Presidency ‘Pops Champagne’ Over 3.19% Q2 2024 GDP Growth

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Presidency has welcomed the latest report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which put the country’s Gross National Product (GDP) at a 3.19 per cent year-on-year growth in the second quarter of 2024, higher than the 2.51 per cent recorded in the same period of 2023.

A statement by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said the latest report affirmed that the economy was on the right trajectory and the path to recovery.

“As the President said in his August 4 national broadcast, our economy is recovering. Sooner than later, Nigerians will begin to feel, see, and enjoy the impact of his administration’s economic re-engineering efforts.

“We want to reiterate that this government will continue to work assiduously to rekindle Nigerians’ hope and confidence. President Tinubu is working to build a solid and resilient economy.

“President Tinubu wants Nigerians to retain their faith in the government and not allow themselves to be swayed by naysayers intent on aborting and undermining the current reforms for their selfish ends,” said Mr Onanuga.

According to the NBS report, the growth rate in Q2 is higher than the 2.5 per cent recorded in Q2 2023 and higher than the 2.98 per cent growth in Q1 2024.

The GDP’s performance in the second quarter of 2024 was driven by the service sector, which recorded a growth of 3.79 per cent and contributed 58.76 per cent to the aggregate output.

The agriculture sector grew by 1.41 per cent in contrast to the 1.50 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2023.

The industrial sector’s growth was 3.53 per cent, up from the -1.94 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2023.

The NBS also reported that crude production grew to 1.41 million barrels per day, compared with 1.22 million barrels a year earlier.

In terms of share of the GDP, the industry and services sectors contributed more to the aggregate GDP in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the corresponding quarter of 2023.

“We are confident that with the policies we have put in place, we expect oil production to rise to about two million barrels very soon.

“In the quarter under review, aggregate GDP at basic price stood at N60,930,000.58 in nominal terms.

“This performance is higher than the second quarter of 2023, which recorded an aggregate GDP of N52,103,927.13 million, indicating a 16.94 per cent year-on-year nominal growth,” Mr Onanuga said.