Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. Economy:
• • Economic history; •
• The national income; •
• Agriculture; •
• Industry; •
• The internal trade or home market; •
• Foreign market;
3. Conclusion
Introduction
To begin my work with I should mention some non-economic common facts about
the Federative Republic of Nigeria. The population of the country is the highest
in Africa, nearly 1/8 of the continent. Firstly Nigeria consisted of the capitol
Lagos and four administrative regions (Northern, Western, Eastern and Midwestern).
But because of the political processes in 1980-s between the main peoples of
the north and the south, the country divided into a lot of parts and now consists
of 36 states and a new federative capitol territory – Abudga.
Speaking about the country’s economic development it should be said that
Nigeria is a typical representative of the ‘third world’ though
its natural resources could make the country really rich. Nonetheless, the main
part of the Nigerian population still suffer from poverty that seems to be particularly
striking in the context of the contemporary economic situation when oil prices
grow rapidly and are unprecedentedly high, while oil is one of the key products
of Nigeria.
Economy
In 1960 Nigeria became independent from The United Kingdom. But it still has
a modern commodity sector which coexists with an ordinary traditional agriculture.
In a modern commodity sector that appeared in the colonial period, the state
and state controlled enterprises remain the main employers. A large majority
of professionally prepared workers can’t find job and periodical discharges
of state workers all in all staff worsen the situation at the labor market.
The whole labor force of Nigeria is 57.21 million, while the unemployment rate
is 2.9%.
Nearly 70% of the Nigerians are busy in agriculture, but it does not provide
the needs of the country in provision. An attempt to solve the problem via enlarging
the purchases abroad lead to a sharp increase of expenses on import. The absence
of foreign currency and proper satisfactory financing followed the situation
when all the enterprises did not work with a complete capacity. Larceny and
financial swindles of the state officials promoted the deterioration of economic
situation.
•Economic history
The modern economy of Nigeria started with palm oil trade that forced out slave
trade at the beginning of the 19-th century and initiated the export of Nigerian
raw materials in exchange for the import of British industrial goods. After
the year 1853 the export of cacao and peanuts brought a greater income than
the export of palm oil. In the 20-th century pat, tin, wood and skins became
the most important items of Nigerian export. In 1901 the oil was found in Nigeria,
but the export of crude oil began only in 1958 and in 10 years it became the
main source of currency income in Nigeria. By the year 1972 the country could
not supply the population with pat, palm oil and peanuts. So the government
was subjected to allow the import of these goods. Soon crude oil brought a great
profit to the country and since 1975 the conversion of oil became the most important
branch of industry. So during the years 1970-1978 the rise of Nigerian economy
formed 6% per year. After the year 1978 the economy was characterized as unstable
and shaky one and the national income decreased. Nowadays 65% of oil is a light
brand with a low content of sulphur. The main export brands are Bonny Light
? Forcados. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco,
ConocoPhillips, Eni, Total and transnational corporation Shell control 52% of
oil mining in Nigeria. Today the oil consumption in Nigeria is 310,000 bbl/day,
while the oil production is 2.451 million bbl/day.
•The national income
In 2005 the gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria was 132,1 billion of dollars.
The GDP per capita: purchasing power parity was 1000 $. The real growth rate
of GDP was 5,2%.
•Agriculture
The majority of Nigerians still work in agriculture, supplying themselves with
food and growing several cultures for sale. But it is hard to note that 60 per
cents of population are below poverty line. A rapid growth of the city population
and the increase in rural population has led to the lack of provision not only
in the cities, but on the rural territories.
The main food cultures of the South and Midwest are yam, rice and corn. Sorghum,
millet and rice are grown in the North. Cattle-breeding is well developed in
this part of the country. Manioc, tomatoes and bob are grown all over the country.
Gardening is developed respectively near the big cities. Favorable climate of
Lagos affords to pick up harvest twice a year.
• Industry
All the minerals provide the greatest part of national income in Nigeria. The
first export minerals were ore and coal. After the year 1960 coal-mining decreased
because cheaper and ecologically clean oil-products appeared in the country.
The oilfield was found near the river Niger. The record level of oil-mining
was reached in 1979. It was 114 millions of tons. Tending to increase currency
income, Nigeria enlarged the amount of oil-mining, while the world prices remained
at a low level. But in 1991 Nigeria holds the 8-th place among the biggest world
oil-producers and its profit was 96% from export coming.
However, such a situation is typical for a developing country when the country
is basically specialized on export of natural resources. In this respect, it
is possible to define Nigeria as a mono-industrial country since its economy
is based on oil export.
Naturally, such a situation is extremely dangerous for Nigeria because it makes
the country totally dependent on the situation on the international market of
oil and, in loner terms perspective, the country will eventually exhaust its
natural resources and, undoubtedly there will be time when the country has to
modernize and diversify its economy.
Moreover, it is necessary to underline that event the current dominance of oil
production in Nigerian export does not really contribute to stability and improvement
of socio-economic situation in the country. It should be said that along with
the dependence of the country on the situation in the international market,
oil makes the country extremely unstable on the national level. The main reason
is that the profits from oil export do not improve the position of the vast
majority of the Nigerian population. In stark contrast, oil export is rather
a source of enrichment to an extremely limited group of those Nigerians who
have access to political and economic control of the oil production and export.
As a result, Nigerians face a paradoxical situation when the country, being
one of the largest oil exporters in the world, suffers from unparalleled poverty.
Unfortunately, the explanation of such a paradoxical situation is simple. The
main problem of Nigeria is the lack of democracy and public control over the
use of national resources. It means that people of Nigeria cannot influence
the situation in the national economy because they are deprived of a possibility
to really define the political future of the country. On the other hand, those
who control oil industry control Nigeria and any changes of the current situation
within the country may be disastrous for national economy.
As a result, many Nigerians have suffer from poverty and famine while a little
part of the local population earns enormous profits from oil export. In such
a situation it seems to be quite natural that often oil is simply stolen. The
situation is deteriorated dramatically by the extremely high level of corruption
of Nigerian government that also benefits from oil export.
However, there are also the traditional crafts are developed in Nigeria, especially
weaving, pottery and carving though they do not play the defining role in the
national economy. The production of Nigerian handicraftsmen (different figures,
braided things, sewed clothes) is of increasing demand among the tourists and
local rich people.
•The internal trade or home market
The home market of Nigeria is connected basically with foodstuff, handicrafts,
industrial goods foreign and Native (home-made) production. The delivery of
goods is carried out by railroads, automobile roads and water transport.
The biggest center of wholesale and retail trade is a modern market in Onich
that was destroyed during the war and restored afterwards. The other important
centers are Aba, Cano and Ibadan. The biggest cities have universal shops and
large markets.
• Foreign market
Oil has the dominant position in the export structure. As a result when the
world oil prices fall, the currency income decrease, the country cannot afford
to pay for the import of necessary goods. At the same time, it should be pointed
out that the situation in the in the contemporary international economic relations
Nigeria can benefit from high prices on oil since its income from export of
oil increased significantly.
Provisions, different goods, industrial raw materials, machines and equipment,
transport facilities dominate in the structure of import. Great Britain remains
the main commercial partner of Nigeria, but does not but oil, the main consumer
of which is the United States. The next import partners are China 9.4%, UK 7.8%,
Netherlands 5.9%, France 5.4%, Germany 4.8%, Italy 4%.
• Finance
The emission of the Nigerian currency, naira, is realized by The Central bank
of Nigeria. In 1992 120 banks functioned in the country and 20 of them were
controlled by the state.
The federal government pays for all expenses of the Nigerian states. In 1992
the budgets of completely all the states consisted of the receipt from the federal
budget. The state income was divided I such a way: 55% were directed to the
federal budget, 30%- to the state budgets and 15%- to the local budgets.
The main sources of receipt into the federal budget was the income from the
export of industrial materials, raw materials, foodstuff and at last the direct
taxes including foreign import and export duties and excise dues.
So the main items of federal expenses are the service of external debt and maintenance
of federal management system. When the oil boom had finished, the external debt
increased (from 5 milliards of dollars in 1981 to 40 milliards of dollars in
1998). As a result the payment of these per cents according to this huge debt
and budget deficit affects negatively the development of the country and prevents
the normal rate of modernization of the country.
Conclusion
To sum everything said before I should repeat a little, that Nigeria, being
a federative republic with the highest population in Africa has a very good
perspective for the future. As it is nearly a newly-born independent country
the ways of its development are uncountable. Under the proper conditions and
circumstances Nigeria will be able to become a constant member of the trade
market. The development of oil-mining and other industries will double the gross
domestic product, all in all will enlarge the state income. And that is why
there will be no unemployment and the majority of population won’t be
dependent on agriculture and oil export as one of the leading industries.
Bibliography
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3. The Economy of Nigeria. www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/post/nigeria/econ.phpl
4. Nigeria: Economy. www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0860003.phpl
5. Nigeria – Economy. www.classbrain.com/art_cr/publish/nigeria_economy.shtml
