Health improvement is a crucial determinant of economic growth; however, the impact of health on economic growth is affected by the level of poverty in any nation. Previous studies have focused more on the health–growth nexus, but the role of poverty reduction and the threshold of health required to mitigate the effect of poverty on economic growth were missing. This paper, therefore, examined the life expectancy–growth nexus and the role of poverty reduction with the view to determine the contribution of health to growth and poverty reduction and the threshold of health required to mitigate the adverse effect of poverty on economic growth in Nigeria. Based on the endogenous growth theoretical approach, the link between life expectancy, poverty incidence, and economic growth was estimated using the fully modified ordinary least square method. Findings showed that health contributes positively to economic growth and also mitigates the adverse effect of poverty on economic growth in Nigeria. The study determined the minimum threshold of life expectancy of 64.4 years as a health improvement annual benchmark. Therefore, for Nigeria to achieve sustainable economic growth and significant poverty reduction, policies aimed at achieving the newly determined health improvement threshold from the current annual average of 47.8 years are fundamental.

No abstract

This study examines the belief that education fosters economic growth by analyzing the impact of Government education expenditures at different levels on economic growth using Nigerian data for the period 1980-2018. Time series econometrics tests like Unit Root, cointegration, Error Correction Model and Granger Causality were employed to test the hypothesis of education expenditure-led growth strategy. The outcomes of the studies showed that that there is cointegration between total government education expenditures, primary, secondary and tertiary education expenditure and economic growth. The outcomes of the study also revealed that all levels of education expenditure contribute to economic growth positively (tertiary education exerting more positive impact) and are statistically significant (except primary education expenditure that is not significant) at 5%level. The study equally revealed bi-directional causality between t all levels public expenditure on education and economic growth. The study therefore, recommends improved funding for education at all levels given their interconnections. It also recommends that funding of primary education should by supported Federal Government as weak primary school funding will impact on quality of pupils that graduate to secondary school. Again policies aimed at diversifying and broadening the Nigerian economy be rekindled as economic growth have the potential of increasing education spending.

This study examines the effect of exchange rate fluctuation on non-oil export by focusing on both manufactured exports and agriculture exports in Nigeria between 1970 and 2019. The study employs the vector error correction framework, the impulse response and variance decomposition analyses to analyse data on agriculture exports, manufacturing exports, exchange rate, interest rate, and inflation rate. Findings suggest that long run relationship exists among the variables. The vector error correction analysis reveals that exchange rate depreciation positively impacts agriculture exports but negatively impacts manufacturing exports in Nigeria. However, both the impulse response and variance decomposition analyses confirm that exchange rate fluctuation has a higher significance on manufacturing exports than agriculture exports by accounting for the largest forecast error variance in manufacturing exports than in agriculture exports over the forecast horizon. We conclude that fluctuations in exchange rate significantly impact the non-oil exports in Nigeria. Hence, to enhance the non-oil exports, government could consider enhancing the local capacity to produce for exports by reducing tariffs for manufactured inputs. They can also set up modular mechanised farms for agriculture graduates and farmers to boost agriculture exports and stabilize the exchange rate.

Earlier empirical studies on inequality concentrated more on its effects on economic growth with limited attention on its consequences for inclusive growth. Nigeria on average has achieved its annual target growth rate. However, stark realities of inequality, unemployment and poverty amid growth point to the need for inclusive growth. This paper examined the gender inequality implications for inclusive growth in Nigeria from 1980 to 2018 using data from the World Development Indicators (2018), National Bureau of Statistics ( 2018) and CBN Statistical Bulletin (2018).This study used the ARDL cointegration method in the analysis and the results showed that gender inequality in education and employment both in the short and in the long term portend grave consequences for inclusive growth in Nigeria. Government should take appropriate policy measures by ensuring equal access to education and employment for both men and women to minimize economic losses. Attaining inclusive growth in Nigeria is unlikely without gender equality. Therefore, this paper recommends that gender equality should be included in the National Development Agenda and be backed by policies that will enforce its operation both in public and private sectors at the local, state and federal government levels.Contribution/ Originality: This study contributes to existing literature by examining the gender inequalityinclusive growth nexus. It used a new methodology (ARDL) in its analysis and derived a new equation for inclusive growth. It's one of few studies that investigated inequality-inclusive growth relationships in Nigeria. Inclusive growth is unlikely without gender equality.