This study examined the structural break relationship between external debt and economic gro wth fro m 1980 to 2009 with a view to examine the effect of external debt relief on economic growth in Nigeria. The effect o f huge external debt of less developed countries is believed to impede investment resources. This has resulted in debt restructuring of various kinds in Nigeria with some concessional loans, as well as the external debt relief in 2005. A decade after the debt relief critical sectors of the economy such as education, health, electricity, transport and exchange rate etc. suppose to show evidence or sources of such debt relief. So me studies found the effect of external debt relief to be doubtful especially on economic growth. Hence, a scientific study of the debt relief g ranted Nigeria by the Paris club in 2005 is here evaluated in respect of the effect on economic gro wth in the country. The study used quarterly time series of external debt, external debt service and real gross domestic product to determine the structural break effect of external debt on economic growth in the Nigeria as a result of the debt relief. The result of the chow test showed that the 2005 external debt relief caused a structural break in economic growth relationship with external debt in Nigeria. The study further showed that beside the reduction in aids, resources were freed for economic growth projects in health and education sectors. Conclusively, the external debt relief did make availab le resources for economic growth in Nigeria. Countries are therefore reco mmended toward discretional concessional borrowing and see external debt relief as a good option for poor unsustainable indebted countries as a way of making resources available for economic gro wth. The real sector should be the focal point where value is created rather than imped ing it with mis management and servicing debt.

PurposeThis paper systematically reviewed the contributions of the recent Nigerian government agricultural policies and the impacts on the agricultural value chain system in line with the structural transformation of the sector and the Nigeria's vision 20:2020. The study also suggest strategies to upgrading various segments of the agricultural value chain and argue that Nigeria's agricultural sector requires huge investments and innovative ideas to increase production and create value addition across the most profitable areas of the value chain.Design/methodology/approachThe authors systematically present evidences and data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (the apex monetary authority of Nigeria) and Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (oversees and publishes statistics for Nigeria) to estimate the impact of Government agricultural policies on the value chains system.FindingsThe study discovers that the various recent government policy interventions to tackle the austere challenges in the agricultural sector are yet to yield much significant solution. Given to the dwindling performance of the sector, the Nigerian agricultural value chain is somewhat affected with systemic and services gaps which underpin the market failures (missing markets and weak markets), although the agricultural value chain has the potential of triggering economic growth in a higher scale with a trickle-down effect to other sectors of the Nigerian economy.Practical implicationsOverall, the findings indicate strategies to upgrading the production and processing segments of the agricultural value chain and argues that Nigeria's agricultural sector requires huge investments and innovative ideas to increase production and create value addition across the most profitable areas of the value chain.Social implicationsThe study proves that enhancing value addition in the agricultural sector is imperative to achieving triple-benefits of increasing productivity by building resilient systems that leverage on finance opportunities, deepening economic inclusive growth and achieving great milestones.Originality/valueThis study is the first attempt to focus on agricultural value chain system in line with the structural transformation and the Nigeria's vision 20:2020.

Patent is a useful indicator of scientific outputs and techno-economic activities of countries. It is used to foster linkages between research and industrial organisations in an economy. However, it has not been adequately utilised by several developing countries in Africa, including Nigeria. Commercialisation of research results could be done through diverse means including technology licensing and spin-off activities. Nevertheless, Nigeria with several universities and research institutes has developed few inventions without deriving much benefit from them. This could be as a result of low investment in innovation infrastructure such as technology incubators and science parks, and low patent culture among researchers. The commercialisation process is also impeded by lack of venture capital, poor entrepreneurship culture among researchers, and poor linkage among the elements of National Innovation System (NIS). This article proposes deliberate efforts by the government to create platforms for interaction between research institutions and industries through science parks, technology incubators and increased venture fund. It is concluded that full implementation of the new science, technology and innovation policy is a necessary condition for addressing innovation gap and the challenges of technology commercialisation in Nigeria.

The study examined the interrelationship among economic growth, environmental pollution and human health for Sustainable Development (SD) in Nigeria. This was to contribute to the dynamic debate of how human and economic activities relate and interrelate with environmental pollution in measuring sustainable development in Nigeria. This study further sought to verify the Environmental Kuznet Curve Hypothesis in Nigeria.The study employed the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to investigate linear and interrelationship mainly among life expectancy at birth, economic growth and environmental pollution in Nigeria from 1970-2015. Since the variables have unit root and revealed that there is at least a cointegrating equation in the model, the VECM become a more appropriate model for the study.The VECM Impulse Response Function (IRF) result indicated that economic growth increased environmental degradation in the long run and environmental degradation on the other way round reduced economic growth in most of the period of the study. The VECM system conditional forecast of 10%, 20% and 26% from 2000 to 2015 periods showed that a 10%, 20%, and 26% reduction forecasts of environmental pollution led to a consistent increased economic growth and life expectancy at birth of the country in the study. This indicated that a reduction in environmental pollution will improve the health of Nigerians and also enhance a sustainable development in the country.The study concluded that environmental degradation reduces economic growth while economic activities in the country increases environmental degradation in the country. From the conditional forecast, the study further concluded that efforts in reducing environmental pollution through policies and better environmental friendly economic activities will improves economic growth for sustainable development in the country.

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