Incentives in Nigeria's food manufacturing industries and their impact on output and prices

Abstract

Since the inception of the Nigerian government economic reform programme in 1986, various incentives have been granted to the manufacturing sector, as a means of lifting the sector from the constant low level of performance and contribution to GDP. This paper sets out to find out how these various government incentives have impacted on manufacturing output – with specific focus on the food sub sector. By studying the operating profile of selected food-manufacturing companies, using the Pearson correlation analysis with relevant output, employment and price index variables, it was found that the benefits of these incentives appear not to have been passed on to the general public. It is thus recommended that bench-mark performance expectations be set for manufacturers as a pre-condition for granting incentives in subsequent dispensations.