Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.11% (year-on-year) in real terms in the first quarter of 2022, indicating the sixth consecutive quarter of positive growth by the Nigerian economy.
This is according to the recently released Gross Domestic Report, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The Q1 2022 growth rate was higher than the 0.51% growth rate recorded in the corresponding period of 2021 by 2.60% points and lower than 3.98% recorded in Q4 2021 by 0.88% points.
However, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, real GDP contracted by 14.66% in Q1 2022 compared to Q4 2021, reflecting a lower economic activity than the preceding quarter.
Highlights
- The oil sector of the Nigerian economy contracted by 26.04% (year-on-year) in Q1 2022, indicating a decrease of 23.83% points relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021.
- Nigeria recorded an average daily oil production of 1.49 million barrels per day (mbpd) in Q1 2022, lower than the daily average production of 1.72mbpd recorded in the same quarter of 2021 by 0.23mbpd and lower than the fourth quarter 2021 production volume of 1.50mbpd by 0.01mbpd.
- On the other hand, the non-oil sector grew by 6.08% in real terms during the reference quarter (Q1 2022). This rate was higher by 5.28% points compared to the rate recorded same quarter of 2021 and 1.34% points higher than the fourth quarter of 2021.
- The non-oil sector was driven in the first quarter of 2022 mainly by Information and Communication (Telecommunication); Trade; Financial and Insurance (Financial Institutions); Agriculture (Crop Production); and Manufacturing (Food, Beverage & Tobacco), accounting for positive GDP growth.
- In real terms, the non-oil sector contributed 93.37% to the nation’s GDP while the oil sector accounted for 6.63% of the GDP in the review period.
What this means
Nigeria has been able to maintain strong growth in the past six quarters on the back of significant expansionary monetary policies by the Central Bank of Nigeria. A cursory look at the report shows that the non-oil sector drove the growth recorded in the Nigerian economy, largely due to the telecommunication, banking, and agricultural sector.
