Authors: Okeke Ijeoma Chinwe (Ph.D)
Abstract: This study explores the effect of infrastructure development on economic growth in Nigeria from 2005 to 2023. The research employed an ex-post facto design, using annual time-series data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin and the World Bank Database. Infrastructure development was represented by four key indicators—energy, ICT, transport, and water infrastructure—while Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate was used to measure economic performance. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model was applied to examine the effects of infrastructure on growth.Findings revealed that energy, ICT, and transport infrastructure exerted negative and statistically insignificant effects on GDP growth, whereas water infrastructure showed a positive but insignificant effect. These outcomes suggest that although infrastructure is generally expected to foster growth, systemic issues such as underfunding, weak maintenance culture, corruption, and poor regulatory oversight have constrained its impact in Nigeria.The study concludes that infrastructure development has fallen short of its potential to drive economic growth due to structural inefficiencies and policy failures. It recommends comprehensive reforms, including consistent investment in energy generation and distribution through transparent public-private partnerships, expansion of broadband and digital infrastructure, and stronger governance of the transport sector with a focus on project monitoring, maintenance, and expansion. Additionally, integrating water infrastructure into economic planning is vital for improving health, productivity, and industrial output, thereby enhancing Nigeria’s growth trajectory.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17276191
