IMPLICATIONS OF COMMERCIAL BANK LOANS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA (1986-2014)

This study is on the implications of commercial bank loans on economic growth in Nigeria. The role of the financial sector in economic growth has gain a pride of place and prominence in modern study on economic growth. Likewise, the debate on the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth has been comprehensively growing since 1980s in theoretical and empirical literature. The main objective of this study is to examine the implications of commercial bank loans on economic growth in Nigeria between 1986 and 2014. The study made use of secondary data sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria statistical bulletin and the National Bureau of Statistics between 1986 and 2014. The model for the study has as its dependent variable the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its explanatory variables were commercial bank loans to key sectors like industrial, manufacturing, agriculture and the service sectors. Using the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) multiple regression techniques; the study revealed that only the agricultural sector have being enjoying much of Bank credit and it has been making positive impact on the Gross Domestic products (GDP) while others like Mining and Quarrying, Manufacturing and the Building and Constructions sectors have not being getting much attention in terms of bank credit to spur development in that sector. The study, therefore recommended that more credits should be channelled to other sectors like the mining, manufacturing, and the service sectors to have an inclusive sectoral growth that will power sustainable growth and development.