Efficacy of monetary policy instruments on economic growth: Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

The inability of monetary policies to efficiently and effectively exploit its policy objective could be a function of the pitfall of policy instruments adopted which seems to restrict its contributions to economic advancement in Nigeria. It is on this premise that this study investigated the efficacy of monetary policy instruments in Nigeria using monthly data from year 2000 to 2016. The study adopted the Johansen Multivariate Cointegration approach and Vector Error Correction (VECM). The Cointegration test established existence of long-term relationship between monetary policy instruments and economic growth. The study also revealed that there was monthly speed of adjustment of the variables towards their long-run equilibrium path to about 27 percent. The key discovery emanated from this study indicated that Consumer Price Index (CPI), Real Exchange Rate (RER), Money Supply (M2) and Interest Rate (INT) were significant monetary policy instruments that propelled economic growth in Nigeria during the period under review. Consequently, the study concluded by recommending Nominal GDP targeting as the framework to be adopted by the monetary authority in Nigeria in their monetary policy making process especially in the face of the new economic paradigm which is expected to be more plausible in improving and sustaining the stated Nigerian macro-economic objectives.