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Abstract: This study examines the dynamic relationship between oil revenue, government spending and economic growth in Nigeria. Since the discovery of oil, oil proceeds have dominated the country's federation account and have improved public spending. In this paper, we analyse if the huge government spending has improved the rate of economic growth. To do this, the multivariate vector autoregression framework with special attention to Generalised Impulse Response Function is adopted in analysing the annual data of oil revenue, total government expenditure and real Gross Domestic Product from 1980 to 2015. We find evidence that oil receipts remain the major route which public spending is financed and the fundamental source for growth. Hence, there is need for the government to diversify the sources of foreign exchange inflow of the country. The diversification of the economy is required to insulate it from external shocks. It is recommended for Nigeria to explore ways of reviving its huge agricultural potential which has been neglected since the discovery of oil in addition to exploring its rich untapped solid minerals deposit in order to promote diversification of the economy away from a mono cultural product base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the changing impact of oil price shocks on Nigeria and South Africa. Using a structural break approach, recent studies have established the altered impact of oil price shocks consequent to the Great Moderation that commenced in the mid‐1980s. While several studies have focused on the oil–macroeconomic relationship in Africa, little attention has been paid to the variation across different periods. This study investigated the possible changing impact of oil on inflation and the real gross domestic product growth rate in the two largest African economies that are, respectively, net oil‐exporting and net importing countries. A data set from 1970 quarter 1 to 2016 quarter 4 was employed. An impulse response function was used as a referenced model while rolling impulse approach was adopted to ascertain variation across periods. Our findings show the magnitude of the impacts of oil price shocks has declined significantly since the 1990s. Several factors were adduced for the muted effects of oil in the two economies. These factors were largely driven by domestic policies and institutional reforms. Hence, not taking account of the time‐varying nature of the relationship may not provide a complete picture of the relationships between oil and macroeconomic outcomes among African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]