Volume III, Issue 3, 2026
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This study investigates the impact of digital financial inclusion on the quality of economic growth in Nigeria, specifically examining how governance-led structural financial reforms influence long-term stability. Utilizing annual time-series data (2000–2024), the research employs an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to examine the short- and long-run effects of fintech adoption and financial accessibility. The findings demonstrate that digital financial inclusion serves as a primary driver of high-quality growth by reducing information asymmetry and lowering transaction costs. Crucially, the analysis reveals that financial sustainability is significantly enhanced when technological diffusion is anchored by robust regulatory frameworks and governance mechanisms. The results suggest that for digital inclusion to remain a sustainable engine of development, policymakers must harmonize legal protections with technological infrastructure. The study concludes with governance recommendations to strengthen the nexus between fintech and inclusive economic performance.
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited maintaining attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and URL DOI.
Article’s history: Received 21st of January, 2026; Revised 31st of January, 2026; Accepted for publication 8th of February, 2026; Available online: 10th of February, 2026. Published as article in Volume III, Issue 3.
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Effective solid waste management (SWM) is an important pillar of urban economic sustainability and resource efficiency. This study evaluates household waste segregation and recycling practices within the framework of India’s national Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBM) program. Utilizing primary survey data from 600 households in urban and peri-urban locations, the research investigates the disconnect between high public awareness and low rates of actual segregation behaviour. Through a descriptive-analytical framework, the study identifies socio-economic barriers, including lack of infrastructural incentives and perceived low economic value of waste, that hinder the transition to a circular economy at the household level. The findings provide evidence-based policy recommendations for municipal authorities to optimize resource recovery and reduce the financial burden of waste disposal through targeted economic incentives and improved source-segregation logistics.
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited maintaining attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and URL DOI.
Article’s history: Received 21st of January, 2026; Revised 1st of February, 2026; Accepted for publication 20th of February, 2026; Available online: 27th of February, 2026; Published as article in Volume III, Issue 3.
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Universities are increasingly expected to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, yet implementation is often discussed through institutional strategies, reporting frameworks and curriculum mapping rather than through the pedagogical practices by which sustainability commitments become learning experiences. This article examines how participatory pedagogy can translate SDG oriented commitments into student agency, critical reflection and institutional learning in higher education. It contributes specifically to Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 by analysing how Education for Sustainable Development can be enacted through curriculum design, dialogical learning, student participation and critical engagement with sustainability problems. The article draws on a qualitative single case study of the 2021 iteration of Sustainability and Development in Latin America at CEMUS, Uppsala University.
The study combines course documents, evaluation material, interview data and reflective research materials, analysed through thematic analysis and document analysis. The findings show that dialogical seminars, student-led discussion, interdisciplinary sequencing and project-based assessment supported systems thinking, normative judgement, interpersonal learning and critical engagement with contested sustainability problems. The case also illustrates how a Global North university setting can address the ethics of teaching the Global South when course design is built around Latin American-led teaching, situated expertise, epistemic plurality and student-led dialogue. The article contributes by conceptualising participatory pedagogy as a mechanism of SDG 4.7 implementation, not merely as a teaching method.
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited maintaining attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and URL DOI.
Article’s history: Received 1st of April, 2026; Revised 3rd of May, 2026; Accepted for publication 10th of May, 2026; Available online: 12th of May, 2026. Published 12th of May, 2026 as article in Volume III, Issue 3.
