Introduction: A Review of Nigeria's implementation of the “Decent Work and Economic Growth” Goal

Abstract

IT is now four years since the United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for transforming the world by 2030. Since then, Nigeria, like other member-states of the world body, has been implementing various strategic policy interventions to achieve the goals.

In this edition of the SDGs Monitor, we track Nigeria's progress in the implementation of two of the global goals – Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). Our first research report is a preliminary assessment of Nigeria's efforts to attain eight out of the twelve targets of SDG8, with eight indicators as the variables. Results from the research reveal that the country is not on track with respect to achieving SGD 8. Both the performance scores of the individual indicators and the aggregate score at goal level show low performance. Four of the indicators show declining performance while the remaining four recorded only a moderate increase. The implication is that the various policy interventions of government to achieve the Goal are either inefficient or insufficient.

The study, written by two of our consultants, Justine Tochukwu Nwanakwere of the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, and Prof. Fidelis Obioma Ogwumike of the Department of Economics, University of Ibadan, recommends – among other things – that government should make concerted and pragmatic efforts to diversify the economy. This will not only lead to the growth of the non-oil sectors of the economy, but will also accelerate the productivity and decent employment contribution of these non-oil sectors. The study also recommends that there should be a broader review of labour productivity and the reward system to cater for both those engaged in the public and in the organised private sectors, and to shore-up the proportion of decent jobs in the economy.

The second research report by two different consultants, Dr. Joseph O. Ogebe of the University of Ibadan and Dr. Adedeji P. Adeniran of the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) is a dynamic assessment of inequality in Nigeria. The study employed the Gini coefficient, the Theil Index and Palma's ratio to measure inequality in the country, using the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)/World Bank General Household Surveys of 2010, 2013 and 2015 datasets for Nigeria. Their review finds that the household consumption expenditure of the bottom 40 per cent grew slower than the national average in 2013 and 2015. The study reveals a widening gap between the rich and the poor in Nigeria, showing that the country hasa long way to go to achieve SDG 10. To put Nigeria on the path to attaining SDG 10 and reducing inequality in the country, the study recommends a rethink of government policies on social protection, taxation and employment.

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