Estimating the Determinants of Food Import Demand in Africa

Abstract

This paper examines the determinants of food import demand in Africa taking the case of Nigeria using the ARDL bounds testing approach. Specifically, the study aims to estimates the short run and long run price and income elasticities of food import demand in Nigeria. The paper used annual time series data over the period 1981 to 2019. The empirical result indicates the existence of a long run equilibrium relationship between food import demand and its determinants. The long run price and income elasticities are -4.57% and 5.57%, respectively. The result shows that population and food production exert significant influence in determining food import demand in both the short run and long run while exchange rate is insignificant in the long run. The paper recommends that price and income-oriented policies will be effective measures in controlling food import demand in Nigeria.