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
Africa Economic Update (Issue 6)
Available data shows that headline inflation reduced in most countries in the region in May 2017 relative to preceding months. Notably, headline inflation decreased in Nigeria (16.25 percent), Ghana (12.26 percent), Tanzania (6.1 percent), Senegal (1.8 percent), Namibia (6.3 percent) and Rwanda (11.7 percent), while it grew in South Africa (5.4 percent), Kenya (11.7 percent), Ethiopia (8.7 percent) and Uganda (7.2 percent). Cote dIvoire (-0.4 percent) recorded consumer price deflation. The decrease in consumer price in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana can be attributed to decreases in both food and non-food components of inflation. Regionally, all countries in Southern Africa recorded single digits inflation, however consumer price marginally increased in South Africa, for the first time in 2017 owing to spike in food prices6, and Botswana (both by 0.1 percent).
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 10)
Nigerias external reserve rose to its 19-month high in the week under review (March 3, 2017 to March 10, 2017). Precisely, the reserve improved by a daily average-percentage-increase of 0.21 percent, from $29.79 billion on March 3, 2017 to $30.04 billion on March 10, 2017 the highest level since August 2015. The rising reserve at the backdrop of steady revenue from improved domestic crude oil production/prices and forex inflows from rising exports, has reduced pressure on the Naira the naira has witnessed marginal but steady appreciation. While the recent improvement in oil revenue is a welcome development, concerted efforts need be made to develop the Non-oil sector so as to mitigate future oil revenue shocks.
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 23)
Recent Data on Nigerias Real GDP growth rate (Year-on-Year)
declined by 2.47 percentage points, from 2.11 per cent in 2015Q4 to -0.36
percent in 2016Q11. This is the lowest GDP growth rate since 2004Q2
(-0.81 percent). The Oil sector continued to contract, as -1.89 percent growth
was recorded in 2016Q1. The negative growth witnessed in the oil sector was
likely driven by the fall in global oil prices by $9.732 and decline
in domestic crude oil production, relative to preceding quarter. Similarly, the
Non-oil sector witnessed a negative growth as it declined by 3.32 percentage
points from 3.14 percent in 2015 Q4 to -0.18 percent in 2016Q1. The underperformance in the non-oil sector was
driven by significant contractions in financial (by 17.69 percent), manufacturing
(by 8.77 percent), and real estate (by 5.48 percent) sub-sectors. Given that
the present economic fundamentals point to a likely recession in 2016Q2, the
government can stir economic activities by speeding up the budget
implementation process to spur growth in the non-oil sector and the economy at
large. More so, the domestic production shock in the oil sector needs to be
addressed to effectively leverage on the present marginal rise in crude oil
prices.