OIL, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND LIFE EXPECTANCY IN NIGERIA

This study used the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration to examine the dynamic relationship between environmental pollution and life expectancy in Nigeria over the period 1971 to 2014 incorporating the role of the oil sector. The ARDL estimates suggest that while oil export provides the revenue required to improve life expectancy in the country, it also generates economic conditions that accelerate environmental pollution in the country. The results show that the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on life expectancy in Nigeria is negative and stronger in the long run. To further the understanding of the impacts of oil production activities and CO2 emissions on life expectancy in Nigeria, gender differences in life expectancy were considered. The results highlight the urgent need for health policy measures in Nigeria to incorporate effective mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce the impact of the increasing role of the oil sector on health condition, wellbeing of the people and the overall goal of improving life expectancy in Nigeria.