Trade Openness, FDI and Income Inequality: New Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

A huge number of empirical literature has carried investigation on trade openness-income inequality nexus globally. However, there are areas of knowledge gap on the part of the impacts of FDI inflows on inequality to the Nigerian economy. As a result of this knowledge gap and growing concern for variations in methodologies and scope which makes the debate on nexus between trade openness, FDI and income inequality not beyond controversy. Hence, this study examines the nexus between trade openness, FDI and income inequality in Nigeria between 1981 and 2019 using ARDL methodology. Our findings show that shows that trade openness exerts a negative effect on income inequality in the short-run. This implies that rising trade openness leads to decline in inequality. Equally, the study finds that FDI is negatively related to income inequality. The findings are in tandem the theoretical prediction of Stolper-Samuelson‘s theorem in case of Asia that trade openness and FDI inflow impact income inequality. The findings on government expenditure also exerts a positive effect on inequality. Given that proxies for institutional and macroeconomic determinants demonstrate a diverse variety of indications and effects, this study suggests a policy stimulus aimed at enhancing economic and social structures while also stimulating FDI influx potential in order to raise household incomes.

Keywords

• trade openness
• income inequality
• ardl
• nigeria