Effect of Maritime Transport on Human Capital Development in Nigeria, 1980-2023

The study examined the effect of maritime transport on human capital development in Nigeria, 1980Nigeria, -2023.The objectives were to: determine the effect of: i.) crude oil, ii.) dry bulk and iii.) non-oil transport on human development index in Nigeria.The study was anchored on stakeholders' theory and queuing theory.The study adopted the ex-post factor research design.Data for the study were generated from National Bureau of statistics, central bank of Nigeria, Nigeria port authority Statistical Bulletins.The Augmented Dickey Fuller unit root test was used to test for the stationarity of the variables.Based on the outcome of the bounced co integration test result, the auto regressive distributed lag (ARDL) model estimation technique was adopted for the study.The findings of study revealed that crude oil transport is useful in achieving effective and efficient human capita development.The study revealed that dry bulk transports represent the most common movement models and that the dry bulk transport is divided into major bulk tran sp o rt (iron ore, coal and grain) and minor bulk transport (phosphate, bauxite, soya, rice, sugar, fertilizers, metal and minerals, steel products and forest products).The study observed that dry bulk transport is very impactful in improving the human capital and wellbeing of people in Nigeria.Conclusively, the study has revealed that crude oil transport has positive and significant effect on human development index, dry bulk transport has positive/ and insignificant effect on human development index and non-oil transport has negative and significant effect on human development index in Nigeria.The study therefore recommended that: Government should maintain effective human capital development programmes that encourage pragmatic maritime transport activities of crude oil transshipment, dry bulk carriage and non-oil conveyance thereby snowballing on Nigeria economy.Also, on the basis of the success of crude oil transport in Nigeria, government should improve and transform maritime transportation sector in order to boost Nigeria's human capital development.