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Population Growth And Economic Development In Nigeria (1981-2011)
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Economics growth refers to the study process by the productive capacity
of the economy is increased overtime to bring about increase in the
output of goods and services and rising levels of national income.
(Hodder’s (1980).
The growth in the output of goods and services (i.e
growth in GDP). It is the process by which national income or output is
increased. An economy is said to be growing if there is a sustained
increase in the actual output of goods and service per head. Meier GM
(1984).
The rate of economic growth therefore measures increase in real national income, during a given period of time, usually a year.
Economic
development is not the same as economic growth. It means more than mere
growth of the economy (in terms of increased output) it is in the
process of increasing substantial positive transformation in the various
sectors of the economy. Meier GM (1984). The positive changes which
take place improve the general rise in the standard of living of the
masses with economic development; there are structural transformations
in the different sectors of the economy as well as general improvement
in different areas of the country, leading to increase economic welfare
of the citizens. Economic development on the other hand is generally
defined as consisting of “Improvement†in the various aspects of the
life of the entire population of a country such improvements are
generally manifested in greater numbers of useful tools for employable
persons, higher real incomes, better health conditions, (literacy) and
better government services.
Given Nigerians economic structure,
population and rate of economic expansion, most people have blamed
Nigerians low growth and development on a high population that is large
and not very productive. Other has opined that the little growth the
country has attained is a direct consequence of a large population.
These
divergences question the theoretical relationship between populated but
not growing but China is highly populated and growing rapidly. Also the
growth of population in Western Europe has lead to its rapid
industrialization. This study is prompted by the need to understand
population growth and economic development in Nigeria.
The Nigeria
population has been growing while the rate of economic growth has such
little improvement the question on how best to exploit the theoretical
relationship between population growth and economic development has
persisted for long and it has become necessary to asses the issues.
Thus, this scenario prompts us to find out whether the increasing
population growth has a positive or negative effect on Nigerians
development.
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