INTERNATIONAL TRADE, CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The paper empirically examines the nexus between foreign trade, consumer protection and public health in Nigeria, using annual time series data from 1981 to 2021. Cointegration and dynamic error correction modelling techniques were utilized in the analysis. The empirical findings show that foreign trade policy has a positive and significant effect on public health in Nigeria. Consumer protection (proxied by consumer protection dummy) and per capita income are both positively related to public health, although the effects are weak, attributable to the low level of consumer protection and awareness, in addition to the low level of per capital income that fuels income and wealth disparity, with the effect of reducing health outcomes in Nigeria. Public expenditure on health and inflation rate (proxy for macroeconomic policy environment) are negatively and significantly related to public health outcomes in Nigeria. Based on these findings, it is recommended that appropriate consumer protection awareness on public health concerns through greater level of public campaigns on the dangerous effects of imported fake, substandard and illicit goods that are inimical to public health be aggressively launched. Increase government expenditure on health institutions, as well as judicious and efficient deployment of public and private resources to the health sector is also important to enhancing health outcomes in Nigeria. A strong institutional and regulatory environment to curtail illicit and nefarious importation of fake and substandard goods, particularly pharmaceuticals and food into the country is important, in addition to a sound and stable macroeconomic environment that is capable of promoting the public health status of the citizenry in Nigeria.