The Effects of Unemployment, Poverty and Food Insecurity on Life Expectancy in Nigeria: A Dynamic Analysis Using ARDL

This study examined the effects of unemployment, poverty and food insecurity on life expectancy in Nigeria using time series data from 1990-2023. To carry out this study, key variables were sourced from the World Bank online data base which includes Life expectancy index as dependent variable, Unemployment rate, Poverty rate, Food insecurity (proxied by hunger statistics), Inflation rate and exchange rate as independent variables where exchange rate and inflation rate were considered asintervening variables. From the ARDL model utilized as the estimation technique, it was discovered that inflation rate was statistically significant in the short run; however, long run analysis showed unemployment rate, poverty rate, inflation rate and food insecurity were statistically significant at 5% level. The granger causality test showed direct causality between: food insecurity and life expectancy in Nigeria; food insecurity and exchange rate; unemployment rate and exchange rate. The study concluded that government through the use of monetary and fiscal policy should curb the rising effects of unemployment in the country; tackle the problem of food insecurity with all the resources it can muster to avoid losing a large percentage of the labour force to hunger, depression, suicide and eventually, death in the near future and also look into the level of poverty because of the long run poverty effect exacerbated by rising inflation in the country.