TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
1.2 Statement of Problems
1.3 Research Objectives
1.4 Research Question
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Scope of Study
1.7 Significance of study
1.8 Limitation of study
1.9 Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of study
3.3 Sampling Design and Procedure
3.4 Data Collection Instrument
3.5 Administration of Data Collection Instrument
3.6 Methods of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Data Presentation and Analysis
4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Test of Hypothesis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The issue of employment is very germane to any economy; this is why one of the main macroeconomic objectives of any country is to attain full employment. The issue of employment is paramount to Africa and Nigeria in particular, where high-level poverty is obvious with rising unemployment rates. However, in order to combat the problem of poverty, Oni (2006) argued that reducing the level of unemployment will increase the income level in the economy and thereby reduce the level of poverty. To increase the level of employment, some scholars have argued that the flow of goods and services (trade flows) could propel employment generation, especially in developing countries.
According to Pieper(2006), growth in employment has a feedback on economic growth, such that an increase in labour incomes would expand domestic demand, which in turn would lead to sustainable GDP growth and reducing risks of excessive reliance on uncertain foreign markets. Given this fact, trade can absorb Nigeria’s surplus labour and this can go long way in alleviating poverty for the majority of the poor Nigerians.
Economists have long been interested in factors which cause different countries to grow at different rates and achieve different levels of wealth. One of such factors is foreign trade. Nigeria is basically an open economy with international transactions constituting a significant proportion of her aggregate output. To a large extent, Nigeria’s economic development depends on the prospects of her import and export trade with other nations. Foreign trade provides both foreign exchange earnings and market stimulus for accelerated economic growth (Obadan, 2004). Nigeria’s relatively large domestic market can support growth but alone cannot deliver sustained growth at the rates needed to make a visible impact on unemployment and poverty reduction. Hence Nigeria has continued to rely on foreign market as well (World Bank, 2002).
Many economists generally agree that openness to international trade accelerate development. The more rapid growth may be a transition effect rather than a shift to a different steady states growth rates, clearly, the tradition takes a couple of decades or more so, that is, it is reasonable to speak of foreign trade openness accelerating growth rather than merely leading to a sudden onetime adjustment in net income (Dollar and Kraay, 2001).
Nigeria is characterized with a ‘dualistic’ labour market in which the minority of workers have regular formal sector jobs, while majority works in the informal sector, with a large pool of surplus labour. This is seen from its rapidly increasing labour force. The impact of trade liberalisation on employment growth in Nigerian economy; considering the vision of the country, the welfare of its people and its economic position in the world today, tend to be a special area of interest for the academic world and for policy makers.