By Adedapo Adesanya
In 2022, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria slowed to 3.10 per cent from 3.40 per cent recorded in the preceding year, 2021.
Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday evening showed that this occurred amid a 3.52 per cent (year-on-year) growth in the economy in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Business Post reports that in the preceding quarter, Q3 of 2022, the country posted economic growth of 2.25 per cent, but when compared with the same quarter of 2021, it moderated from 3.98 per cent.
The performance of the GDP in the fourth quarter of 2022 was driven by the services sector, which recorded a growth of 5.69 per cent and contributed 56.27 per cent to the aggregate GDP.
Although the agriculture sector grew by 2.05 per cent in the reference period, its performance was significantly hampered by severe incidences of flood experienced across the country, accounting for lesser growth relative to the fourth quarter of 2021, which was 3.58 per cent.
Recall that Nigeria faced an unprecedented devastating flood disaster in the second half of the year, which saw 662 persons lose their lives, with 3,174 others suffering injuries and 2,430,445 individuals displaced, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Moreover, the industry sector was yet challenged in the period under review, recording -0.94 per cent growth and contributing less to the aggregate GDP relative to the third quarter of 2022 and the fourth quarter of 2021.
This means that the performance of the agriculture and industry sectors reduced in 2022 relative to 2021, while the performance of the services sector improved in 2022.
According to the report, in the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N56.7 trillion in nominal terms.
This performance is higher when compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, which recorded aggregate GDP of N49.2 trillion, indicating a year-on-year nominal growth of 15.18 per cent.
The NBS noted that the nation in the fourth quarter of 2022 recorded an average daily oil production of 1.34 million barrels per day, lower than the daily average production of 1.50 million barrels per day recorded in the same quarter of 2021 by 0.16 million barrels per day and higher than the third quarter of 2022 production volume of 1.20 million barrels per day.
It said the real growth of the oil sector was –13.38 per cent (year-on-year) in Q4 2022, indicating a decrease of 5.33 per cent points relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021.
It explained that growth increased by 9.29 per cent points when compared to Q3 2022, which was –22.67 per cent.
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the oil sector recorded a growth rate of -14.93 per cent in Q4 2022.
“However, the annual growth rate of oil stood at -19.22 per cent compared to the -8.30 per cent recorded in 2021.
“The Oil sector contributed 4.34 per cent to the total real GDP in Q4 2022, down from the figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2021 and the preceding quarter, where it contributed 5.19 per cent and 5.66 per cent, respectively. The total annual contribution of oil to aggregate GDP in 2022 was 5.67 per cent,” the report said.
The non-oil sector grew by 4.44 per cent in real terms during the quarter, the NBS said, noting that this rate was lower by 0.29 per cent points compared to the rate recorded in the same quarter of 2021.
This sector was driven in the fourth quarter of 2022 mainly by information and communication (telecommunication), trade, agriculture (crop production), financial and insurance (financial institutions), manufacturing (food, beverage & tobacco), real estate and construction, accounting for positive GDP growth.
Modupe Gbadeyanka