EFFECT OF INSECURITY ON HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Insecurity in Nigeria has been observed as a factor that encumbers human capital development by disrupting education, healthcare, and economic prospects, eventually affecting the nation’s overall development. Human capital has become a factor which every nation desire to move forward however insecurity has been seen as a threat to its development in Nigeria today since an environment that is devoid of peace and security may be unsafe for human factor to thrive. To this end this study examined the interconnection between peace, security and human capital development in Nigeria using time series data spanning 1981 to 2023. An econometric analysis of the time series data with appropriate stationarity tests confirmed the stationarity of the data used at level and first difference respectively. Other robustness checks were also performed to standardize the result of the findings. These include ARDL bound test, heteroscedasticity and cointegration tests which establish existence of cointegration among the independent variables of the study. Findings revealed that a peaceful and secured environment is an engine room for human capital to thrive. This was confirmed by the positive and statistically significant long run effect of government spending on defence, education and health. It was therefore recommended among others that the law enforcement agents should be adequately equipped to deal with the problem of insecurity in any form and that budgetary allocation to Defense, Education and Health should be increased to enhance their role towards human capital development in Nigeria. Keywords: Defence, Education, Health, Peace, Security.