Information Technology (IT) refers to several forms of information exchange between two or more computers through any of the several methods of interconnection, principally the Internet. These technologies provide speedy, inexpensive and convenient means of communication. The diffusion of these technologies in many countries by different sectors of the economy have been found to have direct positive impact on the organization’s efficiency and have led to more rapid acceleration of development in these countries.
In developing countries Nigeria precisely, preliminary investigations show that only a few organizations in the economy have adopted the IT, but there has not been formal study to determine the level of diffusion and the factors affecting IT diffusion as well as impact on the efficiency of the organizations. This study, is therefore, designed to determine the level of diffusion in the Nigerian economy, and the impact on the operations of these organizations as well as investigating the factors responsible for the present level of diffusion of these technologies in the economy.

Higher education is approaching the point at which Science and Technology particularly Information and Communication Technology (ICT), plays a vital role in nearly all phases of the educational process. The Internet has emerged as a major driving force of this dynamic development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) which has impacted positively in virtually every sector of the Nigerian economy. In the education sector, tertiary institutions use computers in their academic programs in order to produce good quality of research output and learning. This paper focuses on how ICT diffusion has impacted the higher educational sector positively in Nigeria. The research also exposes the effect of ICT diffusion on undergraduate and postgraduate students of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. A combination of observation, interview and document materials for data gathering was employed as methodology for carrying out this research. The result of the research suggests that ICT is becoming a driving force for educational reforms and that ICTs have become an integrative part of national education policies and plans in Nigerian
tertiary institutions.

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Abstract Background The insulinotropic activity of the combined root and stem of Gongronema latifolium (Asclepiadaceae) was evaluated to justify its African ethnomedicinal use in the management of diabetes. Methods A methanolic extract and its chromatographic fractions (A1–A6) were tested for glucose-reducing and in vitro insulin-stimulating abilities using glucose-loaded rats and INS-1 cells, respectively. In vivo insulin-releasing activities for the significantly (P < 0.05) active antihyperglycemic A5 and A6 and in vitro insulinotropic activity of the C1 fraction and its isolated constituents were also similarly determined. Results The extract (100 mg/kg) had higher in vivo antihyperglycemic activity than the individual A1–A6, indicating a synergistic effect of the plant constituents. Higher in vivo insulin release in response to A5 (100 mg/kg) than A6, agreed with their in vivo antihyperglycemic activities and confirmed insulin release as a mechanism of action of the plant. Compared with 5.6 mmol/L glucose (negative control), the extract and the A3, A6, and C1 (all at 100.0 μg/mL) elicited significantly higher in vitro insulin release that was similar to that of glibenclamide (1.0 μg/mL; P > 0.05). Fraction C1 yielded a 1:1 mixture of α-amyrin and β-amyrin cinnamates (1a:1b), lupenyl cinnamate (2), lupenyl acetate (3), and two unidentified triterpenoids, Y and Z. The 1a:1b mixture (100.0 μg/mL) demonstrated the highest insulinotropic activity that was comparable (P > 0.05) to that of glibenclamide (1.0 μg/mL). Conclusions The results confirm pancreatic activity as a mechanism underlying the antidiabetic action of G. latifolium and justify its ethnomedical use.

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