Digital Infrastructure as a Catalyst for Employment in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector

The Nigerian agricultural sector has been greatly despised since the discovery of oil. Agriculture has become unattractive to the Nigeria youth due to the crude practices employed. However, agriculture seems an alternative route for developing the Nigerian economy. Digital infrastructure is invaluable in the process of national development and its introduction to the Nigerian agricultural sector might be instrumental in transforming agriculture and making the sector a solution to the agelong problem of employment in the country. Therefore, this study investigated the role of digital infrastructure in enhancing employment in the Nigerian agricultural sector. Secondary data from the World bank, World Development Indicators (2025) and the Global Economy Database (2025) were employed in this study. Using correlation analysis Granger causality test on a time series data for a period of 34 years; from 1991 to 2024, the study established the nature and direction of association among the variables. Also, Johansen cointegration was used to ascertain whether there is the possibility of a long-run convergence among the variables. Finally, error correction mechanism was used to estimate the effect of digital infrastructure on employment in agriculture. The study found that moderate association exists between the key variables and unidirectional flow from digital infrastructure to employment in agriculture was established. Furthermore, the study found that current year digital infrastructure stock stimulates employment in agriculture. In addition, control of corruption and the absence of violence are crucial factors in expanding employment in agriculture. Therefore, the study recommended a systematic update of digital infrastructure stock and the intentional combat of corruption on the part of the Nigerian government. Subsequent studies could examine the effect of digital infrastructure on employment in other sectors of the economy and other institutional quality variables apart from control of corruption could be included in the model for the studies.

Control of corruption, Digital marketing, Digital technology, Error correction mechanism, International market, Nigeria

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