This paper examines the response of consumer prices to the oil price shocks in Nigeria. The current oil price slump and its slowness to rise for giving hope to economic recovery pose a threat to many oil-backed economies, particularly Nigeria. As such, oil price and consumer price index are modelled, based on dynamic error-correction models, with aim to capture asymmetric response of consumer prices to a change in oil price. Quarterly time series data spanned from 2001Q1 to 2016Q4 were obtained and analyzed using dynamic co-integration method which allows for asymmetric adjustments. Our results revealed that three disaggregated consumer prices exhibit some degree of persistence to their long-run values, however, their responses are faster to a rise than to a fall in oil price. Correspondingly, aggregate price is found to be rigid downward, suggesting high prices of consumer commodities in Nigeria. This serves as a confirmation that low oil price is likely attributed to the high costs of basic consumer commodities in Nigeria, perhaps due to subsidy removal. We thus recommend that a credible price stabilization policy should be designed to curb the price-increasing effect that an oil price downturn may have on consumer commodities, such target should specifically focus on food and beverages, clothing, and energy prices.

Regional trade agreement is a tool for economic integration between two or more nations. It takes several forms and there exists different types of agreements depending of its purpose. Just like any trade blocks it has advantages and shortfalls especially if the trading partners are not natural partners. Regional Trade Agreements (otherwise known as RTA) yield welfare benefits in form of consumer surplus, trade creation, revenue and income to the trading partners This paper analyses the welfare impacts of a possible RTA between Nigeria and China. There is huge trade flow between the two countries The major commodities traded and covered in this paper include fuels, machineries and transport. equipment and chemicals. Using data sourced mainly from the World Integrated Trade Solutions (Comtrade, WTO/IDB, WTO/CTS) the paper uses descriptive statistics in measuring the welfare impacts of the agreement The paper reveals that Nigeria possess a Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) of export of fuels to China while China possess an RCA of textile, clothing and foot wears export. Its further reveals that if the two economies could focus on trade in the goods with highest RCA, trade will be created and welfare achieved. More so, the RTA leads to deep economic integration. The paper recommends Nigeria and China should hasten the signing of RTA agreement for mutual benefits.

Purpose: The Nigerian national currency (the Naira) has suffered series of exchange rate fluctuation on numerous occasions in the last two years. As a result, the value of the currency has changed significantly and rapidly many times, impacting on both visible and invisible trade. It is common today to hear importers, exporters and even consumers complaining about the adverse consequences of these trends which manifested in form of general rise in prices of goods and services.   Studies have shown that many Nigerian foreign traders, particularly those in the small and medium sector, either lack the basic knowledge on how to manage foreign exchange risk or are skeptical about its efficacy. This is surprising considering how costly, in terms of cash flow and profitability, unfavorable changes in the value of the Naira can be. In response to this gap, this paper utilized secondary data on Naira/Dollar exchange rate spanning over 18 months period (January 2015 to June 2016), to provide an empirical understanding of the intricacies of Naira/Dollar exchange rate and how the resultant trends can affect domestic users of foreign exchange in Nigeria and hence the need to privately manage same. The paper thus introduces the subject matter of foreign exchange risk, its determination/calculation using facts and figures and its management to both the public and private business sectors in Nigeria. The empirical results clearly established why it makes sense for stakeholders to reduce exposure to currency risk. The paper also highlighted some of the common techniques and instruments that can be used to mitigate this risk.