of a country. Such aspects include:
human rights, legal support, promoting education, agricultural development, encouraging social responsibility, poverty alleviation, supporting human welfare, development of communities, health or environment, etc.
NGOs are mostly set up to improve the lives of people by providing much-needed services free of charge. There are lots of NGOs in Nigeria with various activities that cannot be overlooked. Living in a country where many of its citizens are subjected to untold hardship, emotional trauma, poverty, etc. The presence of NGOs helps to bring the solution to such problems and ensuring that it is reduced to the minimum. There are many people out there who seek help which the Government cannot necessarily provide due to poor administration and the NGOs exist to ensure such help is provided to such distressed citizens.
The following are the list of NGOs in Nigeria and their activities:
– Angels Discovery Circle Initiative:
This is a non-profit organization in Nigeria that offers humanitarian services, scholarship programs, skill acquisitions, safety awareness and rehabilitating.

-Sought After Women and Children Foundation:
This is a registered non-governmental organization in Nigeria dedicated to ministering to abused women and abandoned children in the society.
Their activities include: Rehabilitation programs, Orphanage homes and Outreaches to other NGOs and Homes.
Services: Shelter for children, Empowering women, Saving a family.

-Association for Reproductive and Family Health
This is one of the leading indigenous non-governmental organization in Nigeria committed to improving the quality of life of undeserved and vulnerable communities by promoting access to quality health care and harnessing community capacity for sustainable development.

-Africa Youth Growth Foundation
This is a non-governmental organization set up with the sole purpose of contributing to positive change in the economic and social status of African youth through effective programs that deliver sustainable outcomes.

Their activities: Migration, Democratic Governance and Development of individuals, communities and societies.

-CLEEN Foundation
This non-governmental organization was established to promote public safety, security and accessible justice through the strategies of empirical research, legislative advocacy, democratic programmes and publication in partnership with government, civil society.

– Tender Arts Nigeria
This non-profit making organization positively impacts children and youths with focus on art therapy , art education, talent development, community development.

-Friends of The Environment
This NGO promotes environmental sustainability through advocacy, education, awareness creation and initiatives in the area of renewable energy sources, waste management, economic empowerment and gender issues.

-Plan International
This is an NGO established to promote children’s rights and equality for girls Their activities:
. Ensuring that children continue their education in safety
. Reducing maternal and child mortality amongst
marginalised and vulnerable women and girls
. Nutritional support for mothers and young children
. Protecting children from violence
. Empowering young people to stand up for their rights and seek accountability from leaders. Contact Information

-Nigerian Heart Foundation
This NGO promotes heart health, scientific research in cardiovascular health, healthy lifestyles and advocacy on heart issues.

– Access to Education for Children
This is an NGO that promotes education for indigent children Contact Information:

– Business and Professional Women
Their Activities:
. Provision of education, training and opportunities to
help women achieve economic independence.

-Women in Management and Business
A Non Governmental organization (NGO) formed to
improve the success rate of female entrepreneurs and
increase the proportion of women in senior positions in
corporate organizations.

– Guidance Community Development Foundation
This NGO provides free computer training, children,
youth, family support, empowerment, farmers forum,
community development, etc.

-Foundation for Skills Development
This NGO was established to empower unemployed
Persons with vocational & technical skills to become
self-employed.

– Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN)

– African Sports Support & Education Trust
This non- governmental organization promotes the education of sports people and support aged, retired sports people.

-The Courage Education Foundation
This non-profit organization is dedicated to the empowerment of the Nigerian children through the provision of quality education. It was set up to provide educational assistance to brilliant children who are shackled by poverty.

-Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative
This NGO was established to fight stigma and create an environment that makes it possible for people to seek care for their mental health without fear of discrimination.

-New Nigeria Foundation
New Nigeria Foundation (NNF) is a non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable community development initiatives through public-private partnerships.

– Centre for Law Enforcement Education
This NGO Promotes respect for human rights & co-operation between civil society & law enforcement agencies.

-United Nations of Youth Network Nigeria (UNOY)

-World Scholarship & Career Helpers
This NGO provides free training for young lads in Computer Studies for poverty eradication.

– Action Health Incorporated (AHI)

-Accord For Community Development

-Africa Citizens Development Foundation

-Alcohol Prevention Youth Initiative
– AIDS Alliance in Nigeria
– Best Foundation Community Child Education
– Better Life Foundation
-Breastfeeding Promotion and Counselling Group (BPCG)
-Care for Youth Future Initiative
-Center for Education on Population, AIDS and Drug Abuse
-Destitute Careers and Rehabilitation Center of Nigeria
-Diaspora Africa Association & Services
-EarthRights Environmental Network Initiative
-Faith Alive Foundation
-Family Health and Population Action Committee
-Gender and Child Care Advancement Initiative
-Global Community Health Foundation
-Healthcare Essentials for the Disadvantaged Foundation
-Health Initiatives for Safety and Stability in Africa
-Campaign Against Spread of AIDS
-Farmers Development Union

NAME: ACHONWA DAVID CHUKWUDI
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
REG NO: 2017/249472
In what ways does the informal sector contribute to the economic growth in Nigeria
The informal sector provides low cost labour inputs goods and services to bothformal and informal enterprises and low cost goods and services to the general public especially poorer household. Informal enterprises and workers are less productive than formal entreprise and workers.
In terms of gross domestic output the informal sector is estimated to contribute about 6% to the GDP, still these are economic activities that provides income for many people.
The informal sector is a major provider of employment, goods and services for lower income groups. It contributes significantly to GDP. A job in the informal sector reduces poverty about as much as job in the formal sector. Earnings from jobs in the informal sector plays a small role in reducing poverty rates, especially because there are fewer informal sector jobs. As employment increased, inflation reduces and hence maintains political stability in the economy despite of the existence of a huge pool of surplus laborers.
What are the major obstacles the informal sector is facing in Nigeria Economy.
Nigeria informal sector faces several problems, which includes
1. Inadequate technology
2. Limited markets, lands and infrastructures.
3. Limited skills development.
4. Low productivity.
5. Reduced tax revenues.
6. Poor governance.
7. Excessive regulations.
8. Poverty and income inequalities.
9. Lack of social protection and legal representation.
10. Finally lack of governmental and institutional support.
Non governmental organizations and roles..
Non governmental organizations are organizations which are independent of governments organizations. They are also subgroups of organizations founded up by citizens which includes clubs and associations that provides services to their members and others. They are non profit groups interested in the public interest.
The roles of non governmental organizations to the society includeson
1. They advocates on behalf of specific policies, such as debt relif or the banning of landmines and they also provides humanitarian relief and development assistance eg the red cross society.
2. They provides information and technical expertise to governments and international organizations.
3. They provides social justice, development and human right.
4. They develope local markets and local products, develop social, capital and human resources, encourage and motivates people to participate in activities.

Name: Ojigwe Shalom Chinaza
Department: Economics
Reg No:2017/249549

How does the informal sector affect the economic growth in Nigeria?

An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides criaiical economic opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.
The informal economy is the diversified set of economic activities, enterprises, jobs, and workers that are not regulated or protected by the state. The concept originally applied to self-employment in small unregistered enterprises. It has been expanded to include wage employment in unprotected jobs. The people in the informal economy include black marketers, hair dressers, subsistence farmers, private cab drivers, students who are industrious job(who bake, sell clothes, cook, and offer different services)
Now, how does this informal sector affect economic growth in Nigeria?
Personally, I believe that the informal economy (also called the informal sector) is not in its entirety bad for the economy
Apart from the fact that due to the nature of the jobs in this sector is no definite wage rate, not registered; it is impossible to tax them directly and are often times disorganized; the informal sector have been of more help to the economy. The informal Sector in it’s actual sense contributes a large percentage in the country’s GDP.
In economic development, it has also aided redistribution of wealth amongst the poor and the middle classes. It has also aided employment because in this sector, small businesses owned by individuals also get to employ people.
The fact that people are also employed also aids the creation of wealth in an economy.

What are the obstacles facing the informal Sector in Nigeria?

While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.

Addressing the challenge of pervasive informality will require comprehensive policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Initiatives to boost long-term development might include measures aimed at reducing regulatory and tax burdens, expanding access to finance, improving education and other public services, and strengthening public revenue frameworks.

Also, the disorganization in the informal Sector could give room to extortion of the masses as well as the individuals in the businesses. Also, the fact that there isn’t any government interference in the informal Sector, is an obstacle in its self. Government interference provides a source of stable regulation in an economic sector. The informal Sector is without government interference, and this does not support the growth of the sector.

What are the non-governmental organizations in Nigeria and the roles they play?

First of all, what’s a non-governmental organization? Organizations which are independent of government involvement are known as non-governmental organizations or non-government organizations, with NGO as acronym are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences. Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders.
The following is a List of NGO’s in Nigeria:

• The Havids Centre for environment and Development
• Children of Farmers Club (CFC)
• Initiative for Community Dev
• Women of Vision Association
• The Nigerian Foundation
• Afro Centre for Dev. Of Peace & Justice
• Africa Initiative for Education and Economic Development
• Global Women Empowerment Association (GLOWEM)
• C.Y.E.
• Initiative for Basic Rights of Nigeria Citizens (IBRONC)
• Centre for Community Empowerment for underprivileged
• Voluntary Work camps Association of Nigeria
• Grace Center
• Female Leadership Forum
• BAOBAB for Women’s Human Right
• Stelben Foundation on VVF/STIs
• Pathfinder International
• Torjir-Agber Foundation
• Women Solace & Enablement Foundation
• Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication
• Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
• Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC)
• Research and Training for Real Empowerment
• Aya International Development Indigenous Knowledge Initiative Nigeria
• Challenged Children Foundation (3CF)
• Rahi Medical Outreach
• Center for Peace building and Socio Economic Resources Development
• Global Network for Peace and Anticorruption Initiative
• Center for Care of Vulnerable and Development Initiatives
• Center for Organizational and professional Ethics (COPEAFRICA)
• Kanem Bornu Human Development Association (KABHUDA)
• Vantaged Teems Center
• Poverty Alleviation for the Poor Initiative
• Health & Social Service Initiative
• Afri-Growth Foundation
• Ken Nnamani Centre for Leadership Dev.
• Africa Safe Water Foundation
• Grassroots Community Development Initiative
• Foundation for Promotion of Good Health

Non governmental organizations are known for doing the following:
1. A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.
2. Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from donor agencies.
3. Donor agencies in Edo state includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.
4. Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: Body Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.
In general, the Non-Governmental Organization is a positive approach to rural development.

Name: ONAH GEORGE CHIEDOZIE.
REG. NO: 2017/241453.
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS.
Informal sector in Nigeria is the existence of large, informal firms. This goes against the widely-held belief that informal firms are small, family-run enterprises. These small firms do exist. But they coexist with a smaller number of very large enterprises. Understanding this heterogeneity of the informal sector is crucial for designing appropriate policies. The existence of successful, large, informal firms is testimony to the entrepreneurial potential of West African economies. This dynamism is throttled, however, by weak business climates and lack of enforcement of regulations, which encourage and allow large informal operators to operate with near impunity. It also impacts the jobs picture in these countries.
The informal sector is largely characterized by several qualities: skills gained outside of a formal education, easy entry (meaning anyone who wishes to join the sector can find some sort of work which will result in cash earnings), a lack of stable employer-employee relationships, and a small scale of operations. Workers who participate in the informal economy are typically classified as employed. The type of work that makes up the informal economy is diverse, particularly in terms of capital invested, technology used, and income generated.
The spectrum ranges from self-employment or unpaid family labor to street vendors, shoe shiners, and junk collectors. On the higher end of the spectrum are upper-tier informal activities such as small-scale service or manufacturing businesses, which have more limited entry. The upper-tier informal activities have higher set-up costs, which might include complicated licensing regulations, and irregular hours of operation. However, most workers in the informal sector, even those are self-employed or wage workers, do not have access to secure work, benefits, welfare protection, or representation. These features differ from businesses and employees in the formal sector which have regular hours of operation, a regular location and other structured benefits.
The informal sector has been expanding as more economies have started to liberalize.This pattern of expansion began in the 1960s when a lot of developing countries didn’t create enough formal jobs in their economic development plans, which led to the formation of an informal sector that didn’t solely include marginal work and actually contained profitable opportunities.In the 1980s, the sector grew alongside formal industrial sectors. In the 1990s, an increase in global communication and competition led to a restructuring of production and distribution, often relying more heavily on the informal sector.

NON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.
Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from donor agencies.
Donor agencies in Edo state includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.
Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: Body Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.

Ugwu Amaechi Jude
2017/242434
Economics Department
Informal sector comprises any economic activities that are not under the control of the government. Informal sector contributes immensely to the Nigerian economy by creating an alternative source of economic activities for majority of Nigerian. This is because the formal sector cannot absorb everyone in this country.
The major obstacles to informal sector includes but not limited to economic issues, infrastructure problems, excessive registration, high cost of running business etc.
Non governmental organisation refers to organisations that are not under the control of the nation state or government. Their roles are mainly charity based which include but not limited to catering for internally displaced persons, medical charities, providing food and clothing to the less privileged.

1) In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
Answer:
An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE INFORMAL SECTOR:
1. It is a major provider of employment for the majority population in Nigeria.
2. The informal sector is responsible for the provision of goods and services for lower-income groups, and thus contributes significantly to GDP.
4. Although it exists separately from the formal economy, it is linked to the formal economy – it produces for, trades with, distributes for, and provides services to the formal economy.
2) What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
Answer:
1. High taxes and license fees:
In Nigeria, most businesses in the informal sector are levied with high tax rates and license fees. This acts as a major obstacle.
2. Unavailability of credit:
The informal sector has little or no access to loans, credit or grants from government or commercial banks. And this is also an obstacle.
3. Difficulties with existing regulations:
Most regulations are cumbersome and difficult and thus, do not easily encourage the informal sector.
4. Lack of capital equipment:
Another obstacle faced by the informal sector is that, they is little or no available capital equipment that can boost their businesses.
3) What are the non governmental organizations and their major roles in the society?
Answer:
Organizations which are independent of government involvement are known as non-governmental organizations or non-government organizations, with NGO as an acronym. NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences. Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders. However, NGOs can also be lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic Forum. According to NGO.org (the non-governmental organizations associated with the United Nations), “[an NGO is] any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level … Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.”
The following are lists of NGOs in Nigeria:
1. Old Peoples Support International.
2. Total Care Unit.
3. Ven Dr. Josiah Alozie Foundation.
4. Action Aid for the Unemployed.
5. Global Peace Development.
6. Society for Telemedicine and E-Health in Nigeria.
7. Lygel Youths & Leadership Initiatives.
8. Rural Urban Development.
Roles of NGOs in Nigeria are:
1. human rights.
2. environment or health.
3. develop communities.
4. encourage social responsibility.
5. Micro finance.
6. promote education.
7. agricultural development.
8. supporting human welfare.

Ozoemena Chukwuebuka sabastine
Reg no:2017250816
Course title:Eco 362 development economics ii
Assignment on informal secTOR and non Governmental organization (ngo).
An informal economy (informal sector or grey economyis the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.Black market sellers offer watches for sale to US soldiers in Baghdad in.Informal economy: Haircut on a sidewalk in Vietnam.Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides critical economic opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s.Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.In many cases, unlike the formal economy, activities of the informal economy are not included in a country’s gross national product (GNP) or gross domestic product (GDP).However, Italy has included estimates of informal activity in their GDP calculations since 1987, which swells their GDP by an estimated 18% and in 2014, a number of European countries formally changed their GDP calculations to include prostitution and narcotics sales in their official GDP statistics, in line with international accounting standards, prompting an increase between 3-7%.The informal sector can be described as a grey market in labour.Other concepts that can be characterized as informal sector can include the black market (shadow economy, underground economy), agorism, and System D. Associated idioms include “under the table”, “off the books”, and “working for cash”.NGO is an acronym for nongovernmental organization, which refers to any organization that is not created, operated, or unduly influenced by government or business. NGOs are created to serve some social good, the welfare of society.NGOs are a key part of civil society, the so-called third sector:
1.Government
2.Business
3.Civil society
Each NGO tends to have a focus or mission of either:Advocacy.Providing services that help to fill gaps in services provided by government and business.This informal paper is designed to define and give a brief overview and introduction to NGOs. It is not intended to be an all-encompassing handbook or guide for creating a new NGO. The Wikipedia article contains a fair amount of additional detail.Some other key facets of NGOs:NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, unless they are too informally organized to have a formal legal charter.Technically, all organizations outside of government and business are NGOs, but the usual practice is to refer only to non-traditional organizations as NGOs, excluding religious institutions, labor unions, professional associations, philanthropic foundations, political parties, youth organizations, clubs, educational institutions, etc.Advocacy of an NGO is typically for change of some sort, but they can also advocate for maintaining the status quo when important common social assets or public policies are perceived to be under threat.Activists and social advocates are the primary moving and motivating force behind NGOs.NGOs are the heart and soul of any large-scale grassroots activism.NGOs can be international in scope, but may be strictly national, regional, or local as well.NGOs are a global phenomenon, not limited to the U.S.NGOs can range in size from very small local groups to larger national groups and very large international groups.NGOs may be formally organized under nonprofit charters or may be informal organizations or unorganized groups, especially in other countries.Staffing for NGOs can vary from purely voluntary to completely paid professionals, or any combination between those extremes.Funding for NGOs is generally from private donors, but may be from philanthropies or even government grants as well.
Purpose of NGO
NGO has its own mission or purpose, such as:
Advocacy
Governance reform
Anti-corruption
Economic opportunity — when the entire national, regional, local economy, or opportunity for an entire segment of society is lacking or struggling
Any form of injustice or inequitable treatment Services, especially for marginalized social groups Civic engagement — to fill gaps when government and business are not adequately engaging with citizenl advocacy.
Advocacy NGOs most commonly campaign for:Change Justice,fighting any form of injustice or inequitable treatment Opportunity Public policy Governmental reform Anti-corruption
Human rights of oppressed individuals and groups.
Their first task is to raise awareness, but their main objective is to effect change through the grassroots pressure they bring to bear on government officials and business executives, as well as persuading their fellow citizens of their cause.
Although political parties may advocate for the same things, NGOs are commonly formed when established, traditional political parties are perceived as failing to adequately advocate either in the areas of interest or with the intensity of the founders and members of the NGOs.
Areas of advocacy include:
* Social justice
* Economic justice
* Racial justice
* Environmental justice
* Human rights
* Gender rights
* women and girls, especially education, economic opportunity, and participation in government
* Marginalized social groups
* Worker treatment and rights
* Immigrant treatment and rights
* Rule of law
Governance reform
Fair and equitable legal justice system
Public policy
Educating people in life skills, such as healthy living practices, family planning, and participation in governance
Development aid — facilitating infrastructure projects
Sustainable development — ensuring that development respects the needs of society and the environment
Activists
Activists of all stripes are the primary founders and workers of most NGOs.
Grassroots
NGOs epitomize grassroots activism and advocacy, in opposition to or complementing established and recognized authorities, NGOs are founded by individuals and groups who don’t have nominal official power in society in order to pursue social objectives that normally would have required official positions of power.
Change
The most common theme for NGOs is advocating for change, to move society forward to a more progressive, inclusive, and equitable social structure.
Maintaining the status quo
Despite the prominence of advocating for change, there are also numerous reasons for NGOs to advocate for the exact opposite, to maintain the status quo, such as when important common social assets or public policies are under threat, such as:
*Environmental conservation
*Environmental protection
*Historic preservation
*Preserving neighborhoods
*Preserving public open space
*Anti-discrimination laws
*Food regulation and safety
*Safety regulation
*Education requirements and subsidies
*Housing subsidies
*Energy regulation
Health care requirements, subsidies, and regulations
Accessibility for the disabled
Sustainable development
Granted, in many of these areas additional change may also be desired, but fighting efforts to roll back socially-valuable policies is a key role of NGOs.
Services
Government and business provide a wealth of services, but not all needed services are provided by them or affordable to everyone. NGOs help to fill both of those gaps, in areas such as:
*Poverty alleviation
*Health care and related services
*Family planning
*Education
*Housing
*Legal aid
*Disaster aid
*Recreational and athletic opportunities
*Environmental conservation and protection
*Hybrid NGOs
Most NGOs tend to have a strictly advocacy or service orientation, but some are hybrids.
For example, Amnesty International, simultaneously advocates for human rights and leads actions to gain freedom for individuals and groups who are oppressed around the world.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is another example of a hybrid NGO, combining advocacy with action.
That said, there is a gray area between advocacy, action, and service — some degree of action is really an extension of advocacy rather than being a service per se.
Nonprofit organization
NGOs are by definition nonprofit organizations, although not necessarily organized officially in a legal sense.
Technically all nonprofit organizations would be classified as NGOs, but from a more idealistic perspective, an organization needs to have a strictly social purpose for society as an integrated whole rather than a merely personal, business, recreational, partisan political, or religious motive in order to warrant being categorized as an NGO. Otherwise, they should more appropriately be considered as merely an adjunct to the entity whose interests they are pursuing.
Organization
Technically, a group is not a true organization per se unless it has some legally recognized organizational status. In the case of NGOs, they would nominally be nonprofit organizations such as those granted tax-exempt status by the U.S. IRS under section 501(c).
An informal group would not normally be considered an organization per se, but for the purposes of discussions of civil society, an informal group which acts in a coordinated manner with shared objectives, values, principles, and organized operations is effectively an organization even if not legally recognized as such.
Governmental entities working with NGOs may have more strict requirements for NGOs, such as the UN requiring that consultative status will only be granted to NGOs which have an established headquarters, constitution, and executive officer. Far from informal.
Other government entities such as the National Endowment for Democracy are less strict, especially for groups working in challenging countries, but still require at least some semblance of organizational structure, such as a board, even if not formally organized from a legal perspective.
Informal NGOs
A group needs to have some semblance of formal organization to be safely considered an NGO, such as at least some minimal sense of coherent guiding principles, values, objectives, and organized operations.
For example, Black Lives Matter considers itself a chapter-based national organization although it is not formally organized in a legal sense.
Movements
Can a movement be considered an NGO? Possibly… it depends, to the degree that there is some of organization.
For example, Black Lives Matter is a movement with some minimal sense of organization.
Business front groups
Businesses will sometimes create NGOs which appear to be independent and may be funded by multiple sources but are in reality simply front groups for the business. These nominal NGOs promote and advocate for the economic interests of the business, rather than for society as an integrated whole. They should more appropriately be considered as merely an adjunct to the business whose interests they are pursuing.
Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a front for the Koch brothers is a prime example.
Technically, such groups are NGOs, but this is a gray area. Responsible individuals and groups can reasonably argue that business front groups should not be considered or treated as NGOs, but equally responsible individuals or groups may reasonably disagree.
Political advocacy groups
Groups of likeminded individuals may create political advocacy NGOs to promote particular political agendas while keeping a distance from the individuals or even their identities.
They may advertise and lobby in favor of their preferred political agenda but refrain from making political campaign contributions.
These would be distinct from political parties and political action committees (PACs) to the extent that they do not make campaign contributions.
Political advocacy groups are another gray area where technically they are NGOs, but from a more idealistic perspective they should more appropriately be considered as merely an adjunct to the entity whose interests they are pursuing.
Muddying the water even further, business front groups can overlap with political groups, such as Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a front for the Koch brothers, advocating for both their economic and political interests.
Origin
According to the Wikipedia, the term non-governmental organization originated with the charter of the United Nations in 1945. NGOs existed in various forms before then, well back into the nineteenth century, but the UN seems to have formalized the use of the term non-governmental organization.
The acronym NGO appears to have come into use only in the mid-1990’s, at least according to my online search of The New York Times.
Some well-known large NGOs
Most of the long-established large NGOs are of the service-oriented variety. Advocacy-oriented NGOs tend to be smaller and local. A number of NGOs have national, regional, and local chapters as well as being organized at the international level.
Here are some representative larger and more well-known NGOs, listed in the order they were founded:
YMCA — founded 1844
Salvation Army — founded 1865
International Committee of the Red Cross — founded 1863
National Rifle Association of America (NRA) — founded 1871
Legal Aid Society — founded 1876
American Red Cross — founded 1881
Rotary Clubs, Rotary International — founded 1905
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) — founded 1909
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) — founded 1913
Planned Parenthood — founded 1916
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — founded 1920
League of Women Voters — founded 1920
Plan International — founded 1937
Oxfam — founded 1942
The Nature Conservancy — founded 1951
Amnesty International — founded 1961
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) — founded 1963
National Organization for Women (NOW) — founded 1966
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) — founded 1971
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) — founded 1971
Habitat for Humanity — founded 1976
Human Rights Watch (HRW) — founded 1978
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — founded 1980
Committee to Protect Journalists — founded 1981
Code Pink: Women for Peace — founded 2002
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) — founded 2006
Civil society organizations (CSOs)
As previously mentioned, NGOs are a key part of civil society. This earns them the categorization of being civil society organizations (CSOs.)
Traditional organizations may be active in civil society as well, earning them the companion categorization of civil society actors. All CSOs are civil society actors, but not all civil society actors are CSOs or NGOs.
The UN considers the concept of CSO to encompass not only NGOs, but institutions, foundations, and associations as well.
Traditional organizations
As mentioned, traditional organizations are not usually referred to as NGOs per se, such as:
Religions
Labor unions
Philanthropic foundations, although they tend to give grants to NGOs
Think tanks
Professional organizations
Trade associations
Industry groups
Standard setting organizations
Political parties
Youth organizations
Clubs
Sports leagues, associations, and teams
Members-only service organizations
Private schools, colleges, and universities (public education is part of government)
As an example, the United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is an independent organization that may superficially look like an NGO, but is very closely aligned and associated with the business sector. It operates more like a trade association rather than for the general welfare of society.
Other non-NGO organizations and groups
Other organizations not considered NGOs include:
Political action committees (PACs)
Government sponsored organizations regardless of how independent they may nominally be
Intergovernmental organizations or treaty organizations and alliances
Revolutionary groups
Rebel groups, freedom fighters
Terrorist groups
Gangs and criminal organizations
Informal and ad hoc activist and protest groups
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
Governments may agree to cooperate through some agreement or treaty, such as
United Nations
WTO
IMF and World Bank
WHO
Organization of American States
NATO
NAFTA
Regional security agreements, arrangements, alliances, coalitions, or organizations.

Name: Doro Yahaya Adamu
Reg No: 2017/249490
Dept: Econmics

1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to the economic growth inNigeria?
The informal sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regilated by the government and other public authorities. This includes enterprises that are not officially registered and not maintain a complete set of accouts. The Nigerian informal sector is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, the Nigerian informal sector account for 65% of Nigeria’s GDP in 2017. Despite its importance, the informal sector is often overlooked and misunderstood, with some viewing it as transient and expected to eventually be absorbed into the formal economy. However, a fast growing view is that informal economy offers significants job creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more accessble goods and srevices. With the signficant contribution of informal sector to the Nigerian economy, an undeniable truth is that any notion of economic evelopment in the country is one that hugely depends on the state of affairs of the informal sector. sustainable and inclusive economic development and job creation are unlikely to be achieved unless the potential and needs of the sector are adquately considered.

2.What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeri?
The informal economy is faced with obstacles that are sometimes simialr to those experience by formal sector. However, informal sector are much more vulnerable in reltionto those problems as Infrastrutural issues; poor infrastructure such as transport, storage facilities water, electricity; lack of working premises, poorly developed physical market . Th informal sector are also faced with the institutional issues, no access to formal training and as a result , lack of skills in particular as regards basic basic economic skills and managerial expertise, lack of formal schooling which result in illiteracy, limited access to land and property rights, limited acccess to formal finance and banking institution, limited access ti employer’s organization tha is lack of possibilities to exercise influence, lack of access to official social security schemes, lack of information on prices, fewer market opportunities due to instance to market compliance to international standards.economics issues, limited access to technology, lack of opportunities for bulk purchase of inputs, insufficient funds do not allow for further investment.
3. What are the non governmental organisaion and their major roles in the society?
Non- governmental organisation play dual fundamental roles of either service delivery outlets, NGOs provide welfare, technical, legal, and financial services to the poor, or work in collaboration with community based organisation in basic service and infrastructural provision. created by the partual service delivery of governments withdrawing from involvement in provision. NGOs are recieving curreny due to their demonstration of unique and spectacular characteristics features and capabilities.
Other roles of NGOs are policy advocacy, seeking to effect social change by influencing attitudes, policy and practices, seeking to reform state services on the basis of NGOs experiences and to lobby directly for the policy changes. it includes involvement in participatory, public interest politics and NGOs engaging in such activity realize the increasing infortance of information as they begun to utilize the power of ideas and information to promote positive change in the wider structures of government and the official aid community NGOs.

IZUCHUKWU DOMINIC CHINEDU
2017/249522
izuchukwudominic2@gmail.com

Question no. 1: In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?

Ans:

An informal economy or an informal sector is that part of the economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. It consists of units engaged in the production of goods and services with the primary objective of generating employment and incomes to the persons involved. These units typically operate at a low level of organisation, with little or no division between labour and capital as factors of production and on a small scale.
The informal sector in Nigeria play a significant role in the growth of the economy through:

a) Job Creation: The informal sector through their engagement in economic activities create job for the unabsorbed labour thereby reducing the unemployment rate in the country. In Nigeria, about 60% the labour force are employed in the informal sector and this shows how vital the sector is to the economy.

b) Economic stimulation: The informal sector stimulates the economy through the production of cheap goods and services. In a developing country like Nigeria, a greater percentage of her population is poor. They depend on cheap commodities for survival. Therefore, by providing cheap goods and services, the informal sector stimulates the economy.

Question no. 2: what are the major obstacles the informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?

Ans:

Challenges facing the informal sector of Nigeria include but not limited:
long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions, low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction, inadequate social security regulation,difficulty exercising rights, for example combating child and forced labour and discrimination, vulnerable, lack of representation.

Question no. 3: what are the non-governmental organizations and their role in the society?

Ans:

Non-governmental organizations are not-for-profit groups that function independently of any government. NGOs are sometimes called civil societies and are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes or the environment. NGOs perform some functions which include but not limited to:
1)Human rights protection.
2)Environmental or health care.
3)Development of communities.
4)Encourage social responsibility.
5) Provision of micro finance to small and medium scale enterprises.
6)Promote education.
7)Agricultural development.
8)Supporting human welfare.
9)Support the poor.
10) They also give support to the government for instance, during this period of pandemic, NGOs rendered financial support to government for it to be able to arrest the ugly situation.

NAME: OKOYE OBINNA CHIDIEBERE
REG NO: 2014/191864
DEPT: ECONOMICS

QUESTION 1
Nigeria’s informal sector is vast and encompasses a host of activities ranging from agricultural and food production, small scale building and construction to street trading and vending, small and medium scale enterprises. The informal sector is that section of the economy that does not require any legal procession, any formal mode of entry or registration, or strict governmental control to function. Informal sector can be referred to the shadow economy or underground economy. This is because as the name implies, they are “almost” free from government regulations especially in terms of tax payment. The informal sector of the economy is that sector of the economy where economic activities are not regulated, monitored or supervised by the government of the country either through tax or other regulatory measures. The major contribution of the informal sector to economic growth is the creation of paid employment to a large population of the country. As a matter of fact, the informal sector in most developing countries make up a significant portion of the economies.

QUESTION 2
Over the years the informal sector in Nigeria has been encumbered by so many problems they include the following:
1) long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions;
2) low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction;
3) inadequate social security regulation;
4) difficulty exercising rights, for example combating child and forced labour and discrimination;
5) vulnerable, low-paid or undervalued jobs (particularly for women);
6) lack of representation.
7) Lack of capital
8) no protection from the formal sector.

QUESTION 3
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are establishments that are not in direct link with the government of a country. They function free from the government. They could have the aim of working towards a social, political, environmental goal of the sort in the country. Their functions are as follows:
1. They help in developing a society, improving communities as well as promote citizen participation.
2. They embark on projects that would help develop the community they are established in.
3. They are not profit-oriented therefore aim to pursue social welfare.

1.It is easy to assume that informal trade exists as a result of joblessness alone, but this does not consider its true value. The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty.

But it offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. Townships and informal settlements are spatially distant from central business areas, where formal trade usually operates. The cooperatives and SMMEs in these areas thus have an important role to fulfil.
It often also offers these goods in a manner more suited to the needs of customers (for example, individual items over pre-packed sizes, and in terms of preferences of taste, price and variety).For example, Parmalat used the Spaza shop network to promote and sell its individually wrapped cheese products, which now contributes more that R1 billion to its revenue.
The informal sector sources most of its goods from the formal economy, pays rent to landlords, and is clearly an important participant in the value chains of even large companies.

2.
A.Little or no governmental support
B.Lack of basic infrastructures
C.limited availability of resources
D.Lack of proper securities
3
– Health and sanitation awareness creation:This NGO helps to keep the environment clean and they promote good health too
-Promotion of child’s rights law:They help to reduce abuse on children which helps to protect their human rights
, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking

AFUBE BLOSSOM CHIBUZOR
2017/249473
ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
blossomafube16@gmail.com

1. In what way does the informal sector contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
Informal sector is the combination of people who are neither taxed or monitored by the government but are either self employed or work for those who are self employed. This sector contributes to the growth of the Nigerian economy in the following ways:
i. It provides employment by absorbing labour not already collected or being used by the formal sector. And whilst there is not tax paid making it seem like the sector does not have any impact , with careful measurement and adoption of enhanced taxation system, it can contribute a lot to economic growth.
ii. It fosters competition making the formal sector enhance its efficiency and effectiveness to deal with the challenge presented by the informal sector. This singular act, grows the economy.
iii. It aids in the provision of low cost goods, making it affordable and available.
iv. It fosters inclusive growth, as the informal sector reaches even the grassroots level of the economy.
v. It provides employment for the women .

2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria?
These include but are not limited to:
i. Intense competition not only from the formal sector bit also within the sector.
ii. Lack of social protection from the government who is unconcerned with the sector as it brings no tax.
iii. Government legislation often times work against them as they are not taken into consideration.
iv. There is no access to credit or loan facilities as the businesses are not as stable or confidently long term.
v. The level of skills in the sector are very poor and the training centres and opportunities are far and wide in between.

3. What are the Non Governmental Organisation and their major roles in society?
These are organisations free from government control, they are independent of interventions from government and are not for profit. They are organised to serve a particular social and humanitarian objective. However, whilst they are not profit oriented , they still have budgets running to millions which is funded by donations and membership dues. Examples of NGOs in Nigeria include Old Peoples Support International, Total Care Unit, Ven Dr. Josiah Alozie Foundation, Action Aid for the Unemployed, Global Peace Development, Society for Telemedicine and E-Health in Nigeria, Lygel Youths & Leadership Initiatives, Rural Urban Development .
Their roles in the society are:
i. Soliciting for financial aid to fund projects that benefits the society.
ii. Promotion and defence of human rights
iii. Influencing citizen’s participation in decision making processes.
iv. Development and improvement of societies and communities where they are found.

Izuogu Chiamaka Goodluck
2017/242101
Economics Education
chiamaka.izuogu.242101@unn.edu.ng
1) In what way does the Informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
2.) What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
3) What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
Answer
The informal economy involves economic activities undertaken by individuals and organizations, which are not subject to full government regulations. Their activities include photography, catering, hairdressing, motorcycle services, tailoring, fashion designing, carpentry, painting, etc It can also be described as described as the sum total of economic activity that happens outside state regulation, which is neither taxed nor represented in a country’s GDP. This part of the economy is particularly large in Nigeria, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating it to constitute about 60% of the entire Nigerian economy.3 This represents about $240bn.
Informal activities are usually not captured in the process of computing GDP numbers. Meanwhile, working in the sector is attractive due to the ease attached to operations as a result of the absence of a bureaucratic regulatory framework, and little or no formal educational requirements. The Informal economy has contributed in various ways which includes the following:
1) the informal sector in Nigeria accounts for about 90% of new jobs in the country, about 80% of all non-agricultural employment and about 60% of urban jobs created, earning it the description of being the backbone of the formal sector. In spite of these percentages records indicate that its contribution to the national revenue in the form of tax is minimal.
2) The informal labour has become a convenient means of pursuing the global agenda of privatisation and liberalisation (Amin, 2002).
3) It stimulates the growth of the market economy.
4)It stimulates a flexible labour market, promoting productive activities, and absorbing retrenched labour from the formal sector.
5) is linked to the formal economy – it produces for, trades with, distributes for, and provides services to the formal economy.
6) The informal economy is efficient and resilient, creating jobs. It is a major provider of employment, goods and services for lower-income groups. It contributes significantly to GDP.
OBSTACLES THE INFORMAL SECTOR FACES IN THE NIGERIA ECONOMY
Some of the challenges facing the informal sector of Nigeria include inadequacies, unsafe working conditions, poor enforcement and the non-participation of informal entrepreneurs in decision-making. While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.
Looking at the size of the informal sector, it is found out that it is difficult to obtain information on the size and structure of employment in the informal sector. Citing Peberdy commented on the horrific environmental conditions associated with informal sector activities were unfortunate. This is due to some perennial problems that have affected the development of the sector over the years. These problems has impeded the development of this sector in Nigeria ranging from financial, managerial, marketing, technological, lack of basic physical infrastructure, raw materials and other related problems thus leading to economic crises in the sector.
NON – GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR MAJOR ROLES IN THE SOCIETY.
The term NGO stands for nongovernmental organiza￾tion, and it includes a variety of organizations such as “private voluntary organizations,” “civil society organizations,” and “nonprofit organization”. They include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives.
NGO’s are bodies which function free from the control of governmental control. These are said to be nonprofit governmental bodies which work for the welfare of societies. They act as a mediator between society and government.
a) Provide scholarship/Financial help to poor rural/village people for their overall development.
b) To provide help to people suffering from Natural calamities such as flood, Earthquakes, otor accidents etc.
c) To provide free legal advice to poor people.
d) To create awareness among the people regarding AIDS ertc

THE CONTRIBUTION OF INFORMAL SECTOR AND THE ROLE OF NGOs IN THE ECONOMY

The informal sector is any sector of the economy that is not influenced by the government. Examples includes; hairdresser,small scale farmers,street traders and so on.
Role of the informal sectors in an Economy
1. They help to reduce crime rate
2. They help to create employment opportunities.
3. They help to reduce abject poverty in an Economy.
4. They help to balance production and it’s uses.
5. They help to reduce the prices of goods and services and also make goods accessible to people at all times.
The challenges of the informal sector
1. Lack of adequate support from the public.
2. Lack of good security around
3. Little or no credit facilities.
4. Lack of funds.
5. Lack of well trained manpower.
THE NGOs
NGO is a nonprofit organization that fuctions independently of the government. There are various NGOs in our economy. They includes:
I. Global Peace Development
II. Action Aid for the Unemployed
III. Old people support international
IV. The Tony Elumen Foundation and etc
The Role of NGOs
1. They mount pressure on the government.
2. They promote the interest of the poor.
3. They provide basic social services.
4. They help to reduce suffering
5. They help to protect the rights of individuals
6. They help to build community projects.

NAME: EZIKE MARYCYNTHIA CHIAMAKA
Reg no: 2017/242944
Email: marycynthiachiamaka95@gmail.com
DEPT: economics

1). The informal sector is seen to play a huge part in the development of economies, most especially in transitioning and developing nations. Informal sector therefore, plays a significant role in the Nigerian economy for it creates employment and reduces poverty. Although the informal sector creates a base in which firms can expand and migrate to the formal sector, the sector also provides employment opportunities in both rural and urban settings for economic actors that are often excluded from the formal sector due to their lack of desirable skills. This is vital to an economy as it creates a safety valve for unemployment when the economic climate of a country is low. Various evidence indicates that the informal sector creates employment opportunities for women that is potentially lacking in the formal sector and is seen an avenue in which they can obtain additional income thereby improving their standard of living. The sector also enables flexibility and the chance for women to work and still fulfil cultural and social gender roles, resulting in a large number of women participating in the informal sector.
2). I). Informal economy workers often work in the most hazardous jobs, conditions and circumstances across all economic sectors – agriculture, industry and services. Typically, informal sector units are small-scale, engaging mainly non-waged and unorganised workers in precarious work processes and labour arrangements, largely unregulated and unregistered, falling outside of state regulations and control, including those related to OSH and social protection.
ii). High exposure to risks combined with low coverage of social protection place most informal economy workers in a very vulnerable situation. Although not everyone in the informal economy is poor, a significant proportion of the poor are in the informal economy, and, because they are poor, the occupational risks are compounded by such factors such as precarious housing, low quality nutrition, a lack of access to drinking waters and sanitary facilities, and a lack of basic health services. For many informal sector operators their home and workplace are one and the same place. Vulnerability to diseases and poor health therefore result from a combination of undesirable living and working conditions
iii). It is well established that gender inequality is more prevalent in the informal economy, where women are concentrated in the lower end and earn significantly less than men. It is also in the informal economy that child labour and bonded labour are most prevalent and most difficult to address.
3). A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit group that functions independently of any government. NGOs, sometimes called civil societies, are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes or the environment. Some NGOs rely primarily on volunteers, while others support a paid staff. The World Bank identifies two broad groups of NGOs:
Operational NGOs, which focus on the design and implementation of development projects.
Advocacy NGOs, which defend or promote a specific cause and seek to influence public policy.
Role of NGOs
i). This motive has made NGOs to become an important platform for the involvement of the civil society in public affairs for community development.
ii). They play service delivery, welfare, technical, legal and financial services in collaboration with community based organizations in basic service and infrastructural provision.
iii). It often covers the loopholes created by partial service delivery of the government in developing countries.
iv). The strengthen the state system through their participation in improving the efficacy of government services, acting as strategic partners for reform-oriented ministries, filling the gaps in service provision, and helping the government to forge ties with the grassroots.
v). NGOs have also been involved in civil society and democratic development, as evident in the politics of development across the developing world, expertise in development software and grassroot representation brining legitimacy and community mobilization to programmes and projects.

The informal economy involves economic activities undertaken by individuals and organizations, which are not subject to full government regulations. Such activities include photography, catering, hairdressing, motorcycle services, tailoring, fashion designing, carpentry, painting, etc. This part of the economy is particularly large in Nigeria, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating it to constitute about 60% of the entire Nigerian economy. This represents about $240bn.

Informal activities are usually not captured in the process of computing GDP numbers. Meanwhile, working in the sector is attractive due to the ease attached to operations as a result of the absence of a bureaucratic regulatory framework, and little or no formal educational requirements.

At times, even Nigerians with high formal education find employment in the informal economy when well- paid formal sector jobs are unavailable. The big size of this economy, the in-evitable demand for their goods and services and the ease attached to working therein, could be a strategic consideration for Nigeria to raise employment. This growth in the informal sector and an increase in employment would imply higher household income and lower poverty in Nigeria. According to Altman (2008), the first and foremost point on the proportion of employment in the informal sector is that the share of employment in small informal enterprises tends to fall as a country’s per capita income rises. Amin (2002) observes that the proportion of the labour force engaged in the informal sector fell by between 60 and 70 percent of the labour force in low income South Asian economies, by between 30 and 50 percent in middle-income South-East Asian countries, and by about 25 percent in high-income Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore. It was also pointed out however, that in SubSaharan Africa, excluding South Africa, 78 percent of non-agricultural employment is found in informal-sector firms, accounting for about 21 percent of total employment, including domestic workers (ECA, 2005). Considering the on-going economic and financial crisis that characterizes the economies of many African countries, including Nigeria, the informal sector has the potential to provide the needed impetus for employment generation. The sector is expected to serve as a viable mechanism for the creation of job for both rural and teaming urban population in Nigeria. This has been the case in Nigeria over the years. Employment in the Nigerian informal sector is characterized by variable hours of work over a period of time, due to lack of contractual relationship in the sector, as well as the prevalence of selfemployment and home-based family workers. It therefore, appears an average worker in the Nigerian informal sector suffers from a significant degree of under-employment. The result is a differential in the average earnings between the formal and informal sector. Though Nigeria does not, at present, have accurate statistics on the proportion of labour force in the informal sector, the CBN/NISER/FOS survey of 1998 indicates that informal manufacturing enterprises are small. The average number of persons employed in an enterprise was about 2. By implication, bulk of the informal employment in Nigeria can be found in non-manufacturing activities such as street trading, barbing saloons, restaurants, and other informal sector activities. The 1998 survey of the Nigerian informal sector gives some interesting insights on size of the labour force employed in the informal manufacturing enterprises in Nigeria. According to Altman (2008), the first and foremost point on the proportion of employment in the informal sector is that the share of employment in small informal enterprises tends to fall as a country’s per capita income rises. Amin (2002) observes that the proportion of the labour force engaged in the informal sector fell by between 60 and 70 percent of the labour force in low income South Asian economies, by between 30 and 50 percent in middle-income South-East Asian countries, and by about 25 percent in high-income Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore. It was also pointed out however, that in SubSaharan Africa, excluding South Africa, 78 percent of non-agricultural employment is found in informal-sector firms, accounting for about 21 percent of total employment, including domestic workers (ECA, 2005). Considering the on-going economic and financial crisis that characterizes the economies of many African countries, including Nigeria, the informal sector has the potential to provide the needed impetus for employment generation. The sector is expected to serve as a viable mechanism for the creation of job for both rural and teaming urban population in Nigeria. This has been the case in Nigeria over the years. Employment in the Nigerian informal sector is characterized by variable hours of work over a period of time, due to lack of contractual relationship in the sector, as well as the prevalence of selfemployment and home-based family workers. It therefore, appears an average worker in the Nigerian informal sector suffers from a significant degree of under-employment. The result is a differential in the average earnings between the formal and informal sector.Though Nigeria does not, at present, have accurate statistics on the proportion of labour force in the informal sector, the CBN/NISER/FOS survey of 1998 indicates that informal manufacturing enterprises are small. The average number of persons employed in an enterprise was about 2. By implication, bulk of the informal employment in Nigeria can be found in non-manufacturing activities such as street trading, barbing saloons, restaurants, and other informal sector activities. The 1998 survey of the Nigerian informal sector gives some interesting insights on size of the labour force employed in the informal manufacturing enterprises in Nigeria.

What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?

The informal sector — labor and business that is hidden from monetary, regulatory, and institutional authorities — accounts for about a third of GDP and 70 percent of employment (of which self-employment is more than a half) in emerging market and developing economies. While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.

Addressing the challenge of pervasive informality will require comprehensive policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Initiatives to boost long-term development might include measures aimed at reducing regulatory and tax burdens, expanding access to finance, improving education and other public services, and strengthening public revenue frameworks.

Ways to enhance the informal sector
Nigerian government policies are typically lopsided in favor of the formal economy. The most no-table of the current administration’s policies corroborate this. In the quest for economic diversification from oil, the government has given priority to solid minerals and agricultural sectors. The N-power scheme, which aims to reduce youth unemployment, has also largely involved the employment of graduates in formal activities. With regards to informal economic activities, the government plans to empower 100,000 artisans across the country. This is commendable, albeit with a potential marginal impact as the amount only represents 0.05% of total population and 0.12% of the country’s labor force. More attention is required.

The first strategy that is worth considering is the development of informal skills amongst Nigeria’s working-age population. The government could create and sponsor well-equipped platforms that bring individuals who intend to learn skills and corresponding experts together. This should be at low costs in order to increase their attractiveness to prospective trainees.

In addition to skill acquisition, workers in Nigeria’s informal economy have raised concerns over credit accessibility. New graduates from the would-be government skills development institutions are expected to be faced with the same challenge. These workers mostly require funds to acquire tools and equipment that are either fundamental to their operations and/or necessary for them to carry out their activities more easily. This highlights the need for the government to give low interest loans in this space. A grant might even be more effective in reducing poverty, as it has the ad-vantage of taking off the burden of repayment. If this were the case it would allow workers to maximize their profits and further ease their escape from the poverty trap.

What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society. This paper examines some of the strategies for community development in Nigeria, with a particular emphasis on the role of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The methods of study include interview, observations, intensive local field studies and extensive travel throughout the state. The beneficiaries of NGOs activities and donor agencies – students,teachers, NGO functionaries, fire burnt victim and head of house holds were interviewed. The findings includes:
1. A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.
2. Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from donor agencies.
3. Donor agencies in Edo state includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.
4. Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: Body Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.

Name: Odoh Chukwunonso Michael
Reg: 2017/249541

Okaome Esther Chioma
2017/249554
estherokaome@gmail.com

An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides critical economic opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s. Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.
IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE INFORMAL SECTOR CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF NIGERIAN ECONOMY??
1.It has prompted governments to offer stimulus packages and measures to limit business failures and job losses. These efforts focus primarily on the formal sector, thus ignoring the informal economy and the most vulnerable businesses and persons in society.
2.The informal economy represents all work by individuals or businesses which, by law or practice, is not sufficiently catered for through formal arrangements.Examples include food and flea markets, street vendors, laundromats and the like, mostly in rural or informal areas. It is considered informal since these businesses are rarely registered at national or regional levels, are cash-based and thus do not pay taxes and usually do not have formal arrangements with employees.
3.This lack of formality also means that little is known of the ‘shadow’ economy and, as such, it is prone to be overlooked or ill-considered during policy formulation, disregarded in business strategy and too easily associated with nefarious activities.
4.But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. Townships and informal settlements are spatially distant from central business areas, where formal trade usually operates. The cooperatives and SMMEs in these areas thus have an important role to fulfil.
2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy??
a.Low productivity
b. Poor governance
c. Reduced tax revenue
d. Excessive regulations.
e. Poverty and income inequality.
3.What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
a.Community mobilisation
b. Environment health and sanitation awareness creation.
c. Promotion of child’s right law.
d.fight against child labour and human trafficking.
e.Planner and implementer of development programmers,
f.Mobiliser of local resources and initiative
g.Builder of self reliant sustainable society
h.Mediator of people and government.

Omeke Anslem Francisco
2017/249564
Economics
assurance081@gmail.com

Becker (2004) defines the informal sector as the unregulated, non-formal portionof the market economy that produced goods and services for sale or for other forms of remuneration. In effect, the term informal economy as, it is often used to denote informal sector, refers to all economic activities by workers and economic units that are not covered or are insufficiently covered by formal arrangements. Some of its importance are;
1. It contributes substantially to the economy and needs to be encouraged and facilitated.
2. Virtually everywhere the informal economy is efficient and resilient, creating jobs. It is a major provider of employment, goods and services for lower-income groups. It contributes significantly to GDP.
3. Limited absorption of labour, particularly in countries with high rates of population or urbanisation.
OBSTACLES
1. Lack of access to official social security scheme
2. Infrastructure issue
3. Limited access to finance i.e no access to credit facility by governmen.
4. Poor knowledge of modern technology can impedes efficiency in production and utilization of resources.
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are establishments that are not in direct link with the government of a country. They function free from the government. They could have the aim of working towards a social, political, environmental goal of the sort in the country. Their functions are as follows:
1. They help in developing a society, improving communities as well as promote citizen participation.
2. They embark on projects that would help develop the community they are established in.
3. They are not profit-oriented therefore aim to pursue social welfare.

Name: Omada Dorathy Amarachukwu
eg No: 2017/ 243131
Department: Economics Education
300 Level
dorathyamarachi.blogpost.com
amarachidora8@gmail.com

QUESTION ONE
In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria
In the year 2017, saw Nigeria record its first full year of growth after experiencing its first recession in 25 years. While this recovery brought about an increase in business confidence, concerns remain as the GDP growth achieved was less than national population growth. This concern persists even as the IMF projected 2.1% growth for 2018, which falls below the population growth forecast of 2.6%. Population growth,coupled with high underemployment and unemployment rates (combined 40%), will result in an increase in the number of job seekers in 2018. It also translates to an increase in the number of people who look to the informal sector for economic survival.The Nigerian Informal Sector (IS) is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, the Nigerian informal sector accounted for 65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP.So what is the informal sector? The Informal Sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regulated by the government and other public authorities; this includes enterprises that are not officially registered and do not maintain a complete set of accounts ;and workers who hold jobs lacking basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Examples of informal employment workers include: street traders, subsistence farmers, small scale manufacturers, service providers (e.g. hairdressers, private taxi drivers, and carpenters), etc. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment in some of the poorer developing countries.Due to its flexible nature, the informal sector in some ways is better able to adapt to difficulties such as the current global recession, providing some measure of support to those most in need. Despite its importance, the informal sector is often overlooked and misunderstood, with some viewing it as transient, and expected to eventually be absorbed into the formal economy. Today there is no unanimous perspective with regard to the informal economy. Some take the view that the informal sector encourages fraudulent activities that results in the loss of revenue from taxes, weakens unions, creates unfair competition, leads to a loss of regulatory control, reduces observance of health and safety standards, amongst others. However, a fast growing view is that informal economy offers significant job creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more accessible goods and services.With the significant contribution of informal sector to the Nigerian economy, an undeniable truth is that any notion of economic development in the country is one that hugely depends on the state of affairs of the informal sector. Sustainable and inclusive economic development and job creation are unlikely to be achieved unless the potential and needs of the informal sector are adequately considered. Consequently efforts must be made to understand the dynamics of the sector and and how best to tap the latent potential that lies within.
QUESTION TWO
What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy
Nigeria is the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa and relies heavily on oil as its main source of foreign exchange earnings and government revenue. Following the global financial crisis of 2008-09, the banking sector was effectively recapitalized and regulation improved. Since then, Nigeria’s economic growth has been driven by the growth of agriculture, telecommunications and services. Economic diversification and strong growth have not translated into a significant reduction in poverty levels; as more than 62% of Nigeria’s 180 million people still live in extreme poverty .The outbreak of the new corona virus (COVID-19) in China has changed the world tremendously, as it has become a major pandemic and affects millions of people around the globe regardless of geographical location, age, race, gender, etc. etc. While this crisis is primarily a public health issue that has claimed the lives of thousands of people worldwide and is still counting, the economic impact will undoubtedly be overwhelming and likely to lead to major economic crises both in the formal and informal sector. Statistics on the informal sector are unreliable by virtue of the subject, yet they can provide a tentative picture of its relevance. The Nigerian Ministry of Labour and Productivity is of the view that the informal sector of the nation’s economy accounts for no less than 90% of new job openings openings in Nigeria. In the same vein, the Lagos office of Federal Ministry of dependent governments, the fall in global demand for goods stemming from the epidemic will significantly increase their fiscal deficit. In Nigeria’s case, Brent’s crude oil price was just over $ 26 a barrel on April 2, while Nigeria’s budget assumes $ 57 a barrel and would still amount to a $ 2.18 trillion deficit ($ 6.05 billion). Similarly, when oil accounts for 90 percent of Nigeria’s exports, the fall in oil and oil prices will adversely affect the volume and net export value. Indeed, the steep decline in oil prices associated with the pandemic is forcing the Nigerian government to cut planned spending. reiterated that restrictions on movement of people and closing borders heralded a decline in exports. Already, countries around the world have closed their borders to non-essential movements, and global supply chains have disrupted. Although exports of the least depreciated countries due to falling commodity prices (such as Nigeria) will become cheaper, the limited markets for non-essential goods and services eliminate the expected positive impact on net exports.
QUESTION THREE
What are the non governmental organizations and their major roles in the society
Given this unprecedented growth in the numbers and financial power of NGOs, how has the role changed or matured? What we see is that NGOs can have a huge impact. These NGOs are unfettered, not answerable to specific agendas, and, in many instances, can act independently.Even though NGOs are highly diverse organizations, the one common goal is that they are not focused on short-term targets, and, hence, they devote them￾selves to long-term issues like climate change, malaria prevention, or human rights. In addition, public surveys state that NGOs often have public trust, which makes them a useful proxy for societal concerns (Hall-Jones, 2006). Next, we will discuss four important roles of NGOs. These roles are (1) social development, (2) sustainable community development, (3) sustain￾able development, and (4) sustainable consumption.
Social Development;
NGOs play an important role in global social development—work that has helped facilitate achievements in human development as measured by the UN Human Development Index (HDI). One of the major strengths of NGOs is their ability to maintain institu￾tional independence and political neutrality. Even though NGOs need to col￾laborate with governments in numerous instances, failure to maintain neutrality and autonomy may severely compromise the NGOs’ legitimacy. Unfortunately, if a government insists upon political allegiance, the NGOs encounter the dilemma of either violating the neutrality position or failing to provide needed services to the population. Indeed, some NGOs have been asked to leave in troubled countries due to political reasons .The major advantages that NGOs bring to this role include “flexibility, ability to innovate, grass-roots orientation, humanitarian versus commercial goal orientation, non-profit status, dedication and commitment, and recruit￾ment philosophy” (Asamoah, 2003). The drawbacks in working with NGOs are similar to the advantages that were previously listed. In addition, some other disadvantages include “over-zealousness, restricted local participation, inadequate feasibility studies, conflicts or misunderstandings with host part￾ner, inflexibility in recruitment and procedures, turf wars, inadequately trained personnel, lack of funding to complete projects, lack of transparency, inability to replicate results, and cultural insensitivity”. Sustainable Community Development
NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community devel￾opment. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations. They can also empower these populations to regain control of their lives and can work with and strengthen local organizations. In addition, such NGOs can carry out projects more efficiently and at lower costs than government agencies and, most importantly, promote sustainable develop￾ment (Nikkhah & Redzuan, 2010).
Using Strategic Means to Point Out Problems
NGOs are encouraging households to exercise their power as sharehold￾ers. In case shareholder power is substantial, this can raise public awareness and change business policies. For example, Friends of the Earth’s (FoE) Green Paycheck Campaign tells individuals how to use their shareholder power and screen their investments so that “money becomes a tool for change”
Assessing Environmental Impacts of Products
NGOs rank products and services based on their environmental perfor￾mance and impacts. The idea is that consumers can then pick and choose what products or brands they would purchase. For example, many consumer organizations have adopted a commitment to sustainability in their mission statements, such as in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, and their assessment of products reaches consumers via maga￾zines, websites, and other publications (Kong et al., 2002). Greening the Supply of Products and Services NGOs are developing or designing products that will minimize the envi￾ronmental impacts of consumption. The consumer is simply offered an alter￾native of more sustainable consumption, and this choice is deemed empowering. For example, the WWF is engaging the retail sector to offer more sustainable food products. It also cooperates with the catering sector to design WWF Weeks for the menu and one permanent WWF dish. This cam￾paign has been successful in increasing demand for organic products in Switzerland (Kong et al., 2002).
Focusing on Market Forces
Creating a green demand that will drive changes in supply, NGOs are providing information through labels that would empower consumers to make informed choices. For example, WWF has worked with the industry to design labeling schemes to help in the launch of independent certifica￾tion bodies. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was created in 1993 to protect the world’s forest by a coalition of NGOs, businesses, and government entities. Unilever and WWF started the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to establish a certification scheme for sustainable fishing.

Name: Abiazia Rufus Chidiebube
Reg: 2017/243371
Dept: Economics

1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
3. What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
Answer :
1.
The informal sector in contribute massively in Nigeria economy, in the form that many enterprises has a potential of generating income to households, productivity and trade in economy. Many employees and self-employed individual are in informal sector and the activities contribute to the GDP.

2.
Limited access to financial credit as loan,
Lack of formal education,
Lack of power,
Security issues
Macroeconomics issues
Limited access to technology
Industrial hazard negligence.

3.

Udeh Amarachi M.
2017/249576
maryamarachi2010@gmail.com

QUESTION ONE
The informal sector contributes to economy through the provision of employment opportunities since the formal sector, that is government, can not possibly employ enough people. That is to say that the informal sector stands as a helping hand to reduce the level of unemployment in the economy.

QUESTION TWO
Inspite of the fact that the informal sector helps in the provision of employment opportunities, it also faces obstacles,such as; No access to credit facilities from the government. The workers in the information sector are denied access to credit facilities from government such as loans. They re not allowed to get loans because of the fear not paying back. Some other obstacles faced by the informal sector are lack of start up capital, low minimum wage, insecurity, etc.

QUESTION THREE
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are not for profit making establishments that are not in direct link with the government of a country. Their actions are not controlled or questioned by the government. They help in developing a society, improving communities as well as promote citizen participation.
The NGOs are known for their charity works which is mostly for the support and welfare of the less privileged.

Idu Ifeanyi Peculiar
2017/249511
Economics
Question one:
The informal sector helps in the provision of employment opportunities as the formal sector tends not to employ enough people. That is, the informal sector helps in absorbing excess labour from the formal sector.
The informal sector also contributes to economic growth.
Question two:
Some of the obstacles the informal sector face are:
1. Lack of capital: capital is a major problem for most individuals who have the idea or intentions of starting up a business, this is a serious problem because they want to start a business but don’t have access to capital.
2. No access to credit facilities from the government: those who work in the informal sector are not giving the opportunity to access loan from the government this can be due to lack of asset by the small business owners to use as collateral in getting loans.
3. No minimum wage policy: the informal sector is not affected by most policies made by the government as regards to this they are not affected by the minimum wage policy, so those who earn low is affected in the sense that their wage is actually based on the work they have done or service they have rendered.
Question three:
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are establishments that are independent of the government of a country. They function free from the government. They aim at working towards a social, political, environmental goal of the sort in the country. Their functions are as follows:
1.They are not profit-oriented therefore aim to pursue social welfare.
2. They help in developing a society, improving communities as well as promote citizen participation.
3. They embark on projects that would help develop the community they are established in.

Name: Okeke Mercy Adaugo
Reg. No. 2017/141449
Department: Economics

1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The Informal Sector contributes a great deal to economic growth in Nigeria. The following are the major ways:
(i) Creation of Employment: It is no news that Nigeria is faced with the problem of unemployment as there are many labour personnels chasing few readily available formal jobs in the nation. So the next best option or way out of being unemployed is to be self-employed. That is, to either start up a business of buying and selling or develop and learn a skill that would make one automatically part of the Informal sector and hence reduce the rate of unemployment. The higher the number of people that are employed or have jobs, the higher the level of productivity, income and consequently, the higher the rate of economic growth.
(ii) Increase in Productivity
(iii) Eradication of Poverty: When people are able to earn a living outside the formal sector, it leads to increase in the standard of living of the citizens and eradication of poverty to a great extent, there by enhancing economic growth
(iv) Reduction in overdependence on government/the formal sector: The informal sector is a very important body of the Nigerian economy as it has really helped in lifting the burden on the formal sector and the government by making the citizens less reliant on them. This helps the government to focus on other factors that aid economic growth and development.
(V) It gives Room for innovation and invention which is a major attribute of economic growth and development
(Vi) Reduction in fear of monopolistic power.

2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
The major obstacles faces by the Informal sector in Nigeria are but not limited to:
(i) Adequate security: Businesses that fall within this sector is at the risk of being victims to theft, fraud and other kinds of security based harm as many in this sector can hardly afford good security for their businesses
(ii) Legal restrictions by the government: there are some laws and regulations that limits the activities of this sector
(III) Limited access to credit facilities: Those under this sector end up giving all they have as collateral just to be able to be granted a loan in the bank. what the formal sector would get without much aldor.
(iV) Risk of being pushed out of the market by the government or formal sector or foreign establishments

3. What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
The Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are Organizations which are independent of government involvement. NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences. Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful substitutes for the concerns of the society and stakeholders. However, NGOs can also be lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic Forum. According to NGO.org (the non-governmental organizations associated with the United Nations), “[an NGO is] any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level … Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.
NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation.

NAME: OKONKWO FAITH MUNACHI
REG NO: 2017/242422
E-MAIL: faith.okonkwo.242422@unn.edu.ng

ANSWER

QUESTION ONE
Ways the Informal Sector Contributes to Nigerian Economic Growth
The informal sector is seen to play a huge role in the economic growth of Nigeria. The informal sector entails mostly small enterprises. It’s contributions include:
1. Provider of certain social services such as employment and gender equality, which are factors crucial to the economic growth and development of a country.
2. Informal sector creates a base in which firms can expand and migrate to the formal sector
3. The informal sector also provides employment opportunities in both rural and urban settings for economic actors that are often excluded from the formal sector due to their lack of desirable skills. This is vital to an economy as it creates a safety valve for unemployment when the economic climate of a country is low.
4. The sector also enables flexibility and the chance for women to work and still fulfil cultural and social gender roles, resulting in a large number of women participating in the informal sector.
5. In terms of the contributions to national output, it has been observed that, despite an existing low productivity in the informal sector, the sector accounts for a sizable percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria.

QUESTION TWO
The Informal sector is also faced with some challenges or obstacles which includes:
Institutional inadequacies
Unsafe working conditions
Poor enforcement
Inadequacy of technology
Limited access to finance
Non-participation of informal entrepreneurs in decision-making.

QUESTION THREE
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society. This paper examines some of the strategies for community development in Nigeria, with a particular emphasis on the role of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
Their roles include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation

NAME: Emmanuel Treasure Adanne
Department: Economics
Reg No: 2017/242436
Email address: http://www.treasureadaemmanuel@gmail.com
Website: treshvinaemman54.blogspot.com
Answer:
1. Informal economy contribute to the economic growth of Nigeria through the following :
. Informal-sector income is relatively effective in reducing poverty. This is because income from informal-sector work mostly flows to households that are poor. In terms of poverty impact, the destruction of 100 jobs in the informal sector is the equivalent of losing about 60 to 80 formal-sector jobs. Informal-sector employment improve the livelihoods, those increasing more money in the Nigerian economy with leads to increase in economic growth.
2. Major obstacles of informal sector in the Nigerian economy:
– Informality results in lower tax revenues that hinders the government’s ability to spend on social programs and investment. This means the individuals that are most in need of social programs and public infrastructure may not receive them.
– The informal economy can provide income or a social safety net. But it is a complicated issue. Poverty levels among people in informal employment are, on average, twice as high as that of people in formal employment. Why? Because of low productivity, low incomes, and limited access to government benefits.
– Long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions.
– Low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction, inadequate social security regulations.
3. Non governmental organisations are legally constituted organizations, operate independently from the government and are generally considered to be “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue purposes of public interest”. The primary objective of NGOs is to provide social justice, development and human rights. NGOs are generally funded totally or partly by governments and they maintain their non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization. In a democratic society, it is the state that has the ultimate responsibility for ushering development to its citizens. Their roles include the following:
– Transparency and accountability are key ingredients of Governance in the NGO Sector as these determine operational efficiencies and risk mitigation. Over the years, corporate sector has been able to recognize and implement best governance practices through appropriate institutional framework. However, the NGO sector is yet to evolve any institutionalized framework, which could potentially play an important role in overall development of the nation.
– Of late, some of the local and national NGOs have been found involved in malpractices and acting irresponsibly, thus undermining the credibility of civil society. It’s a huge concern and poses a great challenge to the development movement spearheaded by NGOs in the country.
– There is a huge flow of funds into the non-government organization sector and this requires prudence and good practices to maintain accountability and transparency to the benefit of all stakeholders.
– Although NGOs do internal auditing but for more accountability and transparency, it is advisable to go through external auditing also, especially where public funds are involved. Hence, issues of internal control mechanisms, professionalism, accountability, transparency and financial management must be given impetus.

An informal economy is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.

Question 2
Some of the problems face by the informal sectors in Nigeria are;
The informal sector though helps in the provision of employment opportunities also faces it’s own obstacles. Some of which are:
1. No access to credit facilities from the government. This implies that those who work in the informal sector like the newspaper vendors, traders, carpenters, tailors, etc. are not given the opportunity to access credit facilities like loans and grants from the government.
2. Lack of capital. Some of these informal workers tend not to have startup capital for their businesses. This is a major problem faced by many in the sector as they want to start a business but do not have the capital and can not access it from the government.
3. No Minimum Wage Policy. This is in the interest of those who earn low or those that are underemployed or are working poor in the sense that, their wage is actually based on what the work they have done or the service they have rendered.
Question 3
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are voluntary, non-profit organizations that are totally independent of government influence. They are mostly concerned with humanitarian objectives and can are instrumental in environmental, social, and Human Rights issues. Their major roles in the society are:
1. They are engaged in a number of community development projects such as health education, sanitation awareness, child rights law, fight against child or forced labour, etc.
2. They act as pressure groups to influence government decisions on issues affecting the majority.
3. They also help to monitor and criticize the policies and actions of government.
4. They complement the function of government in fighting against Human Rights abuse and discrimination

EWA PRINCESS
2017/249501
ECONOMICS
ewaprincess79@gmail.com

1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The informal economy refers to all units, activities and workers in informal employment and the output from that employment that is partially or fully outside the auspices of government (UN-Habitat, 2015a).
The informal economy plays a crucial role in the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. It accommodates a large number of Nigerians through productive outlets who preferred to be self-employed, thus, contributing to the Nigerian economy in terms of output and employment. It also supplements the formal economy. For example, the informal economy in Nigeria contributes 57.9% to Nigerian GDP in 2013, while the formal sector compliments it with 42.1%. Furthermore, the informal sector in Nigeria offers various outlets for professional entrepreneurs from the medium and large scale enterprises who desired to be self-employed using minimal capital resources. According to Fapohunda (2012) “the informal sector stimulates and enhances innovation and adaptation; and also helps in the mobilization of capital and human resources which would otherwise have been laid waste and idle thereby increasing the utilization of virgin re-useable materials.”
2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
Those who are employed in the informal economy face a number of challenges:
I) No or limited access to loans, and grants.
II) long working hours
III) low pay
IV) difficult working conditions;
V) low job security,
VI) high turnover rates and low job satisfaction;
VII) inadequate social security regulation;
3. What are the non governmental organizations and their major roles in the society?
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level. It is generally established to engage in not for-profit activities (that is to say, it was not established for profit-making).
It is Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGO perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.
Some are organized around specific issues, and perform certain roles such as:
A) human rights
B) environment or health
C) develop communities
D) encourage social responsibility
E) Micro finance
F) promote education
G) agricultural development
H) supporting human welfare
I) Support the poor
Moreover, the function of an NGO may be grounded in other areas, such as protecting the environment and promoting animal welfare.
They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations (UN) system varies depending on their goals, their venue and the mandate of a particular institution.
The following is a List of NGO’s in Nigeria:
1. The Havids Centre for environment and Development
2. Children of Farmers Club (CFC)
3. Initiative for Community Dev
4. Women of Vision Association
5. The Nigerian Foundation
6. Afro Centre for Dev. Of Peace & Justice
7. Africa Initiative for Education and Economic Development
8. Global Women Empowerment Association (GLOWEM)
9. Initiative for Basic Rights of Nigeria Citizens (IBRONC)
10. Centre for Community Empowerment for underprivileged

Name: Onah Hope Nnenna
Reg no: 2017/249565
Level: 300l
Email: onahnnenna123@gmail
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1
The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.
By doing these, the informal economy helps to alleviate the country from unemployment which is the major cause of poverty
Another way the informal economy contribute to economic growth is by stimulating productive activities, promoting a flexible labour market and absorbing retrenched labour from the formal sector. That is employing those workers that their employment has been terminated in the formal sector. When this is done, the rate of unemployment will drastically reduce, there helping in economic growth and development.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 2
The major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy include:
1) limited access to finance: some of the informal sectors find it difficult to get hold of finance to boost and grow the sector. That difficulty can be in form of obtaining loan from bank, etc.
2) limited skills development: many people lack the adequate skills to run the organization
3) Inadequacy of technology: the necessary technologies that would have helped to make the works easier in the information sector is not enough (I.e inadequate)
4) Education: illiteracy has been a major setback to the informal sectors. The level of education attained by some workers are very low.
5) Lands and physical structure
6) Markets.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 3
The Non Governmental organizations and their major roles in the society
The NGOs include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives.
Some of the list of non governmental organizations in Nigeria are:
a). Old Peoples Support International
Total Care Unit
b) Ven Dr. Josiah Alozie Foundation
c). Action Aid for the Unemployed
d). Global Peace Development
e). Society for Telemedicine and E-Health in Nigeria
f). Lygel Youths & Leadership Initiatives
e). Rural Urban Development, etc
And their roles include:
1). Providing social justice
2). Development and human rights
3). Building a self reliant sustainable society
4). Mediating between the people and the government.etc
In general, NGOs help in overall development of every economy.

Name: HADEME CHUKWIEMEZIE KESTER
Reg no: 2017/249509
Dept: ECONOMICS

Meaning of informal Economy.
> An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
The informal economy is the diversified set of economic activities, enterprises, jobs, and workers that are not regulated or protected by the state. The concept originally applied to self-employment in small unregistered enterprises. It has been expanded to include wage employment in unprotected jobs.
In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
> The informal sector a varied and heterogeneous sector operating in a number of fields providing services at low cost and within the reach of the consumers. Many of the persons working in that sector have low level of education and have learnt some elementary skills on the job. They are not attracted to the training centers to go for the improvement of their knowledge or skills. However, these small enterprises are providing more than 50% of the employment in the non- agricultural sector and thus contributing in minimizing unemployment problem. However, the conclusion, which results from this research work seems to concur with observations and recommendations made by many economists. Nigerian government must stop marginalizing the informal sector; on the contrary they should encourage its development by making it official. In this case, access to the credit market will be easier and grants will then be possible. The resulting economic dynamic will then perhaps enable the Nigerian government to reduce the unemployment and misery of both rural and urban areas. Despite this increase in unemployment rates, the rise of employment in the informal sector is observed everywhere and has been particularly rapid in the Nigerian econom.
What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
> From the investigation carried out, it was discovered that the majority of the informal sector operators were female, married and within the age-range of 19-40 years and 41-65 years who had one form of formal education or the other. It could be seen that informal sector employment was not gender discriminative in nature, and it accommodated various categories of people irrespective of their levels of education. The dominance of the active population, particularly the youth was also visible. The number of married people attests to the fact that many of the operators had the emotional stability to handle the nature of employment in the informal sector. These socioeconomic characteristics reveal that the informal sector has the capacity to mob up the excess labour that cannot fit into the formal sector.
In terms of the nature of job distribution in the informal sub-sectors, trade, transportation and service dominated the job chart as majority of respondents were engaged therein. Another important sector, which earlier than now wouldn’t have held sway in the country was the telecommunication sub-sector. For the past decade since it was deregulated, it has generated lots of employment ranging from call girl and call boy to recharge card dealers, phone and phone accessory dealers, phone repairs café attendants and engineer and so on. The mode skill acquisition among the respondents was widely distributed. Most of them got on the job training, which implies that skill acquisition is not a barrier to employment in the informal sector. However, government agencies like NDE and programmes like YouWin also offer substantial training to people apart from skills acquired through apprenticeship. 18% of the respondents didn’t have any formal training. This wide range of distribution of the level of training amidst formal sector operators accounts for the reason why many of them do not grow.
In terms of the employment structure, 32.5% of them were owners while only 10.8% were unpaid family workers, others were either apprentice, paid employees or holding temporary employment in the sector.
This structural distribution supports the reason why the sector is accessible to all. Most of those who are owners obtained their starting capital from personal savings and loans from, corporative, family members and friends.
Only 5% took bank loans. This scenario reveals that accessibility of operators in informal sector to credits and soft loans from financial institutions is still poor or not encouraging. Perhaps the major reason for this includes the lack of collateral facility often requested by financial institutions and the high lending rates, which sometimes become double digits. 65% of the respondents were well able to meet their financial responsibilities as they come since more than 60% of them earn income well above N20000 per month. This shows that the informal sector activities, if well organized and coordinated, can well become the employment destination of many school leavers. This underscores the reason why it is important to develop an informal sector based employment strategy because it has the potentials to reduce youth and graduate unemployment in the country.
The perception of the problems facing the informal sector differs among the respondents. About 70% of them believe that policy inconsistency, inadequate infrastructure and lack of capital was their major problem. However, 36% of the respondents still believed that the major problem confronting the informal sector activities was unionization and inadequate training among the operators and. Based on the analysis carried out, it can be concluded that the informal sector plays an important role in employment creation, income generation and poverty reduction in Nigeria. For the sector to continue to play such significant role, the government and policymakers should develop a policy strategy that is informal sector based. When employment creation is geared towards informal sector activities, this would increase income.
What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
> Community development entails the provision of infrastructural facilities to the people. The provision of these social amenities can be attained through a number of ways and/or organizations which includes, the government, community development associations, Non-Governmental Organisations . Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society. This paper examines some of the strategies for community development in Nigeria, with a particular emphasis on the role of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The methods of study include interview, observations, intensive local field studies and extensive travel throughout the state. The beneficiaries of NGOs activities and donor agencies – students, teachers, NGO functionaries, fire burnt victim and head of house holds were interviewed. The findings includes:

1. A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.

2. Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from donor agencies.

3. Donor agencies in Edo state includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.

4. Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: Body Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.

In general, the Non-Governmental Organization is a positive approach to rural development.

In which way does the informal sectors contributes to the economy
Informal economy is economic activities, enterprises, jobs, and works that are not
regulated or protected by the state. It includes wage employment in unprotected jobs.
Ways in which informal economy contributes on Nigeria economic growth
Inclusive Growth: increase in the activities of informal economy or employment enhances economic growth For example, informal wage employment show clear supportive evidence to economic growth by reducing the cost of labour and improving
competitiveness; since large number of this
Domestic production: Being a great means of livelihood in Nigeria, particularly the rural dwellers, it leads to increasesb in productivity that almost half of Nigeria’s working population relies on. This makes informal economy caters large number of consumer demand in the economy
Challenges to informal economy in Nigeria
This requires understanding the structural barriers that informal operators face: especially
the stigmatization of informal operators as illegal or even criminal that leads to punitive
policies against them. The challenges include:
long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions;
low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction;
inadequate social security regulation;
difficulty exercising rights, for example combating child and forced labor and
discrimination; vulnerable, low-paid or undervalued jobs (particularly for women);Lack of representation.
In Nigeria, there is large informal economy. This doesn’t help intellectual property rights
(IPR) that protection that attracts more foreign direct investment (FDI) into a country.

What are the non governmental organization?
Organizations which are independent of government involvement are known as non-governmental organizations or non-government organizations, with NGO as an acronym. NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others.
The following is a List of NGO’s in Nigeria:
The Havids Centre for environment and Development
Children of Farmers Club (CFC)
Initiative for Community Dev
Women of Vision Association
The Nigerian Foundation
Afro Centre for Dev. Of Peace & Justice
Africa Initiative for Education and Economic Development
Global Women Empowerment Association (GLOWEM)
C.Y.E.
Initiative for Basic Rights of Nigeria Citizens (IBRONC)
Centre for Community Empowerment for underprivileged
Voluntary Work camps Association of Nigeria
Grace Center
Female Leadership Forum
BAOBAB for Women’s Human Right
Stelben Foundation on VVF/STIs
Pathfinder International
Torjir-Agber Foundation
Women Solace & Enablement Foundation
Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication
Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC)
Research and Training for Real Empowerment
Aya International Development Indigenous Knowledge Initiative Nigeria
Challenged Children Foundation (3CF)
Rahi Medical Outreach
Center for Peace building and Socio Economic Resources Development
Global Network for Peace and Anticorruption Initiative
Center for Care of Vulnerable and Development Initiatives
Center for Organizational and professional Ethics (COPEAFRICA)
Kanem Bornu Human Development Association (KABHUDA)
Vantaged Teems Center
Poverty Alleviation for the Poor Initiative
Health & Social Service Initiative
Afri-Growth Foundation
Ken Nnamani Centre for Leadership Dev.
Africa Safe Water Foundation
Grassroots Community Development Initiative
Foundation for Promotion of Good Health
The role of Ngos in the society
1. A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.

2. Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from donor agencies.

3. Donor agencies in Edo state includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.

4. Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: Body Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.

In general, the Non-Governmental Organization is a positive approach to rural development.

It is Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGO perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information
Their major role in the society is generally established to engage in not for-profit activities (that is to say, it was not established for profit-making).

Name: Agholor Sozorchukwu Jason
Reg No: 2017/243874
Dept: Economics
Email: jasonagholor7@gmail.com

Question 1
The informal sector involves economic activities undertaken by individuals and organizations, which are not subject to full government regulations. Such activities include photography, catering, hairdressing, motorcycle services, tailoring, fashion designing, carpentry, painting, etc. This part of the economy is particularly large in Nigeria, and it has led to a reduction in unemployment. Many graduates who are unable to find jobs in the formal sector take up jobs in the informal sector.
Also it has led to the reduction of poverty in Nigeria although Nigeria is termed the “poverty capital” of the world. If the informal sector is given priority, it can improve the situation of poverty in the country.

Question 2
The informal sector in Nigeria faces a number of obstacles.
(I) Well-equipped platforms that bring individuals who intend to learn skills and corresponding experts together usually comes at high cost.
(II) Credit accessibility is another obstacle. Young and fresh graduates who have ubdergone training on skill acqusition are often unable to purchase equipments and facilities to start up their own business.
(III) Lack of adequate power supply in the country affects the informal sector. It affect individuals in areas such as laundry services, hairdressing and printing.

Question 3
If we are to look at the meaning of NGO, it is an acronym representing the “Non-governmental organization.”
Placing emphasis on the connotative meaning of NGO, A non-governmental organization is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level.it is generally established to engage in not for-profit activities (which means, it was not established for profit-making).
Some of their functions includes;
(I) Improving the environment and health of a society
(II) Fighting for human rights
(III) They promote education
(IV) They develop communities
(V) They encourage social responsibility.

Ugwoke Emmanuel Ifeanyi
2017/242426
ECONOMICS

Meaning of Informal Economy：
The informal economy is described as the sum total of economic activity that happens outside state regulation, which is neither taxed nor represented in a country’s GDP. The size of the informal sector in Nigeria is estimated at about 65% and consists of activities that range from agricultural production to mining and quarrying, small-scale building and construction and machine-shop manufacturing.

Contribution of the informal economy to economic growth in Nigeria
The value of the informal economy
It is easy to assume that informal trade exists as a result of joblessness alone, but this does not consider its true value. The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty.
But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. Townships and informal settlements are spatially distant from central business areas, where formal trade usually operates. The cooperatives and SMMEs in these areas thus have an important role to fulfil.
It often also offers these goods in a manner more suited to the needs of customers (for example, individual items over pre-packed sizes, and in terms of preferences of taste, price and variety).
For example, Parmalat used the Spaza shop network to promote and sell its individually wrapped cheese products, which now contributes more that R1 billion to its revenue.
The informal sector sources most of its goods from the formal economy, pays rent to landlords, and is clearly an important participant in the value chains of even large companies.

Obstacles facing informal sector in Nigeria economy：
They include,
1. Low productivity
2. Reduced tax revenues
3. Poor governance
4. Excessive regulations, and
5. Poverty and income inequality.
Addressing the challenge of pervasive informality will require comprehensive policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Initiatives to boost long-term development might include measures aimed at reducing regulatory and tax burdens, expanding access to finance, improving education and other public services, and strengthening public revenue frameworks.

Definition of Non-government Organisations (NGOs)
The diversity of NGOs strains any simple definition. They include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives.

Major Roles of NGOs in the Society

Development and Operation of Infrastructure:
Community-based organizations and cooperatives can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.

Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects:
NGO have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance the length of time which they will be supporting the project – overcoming some of the shortcomings that governments face in this respect. NGOs can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.

Facilitating Communication:
NGOs use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to the policy-making levels of government, information bout the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural characteristics of people at the local level.
NGOs can facilitate communication upward from people tot he government and downward from the government tot he people. Communication upward involves informing government about what local people are thinking, doing and feeling while communication downward involves informing local people about what the government is planning and doing. NGOs are also in a unique position to share information horizontally, networking between other organizations doing similar work.

Technical Assistance and Training:
Training institutions and NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation:
Innovative activities need to be carefully documented and shared – effective participatory monitoring would permit the sharing of results with the people themselves as well as with the project staff.

Advocacy for and with the Poor:
In some cases, NGOs become spokespersons or ombudsmen for the poor and attempt to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. This may be done through a variety of means ranging from demonstration and pilot projects to participation in public forums and the formulation of government policy and plans, to publicizing research results and case studies of the poor. Thus NGOs play roles from advocates for the poor to implementers of government programmes; from agitators and critics to partners and advisors; from sponsors of pilot projects to mediators.

WAYS THE INFORMAL ECONOMY CONTRIBUTES TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA
1). The informal sector act as a safety net for the formal economy thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own business boosting income and alleviating poverty.
2). The informal sector offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.
3). The informal economy offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.
4). The informal economy plays a significant role in the economy by reducing poverty and inequality.

MAJOR OBSTACLES INFORMAL SECTOR IS FACING IN NIGERIA’S ECONOMY
1). Low productivity
2). Poor governance
3). Excessive regulations
4). Reduced tax revenues
5). Poverty
6). Low level of education

THE NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION AND THEIR MAJOR ROLES IN THE SOCIETY

Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society.
Their roles includes:
1). Community mobilization 2). Environment, health and sanitation awareness creation 3). Promotion of child’s rights law 4).Promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education 5). Fight against child labour and human trafficking 6). Mobiliser of local resources and initiative 7). Catalyst enabler and innovator 8). Builder of self reliant sustainable society 9). Mediator of people and government 10). Supporter and partner of government programme in activating delivery system implementing rural development programmes 11). NGOs around the world dedicate their efforts to protecting human rights and ending human rights abuses.

IDOKO PATIENCE UCHENNA
Education Economics
2017/241111
uchennapatience50@gmail.com
Question 1 In what ways does informal sector contribute to Economic growth in Nigeria
expression “informal economy” encompasses a huge diversity of situations and phenomena. Indeed, the informal economy manifests itself in a variety of forms across and within economies. Formalization processes and measures aiming to facilitate transitions to formality need to be tailored to specific circumstances faced by different countries and categories of economic units or workers.
Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides critical economic opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s. Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.

In many cases, unlike the formal economy, activities of the informal economy are not included in a country’s gross national product (GNP) or gross domestic product (GDP).[3] However, Italy has included estimates of informal activity in their GDP calculations since 1987, which swells their GDP by an estimated 18% and in 2014, a number of European countries formally changed their GDP calculations to include prostitution and narcotics sales in their official GDP statistics, in line with international accounting standards, prompting an increase between 3-7%.[7] The informal sector can be described as a grey market in labour.

Other concepts that can be characterized as informal sector can include the black market (shadow economy, underground economy), agorism, and System D. Associated idioms include “under the table”, “off the books”, and “working for cash”.

Questions 2 What are the major obstacle informal sector is facing in Nigeria Economy
The informal sector — labor and business that is hidden from monetary, regulatory, and institutional authorities — accounts for about a third of GDP and 70 percent of employment (of which self-employment is more than a half) in emerging market and developing economies. While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.

Addressing the challenge of pervasive informality will require comprehensive policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Initiatives to boost long-term development might include measures aimed at reducing regulatory and tax burdens, expanding access to finance, improving education and other public services, and strengthening public revenue frameworks.

One-half of the world’s informal output and 95 percent of its informal employment is in emerging market and developing economies. Both informal output and employment have declined since 1990, particularly in countries with higher output growth, rapid physical capital accumulation, and larger improvements in governance and business climates.

The informal economy tends to employ lower-skilled and less productive workers. As a result, workers in the formal economy earn, on average, about 19 percent more than workers in the informal economy.

The average informal firm in emerging market and developing economies is only one-quarter as productive as the average firm operating in the formal sector. This is only in part explained by informal firm characteristics such as their younger age, less experience, and smaller size. Moreover, firms in the formal sector that face informal competition are, on average, only three-quarters as productive as those that do not. Better business climates can mitigate some of these productivity differentials.
Addressing informality requires well-coordinated policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Policy changes that could affect vulnerable groups can be balanced by stronger safety nets, greater labor and product market flexibility, and better access to resources for informal firms. In addition, policies to spur economic development in general can help reduce informality. Specific measures include streamlining of tax codes and enhanced enforcement of revenue collection; easing firm and labor regulations to create a level playing field for both formal and informal participants; as well as greater access to finance and public services to help increase productivity in the informal sector.,

Questions 3 What are the Non governmental organization and their roles in society
NGO
A non-profit making, voluntary, service-oriented/development oriented organization, either for the benefit of members (a grassroots organization) or of other members of the population (an agency).
It is an organization of private individuals who belive in certain basic social principles and who structure their activities to bring about development to communities that they are servicing.
THEIR ROLE
As one can tell from the basic definition above, the difference between nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and NGOs is slim. However, the term “NGO” is not typically applied to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. Generally, the NGO label is given to organizations operating on an international level although some countries classify their own civil society groups as NGOs.

NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation.

Name: Francis Chibuezem David
Reg. No: 2017/241445
Email- francischibuezem247@gmail.com

1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The informal economy contributes to the economic growth of Nigeria in the following ways;
1. Providing self-employment- It accommodates a large number of Nigerians through productive outlets who preferred to be self-employed, thus, contributing to the Nigerian economy in terms of employment.
2. It increases output; For example, the informal economy in Nigeria contributes 57.9% to Nigerian GDP in 2013, while the formal sector compliments it with 42.1%. Furthermore, the informal sector in Nigeria offers various outlets for professional entrepreneurs from the medium and large scale enterprises who desired to be self-employed using minimal capital resources. It can now be appreciated that the informal sector output is potential for the development of the Nigerian economy.
3. It also supplements the formal economy.

2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
The informal sector is entangled with a lot of obstacles despite the contribution of the sector to the development of some countries’ economies.
(i) Lack of access to credit facilities: Most of the informal workers lack access to credit facilities, the introduction of micro-finance banks in Nigeria in 2005 by the federal government did not solve the issue of informal workers accessing credit facilities this is because many of them do not have the collaterals to secure loans from the micro-finance banks. This could be attributed to the high rate of illiteracy among workers in the informal sector.
(ii) Unsafe working Conditions: The informal sector is associated with poor working conditions, the informal economy has very low safety standard, poor environment and weak health care which generally leads to poor hygiene. The environment they work is precarious in nature since most of them who work in the factories are exposed to dangerous chemicals.Many of them that feel sick owing to the precarious condition of their jobs and they always patronize local herbal sellers for drugs because they do not have enough income to buy orthodox drugs which they consider very expensive.
(iii) Harassment by public authorities: Vendors always have a rough time with the officials from the local governments who always harass them (the vendors) if they feel that the vendors are displaying their wares along the roadsides thereby obstructing traffic on the roads, or disobeying one rule or the other like during yhe covid 19 period, these vendors were really harassed
3. What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are legally constituted organizations, operate independently from the government and are generally considered to be “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue purposes of public interest”.
The major roles of NGOs include:
1. Social Development: NGOs play an important role in global social development—work that has helped facilitate achievements in human development as measured by the UN Human Development Index (HDI).
2. Sustainable Community Development: NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community devel￾opment. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations. They can also empower these populations to regain control of their lives and can work with and strengthen local organizations. In addition, such NGOs can carry out projects more efficiently and at lower costs than government agencies and, most importantly, promote sustainable develop￾ment
3. Sustainable Consumption : NGOs can also play an important role as partners to business/industry in promoting sustainable consumption.

Ogbodo peace chinenyenwa
2017/249543
nenyepeace2010@gmail.com

Question 1
Contributions of the informal economy to the Nigeria economy
The informal economy which represents the informal sector as earlier treated, is not backed up by the government of the state. The sector contributes mainly to the employment and income generation in the country. In developing countrys, formation of informal sectors will go a long way job creation because when private owned industries are established it will lead to increased employment and reduction of unemployment. This contribution is significant because the formal sector cannot possibly provide employment for every individual in the country.

Question 2
Obstacles faced by the informal sector in Nigeria economy
One of the major obstacles faced by the informal sector is insecurity. Since government ront have a say in the activities that take place in the informal sector, they tend to abandon them if they encounter any form of insecurity issue. There are some other obstacles such as lack of required skills, inequality in income distribution and so on.

Question 3
Non governmental organization and their role in the society
Non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit oriented organization. NGOs, may sometimes be called civil societies, since they are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a socio-political goal. The NGOs as the name implies is not a government owned organization. NGOs are known for their selfless roles which include improving the state of the natural environment, encouraging the observance of human rights, improving the welfare of the less previledged, or representing a corporate agenda, technical, legal and financial services to the poor, or work in collaboration with community based organizations in basic service and
infrastructural provision in the community at large.

NAME: OKOYECHUKWU CHIOMA AUGUSTINA
REG NO: 2017/244837
DEPT: EDUCATION/ECONOMICS
Email: chioma.okoyechukwu.244837@unn.edu.ng

1. WAYS INFORMAL SECTOR AFFECT THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY
The informal economy involves economic activities undertaken by individuals and organizations, which are not subject to full government regulations. Such activities include photography, catering, hairdressing, motorcycle services, tailoring, fashion designing, carpentry, painting, etc. This part of the economy is particularly large in Nigeria, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating it to constitute about 60% of the entire Nigerian economy.3 This represents about $240bn.

Informal activities are usually not captured in the process of computing GDP numbers. Meanwhile, working in the sector is attractive due to the ease attached to operations as a result of the absence of a bureaucratic regulatory framework, and little or no formal educational requirements.

At times, even Nigerians with high formal education find employment in the informal economy when well- paid formal sector jobs are unavailable. The big size of this economy, the in-evitable demand for their goods and services and the ease attached to working therein, could be a strategic consideration for Nigeria to raise employment. This growth in the informal sector and an increase in employment would imply higher household income and lower poverty in Nigeria.
2.OBSTACLES OF THE INFORMAL SECTOR IN NIGERIA
The Nigerian Informal sector players face a myriad of challenges including inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development.

3. THE NGO’s AND THEIR ROLES IN NIGERIA
Non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, were first called such in Article 71 in the Charter of the newly formed United Nations in 1945. While NGOs have no fixed or formal definition, they are generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence (although they may receive government funding).

As one can tell from the basic definition above, the difference between nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and NGOs is slim. However, the term “NGO” is not typically applied to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. Generally, the NGO label is given to organizations operating on an international level although some countries classify their own civil society groups as NGOs.

NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation.
ROLES OF THE NGOs
Among the wide variety of roles that NGOs play, the following six can be identified as important, at the risk of generalization:
Development and Operation of Infrastructure:
Community-based organizations and cooperatives can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.
Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects:
NGO have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance the length of time which they will be supporting the project – overcoming some of the shortcomings that governments face in this respect. NGOs can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.
Facilitating Communication:
NGOs use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to the policy-making levels of government, information bout the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural characteristics of people at the local level.
NGOs can facilitate communication upward from people tot he government and downward from the government tot he people. Communication upward involves informing government about what local people are thinking, doing and feeling while communication downward involves informing local people about what the government is planning and doing. NGOs are also in a unique position to share information horizontally, networking between other organizations doing similar work.
Technical Assistance and Training:
Training institutions and NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation:
Innovative activities need to be carefully documented and shared – effective participatory monitoring would permit the sharing of results with the people themselves as well as with the project staff.
Advocacy for and with the Poor:
In some cases, NGOs become spokespersons or ombudsmen for the poor and attempt to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. This may be done through a variety of means ranging from demonstration and pilot projects to participation in public forums and the formulation of government policy and plans, to publicizing research results and case studies of the poor. Thus NGOs play roles from advocates for the poor to implementers of government programmes; from agitators and critics to partners and advisors; from sponsors of pilot projects to mediators.

ONAH PEACE
2017/243367
ECONOMICS

WAYS THE INFORMAL SECTOR CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF NIGERIAN ECONOMY
The Nigerian Informal Sector has a large significant impact on the economy. The informal sector includes all economic activities which are hidden from official authorities for monetary, regulatory, and institutional reasons. Monetary reasons include avoiding paying taxes and all social security contributions, regulatory reasons include avoiding governmental bureaucracy or the burden of regulatory framework, while institutional reasons include corruption law, the quality of political institutions and weak rule of law. Examples of informal sector are hawkers, street kiosk or traders, hair dressers etc. The sector currently accounts for most employment and source of sustainace in our country, as Nigeria is bedeviled by unemployment and poverty but despite its importance, the informal sector is often overlooked. It is said to increase significantly during recession and very flexible to accommodate any business as the poor source for their living during recession. Inclusive economic development and job creation are unlikely to be achieved unless the potential and needs of the informal sector are adequately considered.
CHALLENGES OF THE INFORMAL SECTOR
In Nigeria, the Bank of Industry (BoI) has declared the informal sector an important economic factor that contributed to about 65% of the of thecountry’s GDP in 2017. Meaning it is a key player in the Nigerian economy but it is often overlooked.
They lack access to credit facilities that will help them boost the businesses or create jobs for them. Most of them lack capital to start business, because they are majorly those having a low standard of living.
the informal sector has now become a haven fraudulent activities that results in the loss of revenue from the economy , bad reputation of the country , creates unfair competition and market, reduces safety standards etc.
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS)
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmentaland non profit making that set to assist individuals with life sustaining facilities in the society. NGOs are legally constituted organizations, operate independently from the government and are generally considered to be “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue purposes of public interest”. The primary objective of the NGOs is to provide social justice, development and human rights.
They are involved in:
1)pleading for social cause without seeking any gains in.
2)They provide financial and material assistance .
3)They help the public to develop skills and develop them self all round.
4)NGOs also provide healthcare facilities which help those who don’t have access to it, and at a cheaper rate.
5) It spurs development and economic growth as the supporters of NGO work for the betterment of the economy.
6) NGOs create awareness of specific programs . They mainly emphasis on issues at national as well as international level for addressing the need of people in the country.

IROEGBU BLESSING O.
2017/249518
ECONOMICS

The informal sector in the economy is the sector in which economic activities are not registered by the government. It comprises of traders, subsistence farmers, SMEs, service providers such as: hairdressers, barbers, tailors etc.
The importance of the informal sector are limited to the following;
Some of the obstacles the informal sector faces includes;
1. Lack start up capital: Some of these informal workers tend not to have startup capital for their businesses. This is a major problem faced by many in the sector as they want to start a business but do not have the capital and can not access it from the government.
2. Lack of proper regulations from the government which keeps the sector relegated to the background and most of it’s economic activities not accounted for despite it’s major contribute to economic growth.
3. Poor knowledge of modern technology can impede efficiency in production and utilization of resources.
4. Income generation: the informal sector has helped individuals in different ways to generate income from their different engagement of one thing or the other, especially the rural areas. People in the rural areas who might not be opportune for white collar jobs are engaged in one thing or the other like; knitting of mat, making of shoes, hawking different things on the street so as to generate income used in feeding the family.

THE NGOs
The NGOs are Non-governmental organizations whose activities are neither influenced nor controlled by the government. It can also be said to be the coming together of individuals who share common goals for the benefit of the masses and are regarded as not for profit organization. It is purely voluntary and nonprofit oriented.
Some of the roles of the NGOs are;
1. They are engaged in a number of community development projects such as health education, sanitation awareness, child rights law, fight against child or forced labour, etc.
2. They act as pressure groups to influence government decisions on issues affecting the majority.
3. They also help to monitor and criticize the policies and actions of government.
4. They complement the function of government in fighting against Human Rights abuse and discrimination
5. They can also be seen to facilitate political participation at the grassroots level.

In summary of the NGOs, they are here to empower people(both financially and otherwise) to be able to stand for themselves and overcome common oppression by the masses.

Benson Jonathan Onyedikachi
2017/243814
BensonJonathan@yahoo.com.
1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The informal economy is described as the sum total of economic activity that happens outside state regulation, which is neither taxed nor represented in a country’s GDP. The size of the informal sector in Nigeria is estimated at about 65% and consists of activities that range from agricultural production to mining and quarrying, small-scale building and construction and machine-shop manufacturing.
The informal economy to a large extent acts as a safety net for individuals who Cannot find formal jobs thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. The informal economy also helps to reduce the crime levels in the economy such as armed robbery, theft, kidnappings etc by engaging these individuals in menial jobs that they can engage in to earn a living.The informal sector Lowers prices of commodities. informal activities take place in the backyard where rent is cheaper and cheap labour is used which usually result in lower costs such that lower prices are charged for their commodities. This is a benefit to the consumers since higher price charged in the formal sector reduces the consumer surplus.
2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
1. long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions;
2. low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction;
3. inadequate social security regulation;
4. difficulty exercising rights, for example combating child and forced labour and discrimination;
5. vulnerable, low-paid or undervalued jobs (particularly for women);
6. lack of representation.
3. What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
Non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization that was not founded by a state and, therefore, is typically independent of governments.
Roles of Non governmental organization include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They help to improve the life of the people by providing different services free of charge. Such services might include humanitarian aid in the form of providing food to the less privileged, Providing access to clean water, sanitation, housing, quality education etc. NGO’s ensure that everyone has accessible healthcare, legal support, human rights activism by providing information about human rights to the public and fighting human rights violations in courts and on the streets. NGO’s provide data-driven support to government bodies, and also empower local communities to move towards a sustainable form of living. NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations.

Nnadi Olivia ijeoma
Education economics
2016/232856
ijeoma.nnadi.232856@unn.edu.ng

The informal sector is described as the sum total of economic activities that happens outside state regulation, which is neither taxed not represented in a county’s GDP. The size of the informal sector in Nigeria is estimated at about 65% and consists of activities that range from farming, mining, small scale business, construction, etc. This sector consist of enterprises which are labor intensive. Low skilled laborers who are desperate for resources to meet their needs largely constitute the labor force of unorganized economic activities.
The informal sector contributes to the economy by enabling the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. This sector acts as a safety net for the formal economy. An enable, well supported and dynamic informal sector can be potent instruction for generating more inclusive growth. This sector has a growing propensity to employ.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION AND THEIR ROLE IN RHE SOCIETY

NGOs in Nigeria are into various aspects of community development such as; community mobilization, environmental, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of health education and fight against child labor and human trafficking.
They activities are not limited to environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They also work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or locally.
NGOs play a critical role in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation and creating awareness for necessary skills and information needed for growth and development.

Name: Ogu Mercy Akudo
Reg no:2017/249545
Department: Economics

INFORMAL SECTOR AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN THE ECONOMY

An informal economy or informal sector or grey economy is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
The informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides critical economic opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1900s. Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.
In many cases, unlike the formal economy, activities of the informal economy are not included in a country’s gross national product (GNP) or gross domestic product (GDP). However, Italy has included estimates of informal activity in their GDP calculations since 1987, which swells their GDP by an estimated 18% and in 2014, a number of European countries formally changed their GDP calculations to include prostitution and narcotics sales in their official GDP statistics, in line with international accounting standards, prompting an increase between 3-7%.nThe informal sector can be described as a grey market in labour.

The informal sector is largely characterized by several qualities: skills gained outside of a formal education, easy entry (meaning anyone who wishes to join the sector can find some sort of work which will result in cash earnings), a lack of stable employer-employee relationships,and a small scale of operations.Workers who participate in the informal economy are typically classified as employed. The type of work that makes up the informal economy is diverse, particularly in terms of capital invested, technology used, and income generated.

The spectrum ranges from self-employment or unpaid family labor to street vendors, shoe shiners, and junk collectors.On the higher end of the spectrum are upper-tier informal activities such as small-scale service or manufacturing businesses, which have more limited entry. The upper-tier informal activities have higher set-up costs, which might include complicated licensing regulations, and irregular hours of operation. However, most workers in the informal sector, even those who are self-employed or wage workers, do not have access to secure work, benefits, welfare protection, or representation. These features differ from businesses and employees in the formal sector which have regular hours of operation, a regular location and other structured benefits.
There are three views to explain the causes of informality. The first view argues that the informal sector is a reservoir of potentially productive entrepreneurs who are kept out of formality by high regulatory costs, most notably entry regulation. The second sees informal forms as “parasitic forms” which are productive enough to survive in the formal sector but choose to remain informal to earn higher profits from the cost advantages of not complying with taxes and regulations. The third argues that informality is a survival strategy for low-skill individuals, who are too unproductive to ever become formal.The remaining forms correspond to low-skill entrepreneurs who are too unproductive to ever become formal. I think that informal forms to a large extent are dependent on others and should be eradicated through tighter enforcement could produce positive effects on the economy.

The most prevalent types of work in the informal economy are home-based workers and street vendors. Home-based workers are more numerous while street vendors are more visible. Combined, the two fields make up about 10–15% of the non-agricultural workforce in developing countries and over 5% of the workforce in developed countries.

Some persons in the informal sector can be criticized , many workers engage in informal ventures by choice, for either economic or non-economic reasons. Economic motivations include the ability to evade taxes, the freedom to circumvent regulations and licensing requirements, and the capacity to maintain certain government benefits.A study of informal workers in Costa Rica illustrated other economic reasons for staying in the informal sector, as well as non-economic factors. First, they felt they would earn more money through their informal sector work than at a job in the formal economy. Second, even if workers made less money, working in the informal sector offered them more independence, the chance to select their own hours, the opportunity to work outside and near friends, etc. While jobs in the formal economy might bring more security and regularity, or even pay better, the combination of monetary and psychological rewards from working in the informal sector proves appealing for many workers.

The informal sector was historically recognized as an opposition to the formal economy, meaning it included all income earning activities beyond legally regulated enterprises. However, this understanding is too inclusive and vague, and certain activities that could be included by that definition are not considered part of the informal economy. It can also be said that the informal sector does not include the crimes in the economy. While production or employment arrangements in the informal economy may not be strictly legal, the sector produces and distributes legal goods and services. The informal economy also does not include the reproductive or care economy, which is made up of unpaid domestic work and care activities. The informal economy is part of the market economy, meaning it produces goods and services for sale and profit. Unpaid domestic work and care activities do not contribute to that, and as a result, are not a part of the informal economy.

Importance of informal sector

✓Providing employment:it helps provide employment to a lot of people. In developing countries Informal sector provides more employment than the formal sector.

✓Easiest way of doing business is that people who wish to join can easily find it or engage in it. For example a street fruit seller can easily start it’s business.

✓Very small initial investment:most of the informal sector activities require small initial investment.

✓it is unskilled work. The skills needed for this type of work are gained outside of formal education.

✓Wide range of activities: from cycle repairing to electronic repairing, plumbers, fruit or vegetable vendors, street food vendors, salesman, agricultural labour, barbers, cobblers etc.

✓ The Employee’s effort is directed towards achieving profit rather than satisfying irrelevant routines.

✓The focus on quality informal sector employee marketing done via their customers. So they always try to provide quality service or products to their customers. For instance,a woman that sells vegetables will try to obtain a permanent customer from the nearby residential area and her service and quality will be good to retain the customer.

It is also a huge employer. It represents about three-quarters of non-agricultural employment.
Today, the informal economy appears to be as important as ever to Africa (Nigeria) and its future development. But governments, and international organisations like the World Bank and ILO, do not like the informal economy.

What are Non governmental organizations?
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a group of persons brought together in the form of a legal association to help others and which operates autonomously for a governmental authority, including an international one.There are two main criteria that defines an NGO are:It must be politically independent;
Serve the public interest. other criteria are often associated with this,the non-profit nature of its work; financial independence

Characteristics:

The grouping together of private individuals with a non-profit project for the benefit of others.
The legal form of non-profit association, according to national laws.
The fact of being an autonomous space concerning the State or private powers. The State must not be at the origin of the creation of the NGO even if it may have links with the State. The same autonomy must exist about the private economy, the Church, sects or criminal groups.
“Reference to values implying, at the same time as a freely consented commitment, the will to include associative action in a citizen dimension inserted in a democratic framework. “The NGO thus becomes one of the segments of what is called “civil society”.
The transnational nature of the action: an action that is carried out in another country (other than the country of origin) where it seeks to defend human rights or to intervene for the protection of the environment and sustainable development.

That is to say, the purpose of non governmental organizations is to work for the improvement, upliftment and development of society and the economy, human rights awareness, empowerment of women, etc.

Benefits of Non-Governmental Organizations

✓Adaptation
An NGO can easily adapt to local environmental conditions and thus provide personalized assistance. They also make it possible to test new techniques in a very targeted manner, for example. Programmes can also be easily integrated when it comes to providing benefits to the local population.

✓Speed of execution
One of the advantages of an NGO is its flexibility and speed of action. Unlike governments, they are not hampered by bureaucratic red tape. They can mobilize the population for rapid action when a crisis breaks out in a given country. The example of Romania is a good illustration of how, in the early 1990s, a multitude of NGOs were set up in record time and many initiatives were taken in Switzerland to raise money and deliver aid to communities in Romania.

✓Advocacy.
The possibility for non governmental organizations to favour development aid and serve as channels of information on projects carried out in developing countries and on the contribution of cooperation to the beneficiaries.

✓Non-governmental organizations can provide a means for people at the local level to communicate with those at the highest level of government administration; professional workers of non governmental organizations are not hindered by the same types of restrictions that a government position would impose on their work.

✓Trust
Non governmental organizations are very effective in raising donations, especially from northern populations. They enjoy an excellent level of trust. They are generally perceived as transparent and this builds trust.
Non governmental organizations exhibit a sense of closeness and mobilization.that is, it’s well supported by supporters and donors.

OKAGBUE Chisom E
2017/249552
Economics
Answer to question 1
The informal economy represents all work by individuals or businesses which, by law or practice, is not sufficiently catered for through formal arrangements. Although the informal sector creates a base in which firms can expand and migrate to the formal sector, the sector also provides employment opportunities in both rural and urban settings for economic actors that are often excluded from the formal sector due to their lack of desirable skills. This is vital to an economy as it creates a safety valve for unemployment when the economic climate of a country is low. Various evidence indicates that the informal sector creates employment opportunities for women that is potentially lacking in the formal sector and is seen an avenue in which they can obtain additional income thereby improving their standard of living. The sector also enables flexibility and the chance for women to work and still fulfil cultural and social gender roles, resulting in a large number of women participating in the informal sector and as such, contribute to the GDP of the country

Answer to question 2
The major obstacles of the informal sector are; lack of social security, lack of proper infrastructure,insufficient capital base, basic sufficient tools or proper knowledge of the business, economic laws put in place by government etc.

Answer to question 3

NGOs are Non-governmental organizations set up purposely as a beneficial program for the less privileged and socially affected citizens of a country.
It is a non-profit making organization which is organized on a local, national and international level. It is driven by people with a common interest to perform a variety of services and humanitarian function

NGOs bring citizen concerns to the Government, monitor and advocate policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.

NGOs focus on numerous aspects that are indeed important to the citizens of a country. Such aspects include:

human rights, legal support, promoting education, agricultural development, encouraging social responsibility, poverty alleviation, supporting human welfare, development of communities, health or environment, etc. NGOs are mostly set up to improve the lives of people by providing much-needed services free of charge. There are lots of NGOs in Nigeria with various activities that cannot be overlooked.

Living in a country where many of its citizens are subjected to untold hardship, emotional trauma, poverty, etc. The presence of NGOs helps to bring the solution to such problems and ensuring that it is reduced to the minimum.

There are many people out there who seek help which the Government cannot necessarily provide due to poor administration and the NGOs exist to ensure such help is provided to such distressed citizens.

If you are interested in knowing the NGOs in Nigeria, this article is aimed at stating the NGOs in Nigeria.
CLEEN Foundation
This non-governmental organization was established to promote public safety, security and accessible justice through the strategies of empirical research, legislative advocacy, democratic programmes and publication in partnership with government, civil society and the private sector.

Name: Ifetayo Kosi Anwoluwa
Reg no: 2017/249343
Department: Economics

The informal sector, also known as the underground economy, black economy, shadow economy, or gray economy, is part of a country’s economy that is not recognized as normal income sources. People who work in the informal sector do not declare their income and pay no taxes on them. Our research shows unambiguously that the informal sector is an important source of employment and of paid employment with a growing propensity to employ. Informal enterprises provide livelihoods, work and income for more than 2.5 million workers and owner-operators.The informal sector consists of enterprises which are labour-intensive. Low-skilled labourers who are desperate enough to work for miserly wages in order to meet their subsistence requirements largely constitute the labour force of unorganised economic activities. The informal sector is a burden on the formal economy because of tax evasion that results in greater tax burden on the official sector; that is, a negative impact occurs in the form of less expenditure on public utilities, increased taxation, lower productivity and economic growth in the short run.Those working in the informal economy, and especially women, face many challenges, including low and fluctuating incomes, difficult working conditions, lack of legal protection, numerous legal and physical risks, and often low social standing. A job in the informal sector reduces poverty about as much as a job in the formal sector. In the aggregate, earnings from jobs in the informal sector play a small role in reducing national poverty rates, especially because there are relatively few informal sector jobs.

What is the non governmental organisation and their major roles in the society?
non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit group that functions independently of any government. NGOs, sometimes called civil societies, are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes or the environment. While “NGO” has various interpretations, the term is generally accepted to include non-profit, private organizations that operate outside of government control. Some NGOs rely primarily on volunteers, while others support a paid staff. The World Bank identifies two broad groups of NGOs:
1. Operational NGOs, which focus on the design and implementation of development projects.
2. Advocacy NGOs, which defend or promote a specific cause and seek to influence public policy. Some NGOs may fall under both categories simultaneously. Examples of NGOs include those that support human rights, advocate for improved health or encourage political participation.
How NGOs are Funded
As non-profits, NGOs rely on a variety of sources for funding, including:
1. membership dues
2. private donations
3. the sale of goods and services
4. grants

Name: Ugochukwu Onyinyechi Marycynthia
Reg no: 2017/249580
Department: Economics

An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However, the informal sector provides critical economic opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s. Integrating the informal economy into the formal sector is an important policy challenge.

In many cases, unlike the formal economy, activities of the informal economy are not included in a country’s gross national product (GNP) or gross domestic product (GDP). However, Italy has included estimates of informal activity in their GDP calculations since 1987, which swells their GDP by an estimated 18% and in 2014, a number of European countries formally changed their GDP calculations to include prostitution and narcotics sales in their official GDP statistics, in line with international accounting standards, prompting an increase between 3-7%. The informal sector can be described as a grey market in labour.

Other concepts that can be characterized as informal sector can include the black market (shadow economy, underground economy), agorism, and System D. Associated idioms include “under the table”, “off the books”, and “working for cash”.
Examples include food and flea markets, street vendors, laundry mats and the like, mostly in rural or informal areas. It is considered informal since these businesses are rarely registered at national or regional levels, are cash-based and thus do not pay taxes and usually do not have formal arrangements with employees.Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries, it is sometimes stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. Ways at which the informal sector can contribute to economic growth in Nigeria
1. Lower interest rates – reduce the cost of borrowing and increase consumer spending and investment.
2. Increased real wages – if nominal wages grow above inflation then consumers have more disposable to spend.
3. Higher global growth – leading to increased export spending.

Non- governmental organisation and their major roles in the society

NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences. Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders. However, NGOs can also be lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic Forum. NGOs are legally constituted organizations, operate independently from the government and are generally considered to be “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue purposes of public interest”. The primary objective of NGOs is to provide social justice, development and human rights. NGOs are generally funded totally or partly by governments and they maintain their non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization.

Ezeoha Chidera Claire
2017/249507

Some of the contributions of the informal economy to economic growth are as follows:
1. Low cost labour
2 . Low cost inputs
3. Low cost goods and services to public
4. Provides economic opportunities for the poor
5. They create necessary jobs

Some major obstacles that informal sector faces;
1. Lack of adequate funding
2. High job insecurities
3. No access to basic protections and services
4. Long working hours
5. Inadequate social security regulation

What are Non governmental organizations
NGOs are groups and organizations that are free from government control and some are usually non profit oriented.
Some of the roles of NGOs include;
1. Social development
2. Sustainable community development
3. Sustainable development
4. Sustainable consumption
5. Business partnership

AYOGU UCHECHI EUPHEMIA
2017/244738
EDUCATION ECONOMICS
WHAT IS INFORMAL SECTOR?
The informal sector refers to those workers who are self employed, or who work for those who are self employed. People who earn a living through self employment in most cases are not on payrolls, and thus are not taxed. Many informal workers do their businesses in unprotected and unsecured places.
WHAT IS NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO)?
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit group that functions independently of any government. NGOs, sometimes called civil societies, are organized on community, national and international levels to serve a social or political goal such as humanitarian causes or the environment.
The World Bank identifies two broad groups of NGOs:
1.Operational NGOs, which focus on the design and implementation of development projects.
2.Advocacy NGOs, which defend or promote a specific cause and seek to influence public policy.1
Some NGOs may fall under both categories simultaneously. Examples of NGOs include those that support human rig
TYPES OF NON GOVERNMENTAL OGANIZATION
1.INGO: An international NGO. For example, the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe is comprised of more than 300 participating INGOs.2
2.GONGO: This means government-organized NGO, often derogatory. Foreign Policy describes GONGOs as a government-backed NGOs set up to advocate on the behalf of a repressive regime in the international arena.3
3.QUANGO: Chiefly a British term, often derogatory. A quango is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization that relies on public funding. Its senior officials are appointed by the government. A Financial Times opinion piece writes that quangos are seen as useless and are often staffed by quangocrats.4
4.ENGO: An environmental NGO, for example, Greenpeace or the World Wildlife Fund. Both groups operate internationally in addition to advocating for the environment. They are often simply referred to as NGOs. advocate for improved health or encourage political participationRoles of NGOs
THE MAJOR ROLES OF NGOS IN THE SOCIETY
1.Development and Operation of Infrastructure:Community-based organizations and cooperatives can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects:NGO have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance the length of time which they will be supporting the project – overcoming some of the shortcomings that governments face in this respect. NGOs can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.
2. Facilitating Communication:NGOs use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to the policy-making levels of government, information bout the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural characteristics of people at the local level.
NGOs can facilitate communication upward from people tot he government and downward from the government tot he people. Communication upward involves informing government about what local people are thinking, doing and feeling while communication downward involves informing local people about what the government is planning and doing. NGOs are also in a unique position to share information horizontally, networking between other organizations doing similar work.
3.Technical Assistance and Training:Training institutions and NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.
4. Research, Monitoring and Evaluation:Innovative activities need to be carefully documented and shared – effective participatory monitoring would permit the sharing of results with the people themselves as well as with the project staff.
5. Advocacy for and with the Poor:In some cases, NGOs become spokespersons or ombudsmen for the poor and attempt to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. This may be done through a variety of means ranging from demonstration and pilot projects to participation in public forums and the formulation of government policy and plans, to publicizing research results and case studies of the poor. Thus NGOs play roles from advocates for the poor to implementers of government programmes; from agitators and critics to partners and advisors; from sponsors of pilot projects to mediators.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF INFORMAL SECTOR IN ECONOMIC GROWTH.
A.Employment:
The informal sector creates employment opportunities for its citizens. At independence, the
informal sector in Nigeria accounted for less than 10% of the labour force. However, as time went on, with mass education, demand for formal employment increased rapidly against a backdrop of a gradually declining economy. The informal economy accounted for 30% of those employed in 2003, up from 23% in 19959. Two thirds (63%) of the people employed in the informal economy were in the urban areas. In 2011 the informal sector employed about 84%workers of those aged 15 years and above. Service and sales constituted thirtyseven percent of the informal sector employees. FinScope survey (2012) reported that 5.7 million people are working in the informal sector.

B.Social
From the social side it has often been overlooked that the informal sector keep citizens busy such that there would be less free time to commit crime thus reducing the crime rate of a country. Political backing can also be gained from the informal sector activities as such they are often tolerated or even encouraged.
C.Lower prices of commodities
As alluded earlier, informal activities take place in the backyard where rent is cheaper and cheap labour is used which usually result in lower costs such that lower prices are charged for their commodities. Generally, informal sector players have significantly low overheads, compared against the formal sector players. This is a benefit to the consumers since higher price charged in the formal sector reduces the consumer surplus.
D.Low labour costs
The low costs of labour emanate from the fact that most informal sector employees are relatives of the business owners and are usually paid low wages or not paid at all in some circumstances.
MAJOR OBSTACLES OF INFORMAL SECTOR IN NIGERIA.
Lack of Legal Protection and Clear Negotiating Counterparts
Many informal workers do not have an employer – at least not an obvious one – with whom to negotiate. Also, they are outside the protective labour law framework with no clear markers against which to push for gains. Since collective bargaining is a staple of trade union activities, these factors create perceptual and practical challenges for traditional unions.
Where employers do exist, they may treat informal workers harshly or ignore existing laws. Furthermore, existing regulations often impede, rather than assist, informal workers. This is the case, for example, for street vendors in urban spaces who may face harassment by authorities. Harassment or harsh working conditions can serve as an impetus for collective action – or can
create a climate of fear that inhibits organizing, especially where workers can be dismissed and lose their livelihoods but have no recourse.

Poverty and Vulnerability
Many informal workers are poor and must work long hours – sometimes in multiple jobs – to survive, leaving them little time for organizing. Migrant workers may need to remain undetected because they are undocumented, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation and harassment.
Competition between workers – for example street vendors selling similar products, or taxi drivers in the same area – can reduce the inclination to work collectively. They may come together to take on particular challenges or oppose authorities in a crisis, but this unity of purpose may end when the issue is resolved. For collective action to be ongoing, workers must perceive an ongoing common interest.
Diverse Workplaces
Workplaces may be small, as with some garment workers, or may even be individual households, as is the case for domestic workers. Many informal workers are isolated (e.g. home-based workers and domestic workers), mobile (e.g. street vendors and street waste pickers) or far flung (e.g. farm workers, forest gatherers) workplaces. A single worker may have multiple workplaces and multiple “employers.” These factors all create further complexities for recruiting members, for negotiating better conditions, and for organizational structures and strategies.
Governance and Leadership Issues
In some sectors and in some countries, informal workers have traditionally organized in local associations. However, democratic structures – for example, compliance with formal rules, such as in a constitution, or processes for electing leaders – may not exist (Roever in Chen et al. 2007).
Political or corrupt leadership may be an issue, and these leaders may resist joining with larger trade unions. It is also common for women to be excluded from leadership positions.
Insufficient Resources
Because many informal workers are poor – particularly true for women – they cannot afford dues, especially in times of economic or personal crisis. Organizations of informal workers often lack sufficient resources to cover the cost of staff, space and meetings.Where unions serve both formal and informal workers, they too may have insufficient financial resources, and informal workers may be viewed as a drain on these.

Oko Nkem Frankline
2017/243813
Economics
Question one:
• The Informal Sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regulated by the government and other public authorities; this includes enterprises that are not officially registered and do not maintain a complete set of accounts; and workers who hold jobs lacking basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Examples of informal employment workers include: street traders, subsistence farmers, small scale manufacturers, service providers (e.g. hairdressers, private taxi drivers, and carpenters), etc. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment.
• Informal economy offers significant job creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more accessible goods and services. With the significant contribution of informal sector to the Nigerian economy, an undeniable truth is that any notion of economic development in the country is one that hugely depends on the state of affairs of the informal sector.
Question Two:
Obstacle of informal sector in Nigeria
The following are the obstacles of the informal sector in Nigeria:

• Poor enforcement and the non-participation of informal Entrepreneurs in decision-making.
• Inadequacy of Technology, education, markets, land And physical infrastructure
• limited Access to finance, and limited skills Development.
•Institutional inadequacy
Question three:
Non-governmental organizations are commonly referred to as NGOs, they are usually non-profit and sometimes international organizations, independent of governments and international governmental organizations. Example of non governmental organizations in Nigeria include Action Aid International,Africare,Family Health International etc.
Role of NGOs
These roles are
1.Social development: NGOs play an important role in global social development—work that has helped facilitate achievements in human development as measured by the UN Human Development Index (HHDI.
2.Sustainable community development: NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community development. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations.
3.sustain- able development: NGOs have played a significant role in promoting sustainable development at the international level. NGOs are going beyond their primary focus on governments and starting to address large corporations.
4. Sustainable consumption: NGOs can also play an important role as partners to business/industry in promoting sustainable consumption

NAME: OKEKE NANCY OGADIMMA
REG NO:2017/249557
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
EMAIL: ogadimmanancy12@gmail.com

In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?

The informal sector comprises of any form of business activities that are not regulated by the government.The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal sector thereby allowing the unemployed and the unemployable to find work or start their own business thus alleviating poverty and boosting income
The informal sector basically gives people the opportunity to create jobs and make their own income.So it thereby provides significant job opportunities, income generation that will help them.This in turn boost the GDP of a country thereby leading to economic growth
What are the major obstacles the informal sectors are facing in Nigeria’s economy?
A.Insecurity: Workers in the informal sector have low job security because they don’t know what will happen next .This is because of inadequate regulations or lack of proper regulations at the workplace due to the fact that it is not being monitored, controlled or regulated by the government
B.Exploitation:Most of the workers in the informal sectors are being exploited because there is no checks and balances.They always receive a pay lower than the services being rendered and thereby ends up not being satisfied.Also the jobs there are always undervalued jobs especially for women.
C.High turnover rates and low job satisfaction:This is mostly caused by inadequate social security regulation;
D.Difficulty exercising rights:It is very difficult to exercise some certain rights in the informal sector due to lack of regulations and monitoring.for example combating child and forced labour and discrimination.

What are the Non-governmental agencies and their major role in the society?

Organizations which are independent of government involvement are known as non-governmental organizations. NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others. NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences.
Their Major roles are:
1.Service-delivery NGOs provide public goods and services which governments of developing countries are unable to provide due to a lack of resources.
2.Capacity-building NGOs affect “culture, structure, projects and daily operations”
3.Advocacy and public-education NGOs aim to modify behavior and ideas through communication, crafting messages to promote social, political, or environmental changes.
4.Movement NGOs mobilize the public and coordinate large-scale collective activities to advance an activist agenda.

ugwoke faith chinazaekpere
2017/249582
Economics
Question 1:
The informal sector mostly comprises very small enterprises (frequently fewer than five individuals) that often are based in poor neighbourhoods and generates quite low earnings for enterprises and individuals. Still, these are economic activities that put income in the hands of millions of people. Supporting and strengthening these activities holds the potential to inject resources into poorer households and areas and should be a central part of broad economic empowerment and the pursuit of inclusive growth.ways inwhich the informal sector contribute to Te growth of Nigerian economy include:
1) The role of informal sector in poverty alleviation :
Linked to the role of the sector in job creation is the vital impact of informal-sector employment on poverty alleviation. 
2) Gender and position of women:
Changes in trade also highlight changes in the gender composition of the informal sector. The share of women in overall informal-sector employment (including enterprise ownership) declined significantly between 2008 and 2014.
3) Employment in the informal sector:
GDP is only one measure of contribution. Across the country the informal sector in South Africa is a significant source of employment.
Question 2:
The informal sector — labor and business that is hidden from monetary, regulatory, and institutional authorities — accounts for about a third of GDP and 70 percent of employment (of which self-employment is more than a half) in emerging market and developing economies. While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.
3) They tend to employ lower skill and less productive workers:
The average informal is emerging market and developing economies is only one-quarter as as the average firm operating in the formal sector. This is only in part explained by informal firm characteristics such as their younger age, less experience, and smaller size. Moreover, firms in the formal sector that face informal competition are, on average, only three-quarters as productive as those that do not. Better business climates can mitigate some of these productivity differentials.
Question 3)
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society.. A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc. Some of the NGOs are self financing – Owen Obaseki foundation, Sir Osunde foundation and Emmanuel Arigbe Osula foundation – while others relies on support from donor agencies.
Donor agencies in Nigeria includes : World Bank, European Union and Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and some individuals.Some of the NGOs whose activities are prominent in Edo state includes: BodyEnhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and Pro-Health International. It is suggested that NGOs should as a matter of necessity collaborate with each other, in order to have their efforts fully appreciated by majority of those in need of their services. Also the government should participate in the funding of NGOs activities.In general, the Non-Governmental Organization is a positive approach to rural development.

Isaac Blessing chiyantirimam
2017/242942
Economics
isaacblessing49@gmail.com
1. In what way does informal economy contribute to Economic growth in Nigeria.
2017 saw Nigeria record its first full year of growth after experiencing its first recession in 25 years. While this recovery brought about an increase in business confidence, concerns remain as the GDP growth achieved was less than national population growth. This concern persists even as the IMF projected 2.1% growth for 2018, which falls below the population growth forecast of 2.6%. Population growth,coupled with high underemployment and unemployment rates (combined 40%), will result in an increase in the number of job seekers in 2018. It also translates to an increase in the number of people who look to the informal sector for economic survival.The Nigerian Informal Sector (IS) is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, theNigerian informal sector accounted for ~65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP.So what is the informal sector?
The Informal Sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regulated by the government and other public authorities; this includes enterprises that are not officially registered and do not maintain a complete set of accounts;and workers who hold jobs lacking basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Examples of informal employment workers include: street traders, subsistence farmers, small scale manufacturers, service providers (e.g. hairdressers, private taxi drivers, and carpenters), etc. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment in some of the poorer developing countries.Due to its flexible nature, the informal sector in some ways is better able to adapt to difficulties such as the current global recession, providing some measure of support to those most in need.
The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.
2. What are the major obstacles the informal sector is facing in the Nigerian economy?
The Nigerian Informal sector players face a myriad of challenges including inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development.
3. What are the Non governmental organizations and their roles in the society.
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society. A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.
Some their roles are;
1. Development and Operation of Infrastructure: Community-based organizations and cooperatives can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.
2. Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects: NGO have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance the length of time which they will be supporting the project – overcoming some of the shortcomings that governments face in this respect. NGOs can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.
3. Facilitating Communication: NGOs use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to the policy-making levels of government, information bout the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural characteristics of people at the local level.

4. Technical Assistance and Training: Training institutions and NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.
5. Research, Monitoring and Evaluation: Innovative activities need to be carefully documented and shared – effective participatory monitoring would permit the sharing of results with the people themselves as well as with the project staff.
6. Advocacy for and with the Poor: In some cases, NGOs become spokespersons or ombudsmen for the poor and attempt to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. Thus NGOs play roles from advocates for the poor to implementers of government programmes; from agitators and critics to partners and advisors; from sponsors of pilot projects to mediators.

Ikechukwu Chizoba Peace
2017/249517
Economics
An informal sector of the economy is known to be that part of country’s economy that is not recognized as normal income sources. Those enterprises that are neither taxed nor monitored by the government and their activities are not included in GDP. They represent self employed artisans often paid in cash but generally not listed in official figures. They contribute to the economy positively because they are consisting of units engaged in production of goods and services, their by generating job opportunities, income opportunities of workers and business owners, resuction of poverty, increase in livelihood which generally boost the growth of the economy. It act as a safety net for the formal sector economy, they do this by allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own business.
They also provide goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.

Some of the obstacles facing informal sector in Nigeria economy are;
1. Inadequacy of technology
2. Limited access to finance
3. Limited skills development
4. Insecurity
5. Markets
6. Education
7. Land and physical infrastructure

Non governmental organization and their major roles in the society.
NGOs are legally constitude organizations that operates I dependently from the government and they are know for their non- state, non- profit oriented groups wo pursue purposes of public interest. Their primary aim is to provide social justice, development and human rights.
Their major roles in the society are;
a. Community mobilization
b. Environment
c. Promotion of sexuality and reproduction health education
d. Livelihood
e. Inclusive growth and poverty reduction.
f. Ameliorate the plight of the people that so much quest for life sustaining facilities in the society.

Okoroji Arinze Emmanuel
2017/241443
Economics

1. According to the IMF, the Nigerian informal sector accounted for 65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment in some of the poorer developing countries. The informal sector contributes to the Nigerian economy when this individuals who acquire skills go to acquire loan with intentions of paying back with a profit. This is recorded by banks as securities which is also imputed in the GDP. Due to its flexible nature, the informal sector in some ways is better able to adapt to difficulties such as the current global recession, providing some measure of support to those most in need
2. Major obstaclee of the Nigerian economy include; Inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development.
3. The following are nongovernmental organization in Nigeria and their major roles;
Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities : is an umbrella organization of persons with disability established in Nigeria to promote the rights and development of Nigerians with disabilities. The organization was established in 1992, to represent the interests of the teeming population of persons with disabilities at the local and international level.
Women Aid collective; exists to promote human rights of women and young people, increase legal protection and fight for better choices for abused women and children, facilitate flow of information and experience between organizations
African Women Initiative Against Violence & Poverty; provides women survivors of war, civil strife, gender based violence and young women in distress with tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies changing Africa woman one at a time.

Name: Nwosu Angel Chiamaka
Reg no: 2017/249536
Dept: ECONOMICS
Email: angelapaul230@gmail.com
1. The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. The Nigerian Informal Sector (IS) is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, the Nigerian informal sector accounted for ~65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP. The size of the informal sector in Nigeria is estimated at about 65% and consists of activities that range from agricultural production to mining and quarrying, small-scale building and construction and machine-shop manufacturing.
2. Some of the major obstacles are a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality. My research discovered that some of the challenges experienced by the informal sectors in Nigeria ranged from lack of support from the local municipality to structural challenges like lack of ablution facilities and limited access to electricity, low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction.
3. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, non profit making and self governing, set out to ameliorate the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society. Next, i will discuss four important roles of NGOs. These roles are (1) social development, (2) sustainable community development, (3) sustain- able development, and (4) sustainable consumption. NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. … They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation. They can experiment freely with innovative approaches and, if necessary, to take risks.
* They are flexible to adapt to local situations and respond to local needs and are therefore able to develop integrated projects, as well as sectoral projects.
* List of Top NGOs in Nigeria.
* Let’s Talk Humanity.
* Access to Education for Children.
* ActionAid International Nigeria.
* Action Health Incorporated (AHI)
* All Nigeria United Nations Students’ & Youth Association (ANUNSA)
* .Alliances for Africa (AfA)
* African Sports Support & Education Trust.

ONAH SOMTOCHUKWU KERIAN ECONOMICS
DEPT 2017/249566
(1) The informal sector is
seen to play a huge part in the development of
economies, most especially in transitioning and
developing nations. The Nigeris region informal
sector entails mostly small enterprises and is
seen as a provider of certain social services such
as employment and gender equality, which are
factors crucial to the economic development of a
country. Although the informal sector creates a
base in which firms can expand and migrate to
the formal sector, the sector also provides
employment opportunities in both rural and urban
settings for economic actors that are often
excluded from the formal sector due to their lack
of desirable skills.
(2).While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poorbgovernance, excessive regulations, and poverty
and income inequality. Nigerian Informal sector
players face a myriad of challenges including
inadequacy of technology, education, markets,
land and physical infrastructure, limited access
to finance, and limited skills development.
(3.)
Some of the NGOs whose activities are
prominent in nigeria includes: Body
Enhancement, Annual Reconstructive Surgery
(BEARS) foundation, Lift Above Poverty
Organization (LAPO), Girls Power Initiative (GPI)
and Pro-Health International. A number of these
NGOs are into various aspects of community
development such as: community mobilization,
environment, health and sanitation awareness
creation, promotion of childs rights law,
promotion of sexuality and reproductive health
education and fight against child labour and
human trafficking etc.

Name: Ahamefula Miracle Chisom
Dept:Economics
Reg no: 2017/249478

1.IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE INFORMAL ECONOMY CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA?
The Nigerian Informal Sector (IS) is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for a significant portion of employment and national GDP. According to the IMF, theNigerian informal sector accounted for ~65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP.So what is the informal sector?The Informal Sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regulated by the government and other public authorities; this includes enterprises that are not officially registered and do not maintain a complete set of accounts;and workers who hold jobs lacking basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Examples ofinformal employment workers include: street traders, subsistence farmers, small scale manufacturers, service providers (e.g. hairdressers, private taxi drivers, and carpenters), etc. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment in some of the poorer developing countries.Due to its flexible nature, the informal sector in some ways is better able to adapt to difficulties such as the current global recession, providing some measure of support to those most in need. Despite its importance, the informal sector is often overlooked and misunderstood, with some viewing it as transient, and expected to eventually be absorbed into the formal economy.
Today there is no unanimous perspective with regard to the informal economy. Some take the view that theinformal sector encourages fraudulent activities that results in the loss of revenue from taxes, weakens unions, creates unfair competition, leads to a loss of regulatory control, reduces observance of health and safety standards, amongst others. However, a fast growing view is that informal economy offers significant job creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more accessible goods and services. With the significant contribution of informal sector to the Nigerian economy, an undeniable truth is that any notion of economic development in the country is one that hugely depends on the state of affairs of the informal sector. Sustainable and inclusive economic development and job creation are unlikely to be achieved unless the potential and needs of the informal sector are adequately considered.
Consequently efforts must be made to understand the dynamics of the sector and how best to tap the latent potential that lies within.Contributions of the Informal Sector to Employment and Output in Nigeria

According to Altman (2008), the first and foremost point on the proportion of employment in the informal sector is that the share of employment in small informal enterprises tends to fall as a country’s per capita income rises. Amin (2002) observes that the proportion of the labour force engaged in the informal sector fell by between 60 and 70 percent of the labour force in low income South Asian economies, by between 30 and 50 percent in middle-income South-East Asian countries, and by about 25 percent in high-income Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore. It was also pointed out however, that in Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, 78 percent of non-agricultural employment is found in informal-sector firms, accounting for about 21 percent of total employment, including domestic workers (ECA, 2005).
Considering the on-going economic and financial crisis that characterizes the economies of many African countries, including Nigeria, the informal sector has the potential to provide the needed impetus for employment generation. The sector is expected to serve as a viable mechanism for the creation of job for both rural and teaming urban population in Nigeria. This has been the case in Nigeria over the years. Employment in the Nigerian informal sector is characterized by variable hours of work over a period of time, due to lack of contractual relationship in the sector, as well as the prevalence of self-employment and home-based family workers. It therefore, appears an average worker in the Nigerian informal sector suffers from a significant degree of under-employment. The result is a differential in the average earnings between the formal and informal sector.
Though Nigeria does not, at present, have accurate statistics on the proportion of labour force in the informal sector, the CBN/NISER/FOS survey of 1998 indicates that informal manufacturing enterprises are small. The average number of persons employed in an enterprise was about 2. By implication, bulk of the informal employment in Nigeria can be found in non-manufacturing activities such as street trading, barbing saloons, restaurants, and other informal sector activities. The 1998 survey of the Nigerian informal sector gives some interesting insights on size of the labour force employed in the informal manufacturing enterprises in Nigeria.The informal sector — labor and business that is hidden from monetary, regulatory, and institutional authorities — accounts for about a third of GDP and 70 percent of employment (of which self-employment is more than a half) in emerging market and developing economies. While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.

2. WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES/CHALLENGES INFORMAL SECTOR IS FACING IN NIGERIA?
Addressing the challenge of pervasive informality will require comprehensive policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Initiatives to boost long-term development might include measures aimed at reducing regulatory and tax burdens, expanding access to finance, improving education and other public services, and strengthening public revenue frameworks.
One-half of the world’s informal output and 95 percent of its informal employment is in emerging market and developing economies. Both informal output and employment have declined since 1990, particularly in countries with higher output growth, rapid physical capital accumulation, and larger improvements in governance and business climates.
Share of informal output and employment
The informal economy tends to employ lower-skilled and less productive workers. As a result, workers in the formal economy earn, on average, about 19 percent more than workers in the informal economy.
Informality, poverty, and income inequality
The average informal firm in emerging market and developing economies is only one-quarter as productive as the average firm operating in the formal sector. This is only in part explained by informal firm characteristics such as their younger age, less experience, and smaller size. Moreover, firms in the formal sector that face informal competition are, on average, only three-quarters as productive as those that do not. Better business climates can mitigate some of these productivity differentials.
Average productivity in formal and informal firms
Addressing informality requires well-coordinated policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Policy changes that could affect vulnerable groups can be balanced by stronger safety nets, greater labor and product market flexibility, and better access to resources for informal firms. In addition, policies to spur economic development in general can help reduce informality. Specific measures include streamlining of tax codes and enhanced enforcement of revenue collection; easing firm and labor regulations to create a level playing field for both formal and informal participants; as well as greater access to finance and public services to help increase productivity in the informal sector.
3. What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society? Non-Government Organisation
NGOs are legally constituted organizations, operate independently from the government and are generally considered to be “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue purposes of public interest”. The primary objective of NGOs is to provide social justice, development and human rights. NGOs are generally funded totally or partly by governments and they maintain their non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization.
In a democratic society, it is the state that has the ultimate responsibility for ushering development to its citizens. In India, through the progressive interpretation of the Constitution and its laws and policies, the scope of development has been significantly broadened to include not just economic progress for citizens, but also promotion of social justice, gender equity, inclusion, citizen’s awareness, empowerment and improved quality of life. To achieve this holistic vision of development, the state requires the constructive and collaborative engagement of the civil society in its various developmental activities and programs. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as the operational arm of the civil society therefore have an important role in the development processes.
NGO’s play a significant role in bringing social change in society and development of society. In different parts of the world, it has proven that these organizations have many sides. To be a member of it people need to be educated, enthusiastic and inspired.
Now we shall discuss the roles of NGO’s:
The organization i.e. NGO’s help educates those section of society which was left behind in the society since its inception and never enjoyed benefits that government has facilitated them with. Such as women’s education, STs, and SCs.
NGO’s have given and are still giving their best in eliminating the gender inequality which has also been a practice since earlier times. Girls face many problems no right to education, forcefully making them marry, not letting them work outside the houses. Therefore, NGO’s try to eliminate this evil ideology of some societies.
NGO’s Are the reason why women are not able to move out of the four walls of the houses and participate in politics, business, social activities.now women have witnessed a whole new world due to the efforts of NGO’s and academic institutions. We have seen increasement in the number of women workers. There are many foundations such as Agrani foundation, Eklavya, Sewa and Environmental Action Group etc. Day by day women are seeing new opportunities for themselves due to the help of NGO’s.
The use of technology, level of production, a pattern of utilization is almost same all over the world whereas the world is destroying natural resources to achieve their goals and selfish reasons. That is why NGO’s take birth to keep eyes on such activities. There have been many health issues due to the overutilization of natural resources causing pollution which later cause health problems and calamities. In this case, NGO’s deserve an appreciation as they have done a lot to work for such causes.
It’s not just that because of developmental processes environment has been affected but it also has moved people from their place of origin or birth not just that they are no even compensated and given other place to live. They are left homeless. Hence NGO’s play a significant role to provide them shelter and look after all the legal processes. Many projects are taking place such as the construction of houses, roadways, dams etc and compensate these people.
NGO’s one of the most important task would be that they are helping and restoring the dignity of those who always have been ignored and never enjoyed those activities which other people did such as women facing gender inequality, untouchables discrimination, racial, religious discrimination in society.
These NGO’s are working on a national and international level and have gained great importance in the development of society. It helps in maintaining a society which is free from all the biases and social evils. It is setting an example of humanity is still alive. They help in spreading awareness and guiding and pressurizing government when they fail to meet their duties.

Name: NNANYELUGO CHIDERA MICHAEl
Reg no: 2017/245023
Dept of ECONOMICS
Eco 362
Meaning
An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
>In what ways does informal economy contribute to the economic growth in Nigeria
The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.Virtually everywhere the informal economy is efficient and resilient, creating jobs. It is a major provider of employment, goods and services for lower-income groups. It contributes significantly to GDP. It exists separately from the formal economy.
> What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigerians economy
The informal economy involves economic activities undertaken by individuals and organizations, which are not subject to full government regulations. Such activities include photography, catering, hairdressing, motorcycle services, tailoring, fashion designing, carpentry, painting, etc. This part of the economy is particularly large in Nigeria, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating it to constitute about 60% of the entire Nigerian economy.3 This represents about $240bn.

Informal activities are usually not captured in the process of computing GDP numbers. Meanwhile, working in the sector is attractive due to the ease attached to operations as a result of the absence of a bureaucratic regulatory framework, and little or no formal educational requirements.

At times, even Nigerians with high formal education find employment in the informal economy when well- paid formal sector jobs are unavailable. The big size of this economy, the in-evitable demand for their goods and services and the ease attached to working therein, could be a strategic consideration for Nigeria to raise employment. This growth in the informal sector and an increase in employment would imply higher household income and lower poverty in Nigeria.
> What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
Definitions of an NGO
The diversity of NGOs strains any simple definition. They include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives.

Non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, were first called such in Article 71 in the Charter of the newly formed United Nations in 1945. While NGOs have no fixed or formal definition, they are generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence (although they may receive government funding).

As one can tell from the basic definition above, the difference between nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and NGOs is slim. However, the term “NGO” is not typically applied to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. Generally, the NGO label is given to organizations operating on an international level although some countries classify their own civil society groups as NGOs.
> What are the roles of non-governmental organization?
A number of these NGOs are into various aspects of community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.
NGO’s are bodies which function free from the control of governmental control. These are said to be nonprofit governmental bodies which work for the welfare of societies. They act as a mediator between society and government..

NAME; Okoronkwo Uchechukwu David
REG NO; 2017/241455
DEPARTMENT; Economics
EMAIL; uchechukwu.okoronkwo.241455@unn.edu.ng

(1) IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE INFORMAL ECONOMY CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA?
Firstly it is important to note that the size of the informal sector in Nigeria is estimated at about 65% and consists of activities that range from agricultural production to mining and quarrying, small-scale building and construction and machine-shop manufacturing, etc.
But also, the informal economy represents all work by individuals or businesses which, by law or practice, is not sufficiently catered for through formal arrangements.
Examples include food and flea markets, street vendors, laundromats and the others, mostly in rural or informal areas. It is considered informal since these businesses are rarely registered at national or regional levels, are cash-based and thus do not pay taxes and usually do not have formal arrangements with employees.
This lack of formality also means that little is known of the ‘shadow’ economy and, as such, it is prone to be overlooked or ill-considered during policy formulation, disregarded in business strategy and too easily associated with nefarious activities.
Although It is easy to assume that informal trade exists as a result of joblessness alone, but this does not consider its true value. The informal sector does act as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty.
But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. Townships and informal settlements are spatially distant from central business areas, where formal trade usually operates. The cooperatives and SMMEs in these areas thus have an important role to fulfil.
The informal sector sources most of its goods from the formal economy, pays rent to landlords, and is clearly an important participant in the value chains of even large companies.

(2) WHAT ARE THE MAJOR OBSTACLES INFORMAL SECTOR IS FACING IN NIGERIA’S ECONOMY?
While although the informal sector offers the advantage of employment flexibility in some areas, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, poverty and income inequality.
However its major limitations are operating capital, limited technologies, lack of access to credit facilities, inadequate link with the formal sector, and inadequate entrepreneurial and managerial training.

(3) WHAT ARE THE NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR ROLES IN THE SOCIETY?
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are non-governmental, self governing but legally constituted that operate independently from the government and are generally considered to be non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue purposes of public interest.
That is, they are set out to tackle the plight of the people in dare need of life sustaining facilities in the society.
The primary objective of NGOs is to provide social justice, development and human rights.

1. WAYS IN WHICH INFORMAL ECONOMY CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA:
The first strategy that is worth considering is the development of informal skills amongst Nigeria’s working-age population. The government could create and sponsor well-equipped platforms that bring individuals who intend to learn skills and corresponding experts together. This should be at low costs in order to increase their attractiveness to prospective trainees.
In addition to skill acquisition, workers in Nigeria’s informal economy have raised concerns over credit accessibility. New graduates from the would-be government skills development institutions are expected to be faced with the same challenge. These workers mostly require funds to acquire tools and equipment that are either fundamental to their operations and/or necessary for them to carry out their activities more easily. This highlights the need for the government to give low interest loans in this space. A grant might even be more effective in reducing poverty, as it has the ad-vantage of taking off the burden of repayment. If this were the case it would allow workers to maximize their profits and further ease their escape from the poverty trap.
Furthermore, informal employees in Nigeria generally require electricity for their operations, al-though it varies across different segments. For instance, the electricity requirements are huge in areas such as laundry services, hairdressing and printing, while it is moderate for photography and catering for instance. Activities such as transport services generally have marginal electricity demand. Given the poor condition of power supply in the country, most of those who fall in the category of high users resort to generators.

This is found to be relatively expensive and translates to a higher cost of production. Addressing power infrastructure challenges demands huge capital requirements and takes a long time to materialize. However, a short term focus on maximizing gas availability would be a good start. Nigeria’s average electricity output per day of about 3,500MW/hour has been significantly below installed capacity of about 7,500MW, while gas unavailability accounts for approximately 45% of total generation constraints.
Maximizing gas availability could result in significant benefits, not just for the informal economy, but Nigeria as a whole. In the meantime, the government could focus on securing an adequate supply of gas to power stations. This could draw actual power output closer to its potential pending the time the country sees other significant investments that could raise capacity.
Nigeria might need to tilt towards an informal driven economy to create more employment and significantly reduce poverty. The formal sector of the economy, which represents the aggregate output, grew by 0.8% in 2017.5 This weak growth might not be enough to reduce poverty levels in the country.

2. MAJOR OBSTACLES INFORMAL SECTOR IS FACING IN NIGERIA:
Governance and Leadership Issues: In some sectors and in some countries, informal workers have traditionally organized in local associations. However, democratic structures – for example, compliance with formal rules, such as in a constitution, or processes for electing leaders – may not exist (Roever in Chen et al. 2007).
Political or corrupt leadership may be an issue, and these leaders may resist joining with larger trade unions. It is also common for women to be excluded from leadership positions.

Poverty and Vulnerability: Many informal workers are poor and must work long hours – sometimes in multiple jobs – to survive, leaving them little time for organizing. Migrant workers may need to remain undetected because they are undocumented, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation and harassment.

Insufficient Resources: Because many informal workers are poor – particularly true for women – they cannot afford dues, especially in times of economic or personal crisis. Organizations of informal workers often lack sufficient resources to cover the cost of staff, space and meetings

A Lack of Legal Protection and Clear Negotiating Counterparts : Many informal workers do not have an employer – at least not an obvious one with whom to negotiate. Also, they are outside the protective labour law framework with no clear markers against which to push for gains. Since collective bargaining is a staple of trade union activities, these factors create perceptual and practical challenges for traditional unions.
Where employers do exist, they may treat informal workers harshly or ignore existing laws. Furthermore, existing regulations often impede, rather than assist, informal workers.This is the case, for example, for street vendors in urban spaces who may face harassment by authorities. Harassment or harsh working conditions can serve as an impetus for collective action or can create a climate of fear that inhibits organizing, especially where workers can be dismissed and lose their livelihoods but have no recourse.

Competition between workers: for example street vendors selling similar products, or taxi drivers in the same area – can reduce the inclination to work collectively. They may come together to take on particular challenges or oppose authorities in a crisis, but this unity of purpose may end when the issue is resolved. For collective action to be ongoing, workers must perceive an ongoing common interest.

Diverse Workplaces
: Workplaces may be small, as with some garment workers, or may even be individual households, as is the case for domestic workers. Many informal workers are isolated (e.g. home-based workers and domestic workers), mobile (e.g. street vendors and street waste pickers) or far flung (e.g. farm workers, forest gatherers) workplaces. A single worker may have multiple workplaces and multiple “employers.” These factors all create further complexities for recruiting members, for negotiating better conditions, and for organizational structures and strategies.

3. NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR MAJOR ROLES IN THE SOCIETY
Citywide Organizations: These include organizations such as the Rotary or lion’s Club, chambers of commerce and industry, coalitions of business, ethnic or educational groups and associations of community organizations. Some exist for other purposes, and become involved in helping the poor as one of many activities, while others are created for the specific purpose of helping the poor.

Operational NGOs: Their primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects. One categorization that is frequently used is the division into relief-oriented or development-oriented organizations; they can also be classified according to whether they stress service delivery or participation; or whether they are religious and secular; and whether they are more public or private-oriented. Operational NGOs can be community-based, national or international. Operational NGOs have to mobilize resources, in the form of financial donations, materials or volunteer labor, in order to sustain their projects and programs. This process may require quite complex organization. Charity shops, staffed by volunteers, in premises provided at nominal rents and selling donated goods, end up providing finance to the national headquarters. Students in their vacations or during a break in their education provide labor for projects. Finance obtained from grants or contracts, from governments, foundations or companies, require time and expertise spent on planning, preparing applications, budgeting, accounting and reporting. Major fund-raising events require skills in advertising, media relations and motivating supporters. Thus, operational NGOs need to possess an efficient headquarters bureaucracy, in addition to the operational staff in the field.

Empowering Orientation: This is where the aim is to help poor people develop a clearer understanding of the social, political and economic factors affecting their lives, and to strengthen their awareness of their own potential power to control their lives. Sometimes, these groups develop spontaneously around a problem or an issue, at other times outside workers from NGOs play a facilitating role in their development. In any case, there is maximum involvement of the people with NGOs acting as facilitators.
Community-based Organizations (CBOs): These arise out of people’s own initiatives. These can include sports clubs, women’s organizations, and neighbourhood organizations, religious or educational organizations. There are a large variety of these, some supported by NGOs, national or international NGOs, or bilateral or international agencies, and others independent of outside help. Some are devoted to raising the consciousness of the urban poor or helping them to understand their rights in gaining access to needed services while others are involved in providing such services.
Charitable Orientation: These often involves a top-down paternalistic effort with little participation by the “beneficiaries”. It includes NGOs with activities directed toward meeting the needs of the poor -distribution of food, clothing or medicine; provision of housing, transport, schools etc. Such NGOs may also undertake relief activities during a natural or man-made disaster.

1. WAYS IN WHICH INFORMAL ECONOMY CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA:
The first strategy that is worth considering is the development of informal skills amongst Nigeria’s working-age population. The government could create and sponsor well-equipped platforms that bring individuals who intend to learn skills and corresponding experts together. This should be at low costs in order to increase their attractiveness to prospective trainees.
In addition to skill acquisition, workers in Nigeria’s informal economy have raised concerns over credit accessibility. New graduates from the would-be government skills development institutions are expected to be faced with the same challenge. These workers mostly require funds to acquire tools and equipment that are either fundamental to their operations and/or necessary for them to carry out their activities more easily. This highlights the need for the government to give low interest loans in this space. A grant might even be more effective in reducing poverty, as it has the ad-vantage of taking off the burden of repayment. If this were the case it would allow workers to maximize their profits and further ease their escape from the poverty trap.
Furthermore, informal employees in Nigeria generally require electricity for their operations, al-though it varies across different segments. For instance, the electricity requirements are huge in areas such as laundry services, hairdressing and printing, while it is moderate for photography and catering for instance. Activities such as transport services generally have marginal electricity demand. Given the poor condition of power supply in the country, most of those who fall in the category of high users resort to generators.

This is found to be relatively expensive and translates to a higher cost of production. Addressing power infrastructure challenges demands huge capital requirements and takes a long time to materialize. However, a short term focus on maximizing gas availability would be a good start. Nigeria’s average electricity output per day of about 3,500MW/hour has been significantly below installed capacity of about 7,500MW, while gas unavailability accounts for approximately 45% of total generation constraints.
Maximizing gas availability could result in significant benefits, not just for the informal economy, but Nigeria as a whole. In the meantime, the government could focus on securing an adequate supply of gas to power stations. This could draw actual power output closer to its potential pending the time the country sees other significant investments that could raise capacity.
Nigeria might need to tilt towards an informal driven economy to create more employment and significantly reduce poverty. The formal sector of the economy, which represents the aggregate output, grew by 0.8% in 2017.5 This weak growth might not be enough to reduce poverty levels in the country.

2. MAJOR OBSTACLES INFORMAL SECTOR IS FACING IN NIGERIA:
Governance and Leadership Issues: In some sectors and in some countries, informal workers have traditionally organized in local associations. However, democratic structures – for example, compliance with formal rules, such as in a constitution, or processes for electing leaders – may not exist (Roever in Chen et al. 2007).
Political or corrupt leadership may be an issue, and these leaders may resist joining with larger trade unions. It is also common for women to be excluded from leadership positions.

Poverty and Vulnerability: Many informal workers are poor and must work long hours – sometimes in multiple jobs – to survive, leaving them little time for organizing. Migrant workers may need to remain undetected because they are undocumented, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation and harassment.

Insufficient Resources: Because many informal workers are poor – particularly true for women – they cannot afford dues, especially in times of economic or personal crisis. Organizations of informal workers often lack sufficient resources to cover the cost of staff, space and meetings

A Lack of Legal Protection and Clear Negotiating Counterparts : Many informal workers do not have an employer – at least not an obvious one with whom to negotiate. Also, they are outside the protective labour law framework with no clear markers against which to push for gains. Since collective bargaining is a staple of trade union activities, these factors create perceptual and practical challenges for traditional unions.
Where employers do exist, they may treat informal workers harshly or ignore existing laws. Furthermore, existing regulations often impede, rather than assist, informal workers.This is the case, for example, for street vendors in urban spaces who may face harassment by authorities. Harassment or harsh working conditions can serve as an impetus for collective action or can create a climate of fear that inhibits organizing, especially where workers can be dismissed and lose their livelihoods but have no recourse.

Competition between workers: for example street vendors selling similar products, or taxi drivers in the same area – can reduce the inclination to work collectively. They may come together to take on particular challenges or oppose authorities in a crisis, but this unity of purpose may end when the issue is resolved. For collective action to be ongoing, workers must perceive an ongoing common interest.

Diverse Workplaces
: Workplaces may be small, as with some garment workers, or may even be individual households, as is the case for domestic workers. Many informal workers are isolated (e.g. home-based workers and domestic workers), mobile (e.g. street vendors and street waste pickers) or far flung (e.g. farm workers, forest gatherers) workplaces. A single worker may have multiple workplaces and multiple “employers.” These factors all create further complexities for recruiting members, for negotiating better conditions, and for organizational structures and strategies.

3. NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR MAJOR ROLES IN THE SOCIETY
Citywide Organizations: These include organizations such as the Rotary or lion’s Club, chambers of commerce and industry, coalitions of business, ethnic or educational groups and associations of community organizations. Some exist for other purposes, and become involved in helping the poor as one of many activities, while others are created for the specific purpose of helping the poor.

Operational NGOs: Their primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects. One categorization that is frequently used is the division into relief-oriented or development-oriented organizations; they can also be classified according to whether they stress service delivery or participation; or whether they are religious and secular; and whether they are more public or private-oriented. Operational NGOs can be community-based, national or international. Operational NGOs have to mobilize resources, in the form of financial donations, materials or volunteer labor, in order to sustain their projects and programs. This process may require quite complex organization. Charity shops, staffed by volunteers, in premises provided at nominal rents and selling donated goods, end up providing finance to the national headquarters. Students in their vacations or during a break in their education provide labor for projects. Finance obtained from grants or contracts, from governments, foundations or companies, require time and expertise spent on planning, preparing applications, budgeting, accounting and reporting. Major fund-raising events require skills in advertising, media relations and motivating supporters. Thus, operational NGOs need to possess an efficient headquarters bureaucracy, in addition to the operational staff in the field.

Empowering Orientation: This is where the aim is to help poor people develop a clearer understanding of the social, political and economic factors affecting their lives, and to strengthen their awareness of their own potential power to control their lives. Sometimes, these groups develop spontaneously around a problem or an issue, at other times outside workers from NGOs play a facilitating role in their development. In any case, there is maximum involvement of the people with NGOs acting as facilitators.
Community-based Organizations (CBOs): These arise out of people’s own initiatives. These can include sports clubs, women’s organizations, and neighbourhood organizations, religious or educational organizations. There are a large variety of these, some supported by NGOs, national or international NGOs, or bilateral or international agencies, and others independent of outside help. Some are devoted to raising the consciousness of the urban poor or helping them to understand their rights in gaining access to needed services while others are involved in providing such services.
Charitable Orientation: These often involves a top-down paternalistic effort with little participation by the “beneficiaries”. It includes NGOs with activities directed toward meeting the needs of the poor -distribution of food, clothing or medicine; provision of housing, transport, schools etc. Such NGOs may also undertake relief activities during a natural or man-made disaster.

2017/242423
In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?

The informal sector acts as a safety net for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty. But it also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.

What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy? 
Some of the obstacles the informal sector faces includes;

1. Lack start up capital: Some of these informal workers tend not to have startup capital for their businesses. This is a major problem faced by many in the sector as they want to start a business but do not have the capital and can not access it from the government.

2. Lack of proper regulations from the government which keeps the sector relegated to the background and most of it’s economic activities not accounted for despite it’s major contribute to economic growth.

3. Poor knowledge of modern technology can impedes efficiency in production and utilization of resources.

What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society? 
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are voluntary, non-profit organizations that are totally independent of government influence. They are mostly concerned with humanitarian objectives and can are instrumental in environmental, social, and Human Rights issues. There major roles in the society includes: community development such as: community mobilization, environment, health and sanitation awareness creation, promotion of child’s rights law, promotion of sexuality and reproductive health education and fight against child labour and human trafficking etc.

Name:Eze Udoka Chidiebube
Reg no:2017/242428
Dept:Economics
1: There is a widespread assumption that the informal economy is counter-cyclical: that is, it expands during economic downturns and contracts during periods of economic growth. However, recent analyses of data over time from different developing countries suggest a more complex and dynamic picture, with substantial variation in patterns of informalization across countries.Sharp economic downturns are associated with a rise in informal employment. But in some countries, steady rates of economic growth are associated with an increase in informal employment.
Certain forms of informal employment expand during downturns in the economy – including both informal survival activities and sub-contracted and outsourced activities due to formal firms trying to cope with recession. Certain other forms of informal employment expand during upturns in the economy, such as entrepreneurial small firms and sub-contracted and outsourced activities linked to the global production system.
2: The Nigerian Informal sector players face a myriad of challenges including
(i )inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure.
ii) limited access to finance, and limited skills development.
3: NGOs play an important role in global social development—work that has helped facilitate achievements in human development as measured by the UN Human Development Index (HDI) (n.d.).
One of the major strengths of NGOs is their ability to maintain institu￾tional independence and political neutrality. Even though NGOs need to col￾laborate with governments in numerous instances, failure to maintain neutrality and autonomy may severely compromise the NGOs’ legitimacy.
Unfortunately, if a government insists upon political allegiance, the NGOs encounter the dilemma of either violating the neutrality position or failing to provide needed services to the population. Indeed, some NGOs have been asked to leave in troubled countries due to political reasons (Asamoah, 2003).
The major advantages that NGOs bring to this role include “flexibility, ability to innovate, grass-roots orientation, humanitarian versus commercial goal orientation, non-profit status, dedication and commitment, and recruit￾ment philosophy”

1)Sustainable Community Development
NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community devel￾opment. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations. They can also empower these populations to regain control of their lives and can work with and strengthen local organizations. In addition, such NGOs can carry out projects more efficiently and at lower costs than government agencies and, most importantly, promote sustainable develop￾ment .
C) the Supply of Products and Services
NGOs are developing or designing products that will minimize the envi￾ronmental impacts of consumption. The consumer is simply offered an alter￾native of more sustainable consumption, and this choice is deemed empowering. For example, the WWF is engaging the retail sector to offer more sustainable food products. It also cooperates with the catering sector to design WWF Weeks for the menu and one permanent WWF dish. This cam￾paign has been successful in increasing demand for organic products in Switzerland (Kong et al., 2002).
D)Focusing on Market Forces
Creating a green demand that will drive changes in supply, NGOs are providing information through labels that would empower consumers to make informed choices. For example, WWF has worked with the industry to design labeling schemes to help in the launch of independent certifica￾tion bodies.

Udeh Rita Ezinne
2017/249578
Question one:
• The Informal Sector comprises any economic activity or source of income that is not fully regulated by the government and other public authorities; this includes enterprises that are not officially registered and do not maintain a complete set of accounts; and workers who hold jobs lacking basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Examples of informal employment workers include: street traders, subsistence farmers, small scale manufacturers, service providers (e.g. hairdressers, private taxi drivers, and carpenters), etc. The sector currently accounts for over half of global employment and as much as 90% of employment.
• Informal economy offers significant job creation and income generation potential, as well as the capacity to meet the needs of poor consumers by providing cheaper and more accessible goods and services. With the significant contribution of informal sector to the Nigerian economy, an undeniable truth is that any notion of economic development in the country is one that hugely depends on the state of affairs of the informal sector.

Question Two:
Obstacle of informal sector in Nigeria
The following are the obstacles of the informal sector in Nigeria:
• Institutional inadequacies
• Unsafe working conditions
• Poor enforcement and the non-participation of informal Entrepreneurs in decision-making.
• Inadequacy of Technology, education, markets, land And physical infrastructure
• limited Access to finance, and limited skills Development.

Question three:
Non-governmental organizations are commonly referred to as NGOs, they are usually non-profit and sometimes international organizations, independent of governments and international governmental organizations. Example of non governmental organizations in Nigeria include ActionAid International,Africare,Family Health International etc.
Role of NGOs
These roles are
1.Social development: NGOs play an important role in global social development—work that has helped facilitate achievements in human development as measured by the UN Human Development Index (HHDI.
2.Sustainable community development: NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community development. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations.
3.sustain- able development: NGOs have played a significant role in promoting sustainable development at the international level. NGOs are going beyond their primary focus on governments and starting to address large corporations.
4. Sustainable consumption: NGOs can also play an important role as partners to business/industry in promoting sustainable consumption

OGUMBA CHIDINMA JOY
REG NO. 2017/242028
EDUCATION ECONOMICS

1. In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The informal economy involves economic activities undertaken by individuals and organizations, which are not subject to full government regulations. Such activities include photography, catering, hairdressing, motorcycle services, tailoring, fashion designing, carpentry, painting, etc. This part of the economy is particularly large in Nigeria, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating it to constitute about 60% of the entire Nigerian economy. This represents about $240bn.
Informal activities are usually not captured in the process of computing GDP numbers. Meanwhile, working in the sector is attractive due to the ease attached to operations as a result of the absence of a bureaucratic regulatory framework, and little or no formal educational requirements.
At times, even Nigerians with high formal education find employment in the informal economy when well- paid formal sector jobs are unavailable. The big size of this economy, the in-evitable demand for their goods and services and the ease attached to working therein, could be a strategic consideration for Nigeria to raise employment. This growth in the informal sector and an increase in employment would imply higher household income and lower poverty in Nigeria.

2. What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?

The Nigerian Informal sector players face a myriad of challenges including inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development.

3. What are the Non-Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
NGOs are legally constituted organizations that operate independently from the government and are generally considered “non-state, non-profit oriented groups who pursue public interest purposes”. The primary objective of NGOs is to provide social justice, development and human rights.

NGOs are receiving currency due to their demonstration of unique and spectacular
characteristics features and capabilities. NGOs play dual fundamental roles of either
service delivery outlets, NGOs provide welfare, technical, legal and financial services to the
poor, or work in collaboration with community based organizations in basic service and infrastructural provision. Often, it is an issue of frequently filling the loopholes created by the partial service delivery of governments withdrawing from involvement in provision. Before now, governments of developing countries were observed as leading the development process. However, such paternalism got to its limits when it became crystal clear that government did not possess the financial muscle or resources to fute the bills for the services of the poor and lacked the organizational expertise and know-how to effect the expected outcome. In such circumstance, the important role for NGOs since the mid-1980s
has been in mitigating the adverse costs of structural adjustment and promoting donor
reform packages in offering insurance against a political backlashagainst harsh adjustment
regimes. Such a role raises important questions. Patterns of service delivery through the
voluntary sector may lack compatibility and coordination. In so far as such efforts rely on
governments funding, their ultimate durability may also be queried. At a deeper level, there
are worries about the long-term impact of NGOs service provision on the sustainability of
national health and education systems and access to quality services for all.
NGOs are receiving currency due to their demonstration of unique and spectacular
characteristics features and capabilities. NGOs play dual fundamental roles of either
service delivery outlets, NGOs provide welfare, technical, legal and financial services to the
poor, or work in collaboration with community based organizations in basic service and
infrastructural provision. Often, it is an issue of frequently filling the loopholes created by
the partial service delivery of governments withdrawing from involvement in provision.
Before now, governments of developing countries were observed as leading the
development process. However, such paternalism got to its limits when it became crystal
clear that government did not possess the financial muscle or resources to fute the bills for
the services of the poor and lacked the organizational expertise and know-how to effect the
expected outcome. In such circumstance, the important role for NGOs since the mid-1980s
has been in mitigating the adverse costs of structural adjustment and promoting donor
reform packages in offering insurance against a political backlashagainst harsh adjustment
regimes. Such a role raises important questions. Patterns of service delivery through the
voluntary sector may lack compatibility and coordination. In so far as such efforts rely on
governments funding, their ultimate durability may also be queried. At a deeper level, there
are worries about the long-term impact of NGOs service provision on the sustainability of
national health and education systems and access to quality services for all.
NGOs are receiving currency due to their demonstration of unique and spectacular
characteristics features and capabilities. NGOs play dual fundamental roles of either
service delivery outlets, NGOs provide welfare, technical, legal and financial services to the
poor, or work in collaboration with community based organizations in basic service and
infrastructural provision. Often, it is an issue of frequently filling the loopholes created by
the partial service delivery of governments withdrawing from involvement in provision.
Before now, governments of developing countries were observed as leading the
development process. However, such paternalism got to its limits when it became crystal
clear that government did not possess the financial muscle or resources to fute the bills for
the services of the poor and lacked the organizational expertise and know-how to effect the
expected outcome. In such circumstance, the important role for NGOs since the mid-1980s
has been in mitigating the adverse costs of structural adjustment and promoting donor
reform packages in offering insurance against a political backlashagainst harsh adjustment
regimes. Such a role raises important questions. Patterns of service delivery through the
voluntary sector may lack compatibility and coordination. In so far as such efforts rely on
governments funding, their ultimate durability may also be queried. At a deeper level, there
are worries about the long-term impact of NGOs service provision on the sustainability of
national health and education systems and access to quality services for all.
NGOs are receiving currency due to their demonstration of unique and spectacular characteristics features and capabilities. NGOs play dual fundamental roles of either service delivery outlets, NGOs provide welfare, technical, legal and financial services to the poor, or work in collaboration with community based organizations in basic service and infrastructural provision. Often, it is an issue of frequently filling the loopholes created by the partial service delivery of governments withdrawing from involvement in provision. Before now, governments of developing countries were observed as leading the development process. However, such paternalism got to its limits when it became crystal clear that government did not possess the financial muscle or resources to foot the bills for the services of the poor and lacked the organizational expertise and know-how to effect the expected outcome. In such circumstance, the important role for NGOs since the mid-1980s has been in mitigating the adverse costs of structural adjustment and promoting donor reform packages in offering insurance against a political backlash against harsh adjustment regimes. Such a role raises important questions. Patterns of service delivery through the voluntary sector may lack compatibility and coordination. In so far as such efforts rely on governments funding, their ultimate durability may also be queried. At a deeper level, there are worries about the long-term impact of NGOs service provision on the sustainability of national health and education systems and access to quality services for all.
The other role of NGOs is policy advocacy, seeking to effect social change by influencing attitudes, policy and practices, seeking to reform state services on the basic of NGO experiences and to lobby directly for the policy changes. It includes involvement in participatory, public interest politics, and NGOs engaging in such activity realize the increasing importance of information as they begin to utilize the power of ideas and information to promote positive change in the wider structures of government and the official aid community. NGOs often play a catalytic role.
Nonetheless, neither of these roles needs exclude the other, most NGOs progress from filling a gap in service delivery to recognizing the need to look to the bigger picture in which the need arises, finding themselves drawn, possibly by involvement in NGO networking, into national or global policy advocacy. NGOs partner with grassroots organizations and community-based organizations, which are often made up of poor groups and marginalized ones. On this note, both widen and deepen in terms of personal and organizational capacity and the possibilities for citizen participation. NGOs have been essential in mobilizing large scale of individuals against either entrenched elite groups or state interests, campaigning on their behalf and seeking to influence public policy. For example, the cancelation of debt of indebted states, nations, placing them on the programme of the developed European Summits. This type of bottom-up democracy has been successful in many cases where it might eventually lead to top-down political change. NGOs have become principal actors in a process of transformatory development. They can affect norm changes that lead to regime change or the restructuring of world politics. They do this, especially Northern NGOs through the communicative power of information, lobbying, research, campaigning or media work, acting based on their moral authority. For example, in the areas of human rights, free trade, debt relief and child labour. Furthermore, NGOs create alliances and networks to place pressure on the state . NGO have been drawn into networks of growing complexities. Many Northern NGOs, such as Christian and Humanitarian Aid, have moved away from the direct implementation of projects to a „partnership approach‟ with Southern NGOs, but the precise nature and terms of such partnerships often remain undetermined .

Mbah Chiebonam
2017/249525

Question A:
The informal economy is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government, the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries.
1: The informal sector makes enormous contributions to the national output and income of a country, since there is relatively large of number of people gainfully employed there.
2: Job creation: example of informal businesses include and flea markets, street vendors, laundry mats and the like, mostly in rural or informal areas and even in urban areas.
3: creating income for people and with this people where able to take care of themselves there by reducing high poverty that would have occurred and also increasing the GDP rate of a nation.

Question B:
1: Informality, poverty, and income inequality, now there Is no policy backing the employees in an informal sector so there are many of these people are usually underpaid.
2: long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions
3: no protection from the formal sector
Policy changes that could affect vulnerable groups can be balanced by stronger safety nets, greater labor and product market flexibility, and better access to resources for informal firms. But on this note polices could change which would affect the businesses of people involved in informal sector.
4: low job security, high turnover rates and low job satisfaction.
5: lack of capital to start up business.

Question C:
1: NGOs are organizations which are independent of government intervention, they are usually nonprofit organizations and many of them are active in humanitarianism.
2: Promoting citizenship participation.
3: they act as watch dogs to the government ensuring that they provide the basic necessities for its citizens
4: They provide social amenities such as building of health centers, schools modern markets, roads etc.
5: Protection of human right.

Name: Metu Sandra C
Department: Economics
Reg number: 2017/249526
Email address: sandra.metu.249526@unn.edu.ng
Course: eco 362

The informal sector are the parts of the economy that are not regulated by the government. The informal sector however contributed to the development of the Nigerian economy. However the informal sector has contributed a great deal to the Nigerian economy.
1. The informal sector contributes to economic growth through employment opportunities for individuals who could not be absorb by the formal sector for various reasons like underqualification, slow formal sector growth etc.
2. Reducing the crime rate in the country since people not employed in the formal sector can be employed in the informal sector.
3. Increase in GDP of Nigeria: studies have shown that the informal sector contributes to growth in Nigeria ( although it’s not formally referenced in the GDP calculation.
4. Employment opportunities for women and a lift in their standard of living.

Question 2
The informal sector are exposed to so many risk the following are a few that inhibit it’s proper functioning.
1. They are usually sidelined and hardly considered in the policy formation of the government and lawmakers.
2. They are hardly able to access loans from banks to expand.
3. They are not protected and are therefore prone to attack and uncertainties that the formal sector.
4. No funds to purchase higher technology to ease production.
5. It’s prone to be overlooked or ill-considered during policy formulation, disregarded in business strategy and too easily associated with nefarious activities.
6. Poor working conditions and low pay.

Question 3
Non government organizations has the mandate to promote the public interest and serve the public good rather than to make a profit or advance the interests of a narrow group of individuals. They are largely free from government interference. They however perform some key roles in the society.
1. Provision of basic amenities like water facilities to communities lacking.
2. Protection of human rights and encouraging democracy.
3. They act as a mediator between society and government.
4.NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.
5. They help to relay information to and from the government to the people.

NAME: IJE VORDA GOODNESS
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
REG NO: 2017/249514
EMAIL: vordagoodness78@gmail.com
COURSE: ECO 362

Question 1
Because of the inability of the Nigerian formal sector to absorb the entire labour force. Nigeria has a large informal sector. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimate that the informal sector constitute 60% of the Nigerian economy i.e $240bn. It will interested you to know that According to Statistics SA, the informal sector accounted for 5.2% of South Africa’s GDP in 2015 and employed 2 641 000 individuals (17% of all employed) in 2016. Other estimates place it as high as 15% to 18% of GDP.
The informal sector however contributes to the Nigerian economic growth in the following ways:-
▪️ Increase in Nigeria’s GDP: Studies have shown that in many developing countries the informal sector contribute about 30% of non-agricultural GDP. Although the informal sector informal sector is not referenced in GDP calculation it contribute a great deal to the economy as the money generated are used for more productive activities.
▪️ Employment and poverty reduction: The informal contribute to reducing the unemployment levels in Nigeria as it absorbs individuals that cannot be absorbed by the formal sector. It employs about 48million Nigerians.
▪️ Boost ones self-esteem and confidence: One can at least fend and cater for ones basic needs and there’s a feeling of fulfillment from working and earning.
▪️ Empowering women and better standard of living: It’s interesting to note that the majority of those employed in the informal sector are females. Intend of dependency they can now take care of themselves and contribute to family income leading to improved living standards for themselves and their families.
▪️ Reduction in crime rates: The informal economy also helps to reduce the crime levels in the country such as armed robbery, theft, kidnappings and what have you by engaging these individuals in production employment and menial jobs that they can engage in to earn a living.
▪️ It also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks.
▪️ Building entrepreneurial spirit in the nation.
Question 2
The informal sector with all it’s potential for development still encounters some obstacles to it’s development. It’s been observed that the Nigerian government policies are typically lopsided in favor of the formal economy.
▪️ Credit accessibility: workers in Nigeria’s informal economy have raised concerns over credit accessibility as the traditional banking system are skeptical about giving them loans. They seek this funds in order to buy equipments and tools useful for their production. Low interest loan will be very useful for them.
▪️ The informal sector is vulnerable as they are more prone to exploitation and other risk.
▪️ Poor infrastructural base is a key obstacles to the proper functioning of the information sector as people who need electricity and other basic infrastructure have to resort to generators and other substitute that increase their cost of production and reduce profit.
▪️ It lacks formality and so therefore is prone to be overlooked or ill-considered during policy formulation, disregarded in business strategy and too easily associated with nefarious activities even though they are lots of youths doing positive wonders in the informal sector.
▪️ long working hours, low pay and difficult working conditions.
▪️ Insecurity and uncertainties.
▪️ Poor access to technology use to ease business.
Question 3
Non Government organizations include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government interference and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives. Their major aim is not to make profit but to render service to the society.
▪️ Many NGOs around the world dedicate their efforts to protecting human rights and ending human rights abuses.
▪️ Provide basic social amenities for communities lacking it.
▪️ They try to act as mediators between the ruling class and the masses.
▪️ NGO’s help educates those section of society which was left behind in the society since its inception and never enjoyed benefits that government has facilitated them with. Such as women’s education.
▪️ Educate people on societial ills and environmental degradation.
▪️ NGOs can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies.
▪️ They act as advocate for the poor by trying to influencing government policies.
▪️ NGOs Provide technical institutions that can assist government in fighting corruption.

Uduma Ikechukwu Obasi
Economics
2017/241441
ikechukwuuduma9@gmail.com

The informal sector in Nigeria

Nigeria is the largest country in Africa, and the largest concentration of black people in the world — with a land area of close to 1 million square kilometers, and a population of well over 125 million. Estimates at the turn of the 21st century suggest that 43.5% of the population were living in urban areas, up from 39% in 1985, with projections that the urban population will reach 50% by the year 2010, and 65% by 2020. The rate of urban population growth is thought to be 5.5% annually, roughly twice the national population growth rate of 2.9%. More than seven cities have populations that exceed 1 million, and over 5,000 towns and cities of various sizes have populations of between 20,000 and 500,000. Greater Lagos, the former national capital, has grown from 1.4 million in 1963 to 3.5 million in 1975; it is currently over 6 million, and is projected to be 24 million by 2020.
Information on the size and employment structure in the informal sector is hard to obtain, but estimates suggest that the sector accounts for between 45% and 60% of the urban labor force, up from about 25% in the mid-1960s. Life expectancy at birth is about 52 years; infant mortality rate is as high as 19.1 per 1000; and the per capita income is thought to be US $274.

Challenges of the informal sector:

The informal sector — labor and business that is hidden from monetary, regulatory, and institutional authorities — accounts for about a third of GDP and 70 percent of employment (of which self-employment is more than a half) in emerging market and developing economies. While offering the advantage of employment flexibility in some economies, a large informal sector is associated with low productivity, reduced tax revenues, poor governance, excessive regulations, and poverty and income inequality.

Addressing the challenge of pervasive informality will require comprehensive policies that take into account country-specific conditions. Initiatives to boost long-term development might include measures aimed at reducing regulatory and tax burdens, expanding access to finance, improving education and other public services, and strengthening public revenue frameworks.

Non governmental organization and there roles:
Non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, were first called such in Article 71 in the Charter of the newly formed United Nations in 1945. While NGOs have no fixed or formal definition, they are generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence (although they may receive government funding).
NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation.

Name:Okafor Festus Obinna
Dept: Economics
Reg No: 2017/249550

No: 1, ANSWERS
The informal sector, informal economy, or grey economy is the part of an economy that is neither taxed, nor monitored by any form of government. Unlike the formal economy, pactivities that are engaged in the informal economy are not included in the gross national product and gross domestic product of a country. The informal sector can be described as a grey market in labour. Other concepts which can be characterized as informal sector can include the black market, the agorism, and System D. Associated idioms include “under the table”, “off the books” and “working for cash”. Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countries – about 41% in 2000 according to the official GNI metric – it is often stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However the informal sector provides critical economy opportunities for the poor and has been expanding rapidly since the 1960s.
Though the informal sector have significantly impacted positively to economic growth yet is being neclected, giving little or no attention to. Some of the ways through which informal sectors have impacted on the Economy is as follows;
1. Creation of Employment: There is no doubt that that the informal sector has tremendously created job opportunities for the unemployed and thereby reducing unemployment in the Economy.
2: poverty reduction: Poverty has been reduced to some certain extent, by the informal sectors.. When individuals engage in one Economic Activity or the other, there in a long way reduce poverty by having more disposal income.
3.Curtail Insecurity: When people are enged and get busy with their work which they earn a living with..the tendency of one involving him or herself in criminal activities which might lead to insecurity seems to be at minimal.

No: 2 ANSWERS

Considering the fact that the informal sector is not being taxed and its activities regulated, its success have greatly been hindered by so many factors which could have ensure smooth running of the informal sector if present. Some of this factors include;
– Inadequacy of technology
-Education
-Markets
_Land and physical Infrastructure
-Limited Access to Finance
-Limited Access to Skill development.

NO:3. ANSWERS

The diversity of NGOs strains any simple definition. They include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives.
Many NGOs around the world dedicate their efforts to protecting human rights and ending human rights abuses. Their mandate is to promote the public interest and serve the public good rather than to make a profit or advance the interests of a narrow group of individuals. Their independence enables them to monitor government performance and advocate for improvements.”
In summary, the role of many NGOs can be to check, monitor and criticise the actions of Governments and private bodies, to supplement and complement the role of Government in combating discrimination and to help individuals and groups assert their rights.

NAME: Uwode Joy Ogheneyonle
REG NO: 2017/241451
DEPARTMENT: Economics
EMAIL: yonlejoyuwode@gmail.com

QUESTION 1:
The informal sector of the economy is that sector of the economy where economic activities are not regulated, monitored or supervised by the government of the country either through tax or other regulatory measures. The major contribution of the informal sector to economic growth is the creation of paid employment to a large population of the country. As a matter of fact, the informal sector in most developing countries make up a significant portion of the economies. Since they are not taxed, not accountable to any authority, they are not included in the country’s GDP. However, they offer variety of employment opportunities to the poor and low class citizens in the country.

QUESTION 2:
Due to the nature of the informal sector, they are faced with a number of challenges that includes but not limited to:
1. They are exposed to long working hours, harsh working environment and low remuneration.
2. They is no job satisfaction and lack of job security.
3. Absence of social welfare packages.
4. Women particularly receive lower wages and are more vulnerable to abuse.
5. It is difficult to fight for or exercise rights e.g fighting against physical and verbal abuse and discrimination of women.

QUESTION 3:
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are voluntary, non-profit organizations that are totally independent of government influence. They are mostly concerned with humanitarian objectives and can are instrumental in environmental, social, and Human Rights issues. Their major roles in the society are:
1. They are engaged in a number of community development projects such as health education, sanitation awareness, child rights law, fight against child or forced labour, etc.
2. They act as pressure groups to influence government decisions on issues affecting the majority.
3. They also help to monitor and criticize the policies and actions of government.
4. They complement the function of government in fighting against Human Rights abuse and discrimination.
5. They can also be seen to facilitate political participation at the grassroots level.

Idea Tochukwu Emmanuel
2017/241435
Economics

Question 1
According to Altman (2008), the first and foremost point on the proportion of employment in the informal sector is that the share of employment in small informal enterprises tends to fall as a country’s per capita income rises. Amin (2002) observes that the proportion of the labor force engaged in the
the informal sector fell by between 60 and 70 percent of the labor force in low income South Asian
economies, by between 30 and 50 percent in middle-income South-East Asian countries, and by about
25 percent in high-income Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore. It was also pointed out, however, that in Sub￾Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, 78 percent of non-agricultural employment is found in
informal-sector firms, accounting for about 21 percent of total employment, including domestic workers
(ECA, 2005).
Considering the ongoing economic and financial crisis that characterizes the economies of many
In African countries, including Nigeria, the informal sector has the potential to provide the needed impetus for employment generation. The sector is expected to serve as a viable mechanism for the creation f
jobs for both rural and teaming urban populations in Nigeria. This has been the case in Nigeria over the years. Employment in the Nigerian informal sector is characterized by variable hours of work over some time, due to lack of contractual relationship in the sector, as well as the prevalence of self-employment and home-based family workers. It, therefore, appears an average worker in the Nigerian informal sector suffers from a significant degree of under-employment. The result is a differential in the average earnings between the formal and informal sectors.
According to the IMF, the
Nigerian informal sector accounted for
~65% of Nigeria’s 2017 GDP, the Nigerian Informal Sector (IS) is a
a major contributor to the Nigerian
economy, accounting for a significant a
a portion of employment and national
GDP

Question 2

Enterprises in the informal economy are facing obstacles that are some￾times similar to those experienced by formal enterprises. However, informal enterprises are much more vulnerable to these problems.
– Infrastructure issues
– Poor infrastructure such as transport, storage facilities, water,
electricity.
– Lack of working premises.
– Poorly developed physical markets.
– Institutional issues
– No access to formal training and, as a result, lack of skills in particular as regards basic economic skills and managerial expertise.
– Lack of formal schooling sometimes even resulting in illiteracy.
– Limited access to land and property rights.
– Limited access to formal finance and banking institutions.
– Reliance on self-supporting and informal institutional arrangements.
– Too restrictive or cumbersome taxation systems and labor laws.
– Excessive government regulations in areas such as business start-up, in particular as regards cumbersome, time demanding, and
costly procedures for business registration.
– Limited access to employers´ organizations, i.e. limited possibilities
to exercise influence.
– Lack of access to official social security schemes.
– Lack of information on prices, the viability of products, etc.
– Fewer market opportunities are due for instance to non-compliance to
international standards.
– Economic issues
– Excessive registration and transaction costs of starting or operating
businesses.
– Limited access to technology.
– Lack of opportunities for bulk purchase of inputs.
– Low incomes or lack of regular income as household consumption
competes for the use of business earnings.
– Lack of working capital: credit has to be obtained from informal
sources such as friends or relatives or non-banking financial
agencies with unfavorable terms.
– Insufficient funds do not allow for further investments.

Question 3

The diversity of NGOs strains any simple definition. They include many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives.

Roles
1. Sustainable Community Development:
NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community development. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these populations. They can also empower these populations to regain control of their lives and can work with and strengthen local organizations. In addition,
such NGOs can carry out projects more efficiently and at lower costs than government agencies and, most importantly, promote sustainable development (Nikkhah & Redzuan, 2010).
The five dimensions of sustainable community development are as follows:
1. Increasing local economic diversity
2. Self-reliance: development of local markets, local production, local
processing, greater co-operation among local economic entities
3. Reduction in the use of energy combined with recycling and management of waste products
4. Protection and enhancement of biological diversity and stewardship of
natural resources
5. Commitment of sustainable communities to social justice. (Bridger &
Luloff, 1999)

2. Sustainable Development:
NGOs have played a significant role in promoting sustainable development at the international level. NGOs are going beyond their primary focus on governments and starting to address large corporations. In this vein,
NGOs have focused attention on the social and environmental impacts of
business activity, helped in part by advances in information and communications technology. The brands of multinational corporations have also been vulnerable to pressure from activists and NGOs on the corporation’s labor, environmental, or human rights record. As the downstream customers are targeted, even the supply chain partners and suppliers are feeling the pressure (Hall-Jones, 2006).

3. Sustainable Consumption :
NGOs can also play an important role as partners to business/industry in promoting sustainable consumption. Some of the instances where this partnership has been successful are in categories such as product development, sustainable housing, labeling, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), green purchasing, marine stewardship, and so on. The basic premise is, can
Do NGOs influence behavioral change? Specifically, two questions need to be asked: (1) How are NGOs educating households to change
their consumption behavior, and (2) how can NGOs be potential partners
to businesses in promoting sustainable consumption (Kong, Saltzmann,
Steger, & Ionescu-Somers, 2002)?

ANENE VICTORIA CHIOMA
2017/242435
Economics
Victoria.anene.242435@unn.edu.ng
Toria20@simplesite.com
1)The informal sector acts as a support for the formal economy, thus allowing the unemployed and unemployable to find work or start their own businesses, boosting income and alleviating poverty which helps boost the state of economic activities which In turn enhances development. The informal sector also offers goods and services in areas that may be impossible or unattractive for formal networks. Townships and informal settlements are spatially distant from central business areas, where formal trade usually operates.
2)Unskilled labour employment: The informal economy tends to employ lower-skilled and less productive workers. As a result, workers in the formal economy earn more than workers in the informal economy
2b) Economic polices: policy changes that could affect the activities of the informal sector. Polices are passed for the greater good of the economy and this could be balanced by stronger safety nets, greater labor and product market flexibility, and better access to resources for informal firms. In addition, policies such as tax reformation which is used to spur economic development in general can help reduce informality.
3)Non governmental organizations are legally constituted non-profit organisations or institutions whose membership is voluntary and that are free from government involvement and interference
3b) They provide information and technical expertise to governments and international organizations (such as specialized agencies of the UN) on various international issues, often supplying local information unavailable to governments.
*NGOs may advocate on behalf of specific policies and they may provide humanitarian relief and development assistance
*NGOs may also monitor human rights or the implementation of environmental regulations

NWANKWO BASIL CHUKWUEMEKA
2016/233850
ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
In what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth in Nigeria?
The informal sector is that sector of the economy that doesn’t receive government funding thereby they are not regulated by the government…
For a country like Nigeria with a failed government, the informal sector provides much economic boost for the nation by various means such as:
Provision of job opportunities or employment
Provision of social amenities by the rich individuals

What are the major obstacles informal sector is facing in Nigeria’s economy?
Some of the threats facing the informal sector are;
Insecurity
Long hours of work with little or no pay
Lack of basic amenities by the government I.e roads
Lack of capital to start up
What are the Non Governmental Organizations and their major roles in the society?
NGOs are non governmental organizations, they operate without the involvement of the government
Some of their roles are
Protection of human right
Protection of the girl child
Creating awareness on some specific areas or events I.e aids
Helping in building community projects I.e borehole

Question 1
With the on-going economic and financial crisis that characterizes the economies of many African countries, including Nigeria, the informal sector has the potential to provide the needed impetus for employment generation. The sector is expected to serve as a viable mechanism for the creation of job for both rural and teaming urban population in Nigeria. This has been the case in Nigeria over the years. Employment in the Nigerian informal sector is characterized by variable hours of work over a period of time, due to lack of contractual relationship in the sector, as well as the prevalence of self- employment and home-based family workers. It therefore, appears an average worker in the Nigerian informal sector suffers from a significant degree of under-employment. The result is a differential in the average earnings between the formal and informal sector.

Question 2

The Nigerian Informal sector faces a myriad of challenges including inadequacy of technology, education, markets, land and physical infrastructure, limited access to finance, and limited skills development. Today there is no unanimous perspective with regard to the informal economy. Some take the view that the informal sector encourages fraudulent activities that results in the loss of revenue from taxes, weakens unions, creates unfair competition, leads to a loss of regulatory control, reduces observance of health and safety .

Question 3

An NGO is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level … Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.

Roles of non governmental organizations

Here are some roles of NGO :
1. Development and Operation of Infrastructure:
Community-based organizations and cooperatives can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.
2. Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects:
NGO have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance the length of time which they will be supporting the project – overcoming some of the shortcomings that governments face in this respect. NGOs can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.
3. Facilitating Communication:
NGOs use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to the policy-making levels of government, information bout the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural characteristics of people at the local level.
NGOs can facilitate communication upward from people tot he government and downward from the government tot he people. Communication upward involves informing government about what local people are thinking, doing and feeling while communication downward involves informing local people about what the government is planning and doing. NGOs are also in a unique position to share information horizontally, networking between other organizations doing similar work.

4. Technical Assistance and Training:
Training institutions and NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.
5. Research, Monitoring and Evaluation:
Innovative activities need to be carefully documented and shared – effective participatory monitoring would permit the sharing of results with the people themselves as well as with the project staff.
6. Advocacy for and with the Poor:
In some cases, NGOs become spokespersons or ombudsmen for the poor and attempt to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. This may be done through a variety of means ranging from demonstration and pilot projects to participation in public forums and the formulation of government policy and plans, to publicizing research results and case studies of the poor.