Government Capital Spending on Economic Services and Mortality Rate in Nigeria

This study examined the effect of government capital spending on economic services on mortality rate (measured by life expectancy) in Nigeria. It adopted an ex-post facto research design and utilized secondary data spanning from 1981 to 2024, sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin and World Development Indicators. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was applied to assess the effect of capital expenditure on economic services, such as transportation, energy, and water supply infrastructure, on life expectancy. The results revealed that government spending on economic services had a negative and significant effect on life expectancy, suggesting issues of inefficiency, poor project execution, or misallocation of resources in this sector. The study concludes that to improve life expectancy, policymakers should enhance the efficiency and strategic focus of capital spending on economic services to ensure these investments effectively support health-related outcomes. It recommends better management and monitoring of economic service projects to maximize their impact on human well-being.