The GDP growth rate in 2020Q2 was estimated to be -6.10%, the first negative growth since the recession in 2016/2017. The GDP declined by 8.22 percentage points from 1.87% to -6.10% between 2020Q1 and 2020Q21. The fall was largely driven by a slowdown in international and domestic activities occasioned by lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Further disaggregation of the data shows that the non-oil sector GDP decreased by -6.05% (first negative decrease since 2017Q3). Also, the oil sector experienced a higher negative growth, declining by -6.63% within the same period. Contractions in growth were also recorded in the industry (-12.05%) and service sectors (-6.78%) while the growth rate in the agriculture sector remained positive (1.58%). Given that the strict lockdown measures were lifted at the end of the second quarter, and Nigeria’s major trading partners – Europe, the United States, and China – have reopened their economies, the GDP growth rate in 2020Q3 is expected to be more favourable than the preceding quarter. However, the coverage and targeting of the existing interventions for the vulnerable households and affected businesses should be improved in order to enhance their reach.
September 16, 2020
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 34)
Related
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 24)
Crude
oil price increased, in the week under review, to its highest price in 2016. Nigerias
bonny light increased by $1.38 from $48.02 per barrel on May 20, 2016 to $49.64
per barrel on May 27, 2016, while Brent crude was sold for $50 per
barrel on May 26, 2016. The catalyst for price gains in the period
under review is the supply-side contractions, with unplanned production shortages
in Nigeria, Canada and Iraq. The upward trend of prices may unlock
more supplies in subsequent weeks, but the OPEC meeting scheduled for June 2,
2016, could moderate the effect. Nigeria is expected to benefit from crude oil
price rising above the $38 per barrel benchmark. Unfortunately, supply
disruptions continue to negatively affect oil revenue and may have contributed
to the depletion of external reserve by over $153 millionthis
week. The federal government, in collaboration with relevant security agencies,
should find a lasting solution to the vandalism of oil pipelines and production
facilities.