Impact of urbanization size and deforestation environmental degradation on economic growth in Nigeria

The study examined the impact of urbanization size and deforestation environmental degradation on economic growth in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to: determine the impact of urban population size environmental degradation on the economic growth in Nigeria and ascertain the impact of deforestation environmental degradation on the economic growth in Nigeria. This study made use of ex post-facto research design. The method of data analysis was Autoregressive distributive Lag model. The data of the study were real gross domestic product (RGDP), total deforestation (FOREST), urban population size (UPS), non-renewable energy consumption carbon emission (NREC), industrial sector carbon emission (ISC), electricity generation carbon emission (EGC) and were sourced from on-line World Bank Data indicators over the period of 1991 to 2022. The empirical results show that: urban population size environmental degradation has 22% negative and insignificant impact on economic growth in short run (Probability value of 0.7660 > 0.05) and deforestation environmental degradation has 49 % positive and insignificant impact on economic growth in short run (Probability value of 0.7660 > 0.05). The study government should provide farmers with farm inputs and extension services to educate rural peasant farmers on latest local techniques for maximum output. Farmers should engage in bush fallowing to allow unfertile land to regenerate after some reasonable number of years before putting the land into use.