Human Capital Development and Economic Development in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper set out to investigate the impact of human capital development on the drive to achieving economic development in Nigerian. It adopted the Ex-post facto research design as the variables-Misery Index, GEH and GEE cannot be manipulated as they have previously occurred. The study span for a period of 38 years which covered from 1981 – 2018. Secondary data sourced from the statistical bulletin of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the world development index of the World Bank was utilized for this study. The study employed the ordinary least square (OLS) method and the Error Correction Model estimation technique to examine the long run relationship and short run dynamics of the variables. The result of the Johansen co-integration test established the presence of long run relationship between misery index, pupil teacher ratio, government spending on education and health. The result of the ordinary least square revealed a negative and significant relationship between misery index and pupil teacher ratio in the long run. The results of the short run analysis revealed that current level of pupil teacher ratio impact on the misery index in Nigeria negatively and significantly. Informed by the discoveries, the study proposed the recruitment of more teachers to improve the current pupil teacher ratio in the country and also increase the budgetary allocation to the education sector.