Informal Sector and Employment Generation in Nigeria: An Error Correction Model

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of informal sector on employment generation in Nigeria during the period 1970 to 2010 making use of annual time series data. The empirical analysis rests on the augmented Solow growth analytical framework. Our findings show that informal sector activities have significant impact on absorbing the large pool of labour force in Nigeria. The study contends that human capital formation is positively related to unemployment rate which reflects the dearth of government expenditure on education in the country. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the government to re-examine its policies on informal sector.

Key Words: Informal Sector, Employment Generation, Nigeria, Cointegration