COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ADOPTION DETERMINANTS OF ELECTRONIC WALLET SYSTEM BY RICE FARMERS IN BENUE AND TARABA STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract
The Federal Government of Nigeria introduced the electronic wallet system in 2013,
to help deliver government subsidized farm inputs directly to farmers. A survey was,
therefore, conducted to compare adoption determinants of electronic wallet system by rice
farmers in Benue and Taraba States, Nigeria. Both descriptive and inferential statistics
were used for data analysis. The results showed among others, that some (36%) of the
respondents had at most a secondary education. Whereas 40% of the respondents realized
an average of less than N100,000.00 per annum from their rice farm, 67% of the
respondents did not have extension contact and only 30% had access to credit. Also, the
relative advantage (x̄=2.5) and relevant content (x̄=2.43) were the most important
determinants of adoption of elan ectronic wallet system in Benue State. In Taraba State,
observability (x̄=2.88) and relative advantage (x̄=2.84) were the most important factors
that determined adoption of electronic wallet system. On constraints affecting adoption of
e-wallet system, Epileptic network, EPEP (0.589), Lack of power supply, LOPS (0.723), Distance to the registration centre, DRC (0.722), Long queues at the registration centre, LQARC (0.725), Distance to the redemption centre, DREC (0.745), Insufficient fertilizer supply, IFS (0.697), Insufficient seed supply, ISS (0.617), Low quality fertilizer supply, LQFS (0.870), Low quality seed supply, LQSS (0.540), Untimely inputs delivery, UID (0.783), Poor Policy Implementation, POPI (0.632*),
High cost of mobile phone/accessories, HCMA (0.858), High cost of air time, HCOAT (0.889), Lack of skills and knowledge in use of GSM, LOSK (0.699) and Lack of transport facilities for collection, LOTF (0.469) were significant constraints that
affected the adoption of electronic wallet system. The study concluded that there was a
significant difference between respondents in Benue State and their counterparts in Taraba
State. It is recommended that Government should step up efforts at ensuring that farm inputs are distributed on time.