Environmental Degradation, Poverty and Health Outcomes in Nigeria
Keywords:
Degradation, Environmental, Health Outcome, PovertyAbstract
This study investigated the effect of environmental degradation and poverty on health outcomes in Nigeria from 1981 to 2024. Utilizing secondary data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), World Bank, and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The study employed time series econometric techniques including the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test for stationarity and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model for long- and short-run analysis. Key findings indicate that poverty significantly reduces life expectancy in the long run, while environmental degradation such as carbon dioxide and oil spillage negatively impact both life expectancy and maternal mortality rates. Conversely, nitrogen oxide emissions demonstrated a mixed but sometimes beneficial effect on life expectancy. Additionally, economic growth was positively linked to health outcomes in the long term, while government health spending showed limited impact. The study concluded that urban poverty and environmental degradation significantly undermine health outcomes in Nigeria. It recommended integrated policy measures that promote inclusive urban development, strengthen environmental regulation, improve healthcare access, and invest in education and employment opportunities for sustainable urban living.
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