Intangible Assets and Economic Growth in Nigeria: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

This work examines the impact of intangible assets on economic growth in Nigeria, using time series data from 1990 to 2019. Relevant theoretical and empirical literatures were reviewed. Government expenditure on research and development, intellectual capital proxied by human capital stock, intellectual property and service sector employment were regressed as independent variables against the real GDP (proxy for economic growth) as the dependent variable. Secondary data were used for this work. The ARDL bound test was adopted in estimating the model. We discovered that government expenditure on R&D, intellectual capital and intellectual property do not have significant relationship with economic growth proxied by RGDP; meanwhile service sector employment had a significant relationship with economic growth in Nigeria. Also, government expenditure on R&D; and service sector employment were rightly signed; while intellectual capital and intellectual property were not rightly signed. This implies that when government increases its expenditure on R&D, it will result to economic growth, so also service sector employment in the long-run. Meanwhile, an increase in intellectual capital and intellectual property will reduce RGDP. We therefore propose that government should upgrade its spending on R&D so as to boost intellectual capital and property. The government should also create employment for the stock of human capital. Finally, government institutions such as producers’ protection agencies should be empowered to protect intellectual properties in Nigeria.