By: Oluwo Peter Olugbenga, Oresajo Safiriyu Adegbenga
Pages: 514–536, Volume: 3, Number: 1
Published by: AEFUNAI Journal of Economics, Finance and Development Studies, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, 2/1/2026, 2026
ISSN (Electronic): 2536-6742
DOI:
Trade Liberalisation, Manufacturing Sector Performance and Economic Growth in Nigeria
Abstract:
This paper investigated how trade liberalisation and manufacturing sector performance interact to influence economic growth in Nigeria over the period 2000-2023. Annual time-series data were analysed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) modelling framework alongside cointegration tests to capture both short-run adjustments and long-run relationships among the variables. The empirical results confirmed the presence of a long-run equilibrium relationship linking economic growth with trade liberalization and manufacturing output. Evidence showed that Nigeria’s growth performance during the period was predominantly driven by the services and non-oil sectors, but trade liberalization had a mixed impact on manufacturing due to infrastructure deficits. The study recommends that trade opening must be accompanied by domestic industrial protection and infrastructure upgrades to be beneficial.
Keywords: Trade liberalization, Manufacturing growth, Industrialization, Import competition
How to Cite
Olugbenga, O. P., & Adegbenga, O. S. (2026). Trade Liberalisation, Manufacturing Sector Performance and Economic Growth in Nigeria. AEFUNAI Journal of Economics, Finance and Development Studies (AEFUNAI-JEFDS), Vol. 3(1), 514–536.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)
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