Abstract
This study examined the impact of manufacturing sector on economic growth in Nigeria. The annual time series data was collected from world development indicator and Central bank of Nigeria respectively, covering 39 years span from 1986 to 2024 were used. The expost factor research design was used for this work. The study employed the econometric estimation technique of Autoregressive Distribution Lag (ARDL) model was used for the analysis, adopting annual data method of analysis. Aside that, a lots of tests were conducted such as co-integration test, bound test, long- run and short- run test ADF stationarity etc the result estimated, all the explanatory variables were consistent with a priori expectation. This implies that a unit increase in employment (EMPL), political instability (PLS), and foreign direct investment (FDI) will lead to a decrease of about 0.084866, 9.235912 and 0.922511 in gross domestic product (GDP), all things being equal. Base on recommendation: Encourage Productive Employment: Employment policies should focus on creating decent and productive jobs, particularly in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. Skill acquisition programs and vocational training should be prioritized to align labor supply with industry needs. Attract and Manage FDI Effectively: Policymakers should implement transparent and investor-friendly policies that encourage foreign direct investment in productive sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology. Monitoring mechanisms should also be strengthened to ensure FDI contributes to domestic capacity building rather than capital flight. Invest in Infrastructure: Continuous investment in physical and social infrastructure such as energy, transportation, and communication, will enhance industrial output and improve overall economic efficiency. 1.
References
Anugwom, C. G. (2024). Manufacturing sub-sector dynamics and economic growth in Nigeria (1981-2022). African Journal of Economics & Sustainable Development, 7(4), 247-267. Do?du, A., & Kayacan, M. (2025). The Impact of Industrial Production on Economic Growth: New Empirical Evidence for Türkiye in a Material Development Framework. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.16301 arXiv+1 BusinessDay. (2024, March 15). 10 key takeaways from Nigeria’s 2024 labour force survey. Retrieved from https://businessday.ng GTI Research. (2024). NBS: Aided by non-oil sector, GDP grew by 3.40% in 2024. Retrieved from https://research.gti.com.ng Kaldor, N. (1966). Causes of the slow rate of economic growth of the United Kingdom: An inaugural lecture. Cambridge University Press. Keynes, J. M. (1936). The general theory of employment, interest and money. London: Macmillan. Lewis, W. A. (1954). Economic development with unlimited supplies of labour. The Manchester School of Economic and Social Studies, 22(2), 139–191. Lautier, M. (2024). Manufacturing still matters for developing countries. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 70, 168-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strueco.2024.02.002 Liu, L., Xin, Y., Liu, B., Pang, Y., & Kong, W. (2025). The panel threshold analysis of digitalization on manufacturing industry’s green total factor productivity. Scientific Reports, 15, 4336. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86643-2 Lucas, R. E. (1988). On the mechanics of economic development. Journal of Monetary Economics, 22(1), 3–42. Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). (2024). Half-Year Review Report on the Manufacturing Sector. Lagos: MAN Publications. Nairametrics. (2023, June 7). Manufacturing sector witnessed stagnant growth between 2018 and 2022. Retrieved from https://nairametrics.com Nairametrics. (2024, November 25). Nigeria’s manufacturing sector struggles as GDP growth crashes by 90%. Retrieved from https://nairametrics.com National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Quarterly GDP Report (Q4 2023). Abuja: NBS. Nation. (2024, August 10). Manufacturing sector’s employment generation capacity dips by 29.99%. Retrieved from https://thenationonlineng.net Nguimkeu, P., & Zeufack, A. G. (2024). Manufacturing in structural change in Africa. World Development, 177(C). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106542 I ThisDay. (2024, November 19). Manufacturing sector’s performance still on downward curve. Retrieved from https://www.thisdaylive.com Romer, P. M. (1986). Increasing returns and long-run growth. Journal of Political Economy, 94(5), 1002–1037. Vanguard. (2023, June 12). Manufacturing sector contributes ?32 trillion to GDP in 5 years. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com Vanguard. (2024, December 15). Manufacturers generate 80% of employment in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com World Bank. (2024). World Development Indicators. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.