Infrastructural development, agricultural productivity and life expectancy in Nigeria

As the global population rises, improving human health and agricultural productivity becomes vital for sustainable development. Infrastructural development is equally crucial, as it supports health and agriculture. This study examines the relationship among infrastructural development, agricultural productivity, and life expectancy in Nigeria from 1990 to 2024, using the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. Key variables are life expectancy, agricultural output, infrastructural spending, and domestic credit to the private sector. The empirical results reveal a significant long-term positive effect of agricultural output and infrastructure on life expectancy. However, domestic credit to the private sector negatively affects life expectancy. Based on these findings, the study recommends increased investment in general infrastructure—particularly rural infrastructure such as roads, irrigation systems, storage facilities, and agricultural research—to improve productivity and health. To counter the negative effects of private sector credit, the study suggests a stronger regulatory framework for credit allocation and borrower education programs to promote efficient and productive credit use.