INFANT MORTALITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study empirically examined the relationship between infant mortality and economic growth in Nigeria from 1985-2018. Being a time series data, and to avoid spurious regression result in our model, a test for stationary of the data using Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test was carried out. The variables; real GDP, infant immunization, government expenditure on health and government expenditure on education were found to be stationary at their first difference. Then Johansen co-integration technique was used to establish if the stationary variables are co-integrated in the long-run. The Trace statistic and the Max-Eigen values indicates that all the variables were found to be co-integrated in the long run. Further, ECM was employed to correct for any form of dis-equilibrium in the short run. The ECM result revealed that infant mortality (negative impact) exerts a significant influence on economic growth. While Infant Immunization (positive impact), government expenditure on health (negative impact) and government expenditure o education (positive impact) was found to be insignificantly related to economic growth in Nigeria. The study recommends that the health sector should be given a larger budgetary allocation and support as the current government expenditure on health and education is not making any significant impact. The study therefore concludes that the role of the reduction of infant mortality in ensuring availability of potential human resource needed for economic growth and development cannot be overemphasized. The health sector through various policies aimed at reducing infant mortality, increasing infant immunization, expenditure on health and education influences economic activities for the purpose of enhancing productivity vis-à-vis economic growth in Nigeria

Keywords: Economic growth, Infant mortality, Immunization, Government expenditure on health, Government expenditure on education.