INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The management of the economy is a major concern of governments all over the world. Governments of countries feel compelled to ensure, through appropriate policies that their economies are managed to achieve desirable macroeconomic objectives. These objectives include: price stability; economic growth; full employment; and balance of payments equilibrium. The achievement of stable prices and attainment of sustainable economic growth had been the central objectives of macroeconomic policies for most countries in the world today. This is so because the achievement of other objectives like full employment and balance of payment equilibrium are also determined by the achievement of price stability and economic growth. (Ohale & Onyema, 2002)

Economic growth is dependent upon the productive effort of a society and investment of resources. An increase in production and investment will lead to economic growth. A country’s rate of growth can be affected by inflation through its effect on investment. An increase in inflation rate reduces the return on investment, both on physical and human capital. Lower returns mean less accumulation and innovation and hence a lower rate of growth. Growth in output of goods and services is a good way of bringing material benefits to the citizens. This is through fostering those developments such as increased investment, technical progress, increase in demand, amongst others, which are conducive to the growth of the economy. Investment is required to maintain output per head in the face of an increase in the size of labour force. Moreover, increase in consumption expenditure makes producers to respond by increasing their capacity and by so doing, promote economic growth. Nevertheless, as the level of economic activities increase, an economy experiences growth (Ohale & Onyema, 2002; and Apere, 2006).

Private consumption expenditure constitutes the largest component of total consumption expenditure in Nigeria and accounts for more than 65% of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP ( National Bureau of Statistics, 2010). Thus, private consumption expenditure is a core component of aggregate demand.