Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Blockchain in Banking Operations has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with financial inclusion of rural dwellers. This growing interest reflects the recognition that blockchain in banking operations does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.

Selected Public Universities in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While blockchain in banking operations is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on financial inclusion of rural dwellers within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to blockchain in banking operations are helping or hindering financial inclusion of rural dwellers — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Blockchain in Banking Operations on financial inclusion of rural dwellers in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which blockchain in banking operations influences financial inclusion of rural dwellers within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with blockchain in banking operations in relation to financial inclusion of rural dwellers.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing blockchain in banking operations in order to improve financial inclusion of rural dwellers.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of blockchain in banking operations on financial inclusion of rural dwellers in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does blockchain in banking operations influence financial inclusion of rural dwellers within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with blockchain in banking operations in relation to financial inclusion of rural dwellers?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize blockchain in banking operations in order to improve financial inclusion of rural dwellers?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of finance / banking, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria seeking to understand how blockchain in banking operations translates into measurable outcomes around financial inclusion of rural dwellers. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this BSc study confines itself to Selected Public Universities in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how blockchain in banking operations relates to financial inclusion of rural dwellers within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.