ABSTRACT The study examined the impact of money supply on economic growth in Nigeria. In the model specified, real gross domestic product (real GDP) is the regress while broad money supply, real exchange rate, and real interest rate are the regressors. Data was collected from CBN statistical Bulletin for the period 1981 – 2010. The statistical techniques used for the analysis is the ordinary least square techniques with the aid of Stata 10 software package. The research indicates that real interest rate and real exchange rate in Nigeria within the period under study failed to influence real gross domestic product while broad money supply being the only significant regressor influenced real gross domestic product (real GDP) within the period under study. It has been identified that the major problem militating against the poor performance of monetary policy instruments in influencing real GDP in Nigeria is time lags involved which now makes any policy employed by the government to take many months to achieve its full effect. In effect to this, effectiveness of influencing real gross domestic product in Nigeria maybe promoted by emphasizing on broad money supply instead of on monetary target variables due to the fact that broad money supply is statistically significant.
The relationship between money supply and economic growth has been receiving increasing attention than any subject matter in the field of monetary economics in recent years. Economists differ on the effect of money supply on economic growth. while some agreed that variations in the quantity of money is the most important determinant of economic growth and that countries that devote more time to studying the behavior of aggregate money supply experiences much variations in their economic activities(handle 1997),others are skeptical about the role of money on gross national income (Robinson 1950, 1952). Evidence has shown that since 1980 some relationship exist between the stock of money and economic growth or economic activity in Nigeria. Over the years, Nigeria has been controlling her economy through variations in her stock of money. Consequent upon the effect of the collapse of oil price in 1981 and the balance of payment (BOP) deficit experienced during this period, various methods of stabilization ranging from fiscal to monetary policy were used. Ikhide and Alwoda (1993) concluded that reducing money stock of money through increased interest rates would lower gross national product (GNP). Thus the notion that stock of money varies with economic activities applies to the Nigerian economy. As already explained money supply exerts considerable influence on economic activity in both developed and developing economics.
