Trade Liberalization in Agricultural Sector: A Vehicle for Mending Nigeria’s Broken Economic Wall

Abstract

Trade in agriculture has not only attracted growing attention but is being
viewed as the vehicle for global growth and equity. By expanding markets
and removing distortions caused by high levels of protection in
agriculture, global trade will not only facilitate competition but spur
growth in an area that is linked directly to poverty and hunger. Based on
this premise, this paper examines the impact of trade liberalization on
Nigerian agricultural productivity as a vehicle for mending Nigeria’s
broken economic wall with specific focus on its impact on Nigeria
agricultural export sub-sector using secondary data for the period 1984-
2022 which were sourced from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS),
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistical bulletin and World Bank World
Development Indicators. The data collected were analyzed using
Ordinary Least Square Method. From the findings, it was revealed that
an inverse relationship exists between Nigerian agricultural performance
and agricultural degree of openness and thus led to decrease in its
contribution to GDP in the country. Based on this, it was suggested, inter
alia, that government should reactivate commodity board in a more
dynamically committed way, develop a vibrant research unit and
strengthen the existing ones.