Household consumption pattern: Empirical evidence from Nigerian survey

ABSTRACT: This research paper examines the household consumption pattern: empirical evidence from the Nigerian living standard survey using general household survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics. We attempted to identify these determinants within the framework of an economic model, using two separate data – post-planting and post-harvest data sets generated from surveys in 2012 employing the robust Quantile Regression technique. Our analysis and finding provides evidence that heteroskedasticity is a natural phenomenon in the household consumption pattern since the families in the survey are from diverse backgrounds. We represented income with a proxy variable; total expenditure alongside with the second explanatory variable; household size and both play significant roles in the household consumption pattern. Recommendations to improve and build upon existing agricultural techniques and styles were made. This is inspired by the important role that agricultural sector plays in any economy, which determines to a large extent, the flexibility of that economic system to meet future requirements of being productive, efficient and competitive. It is hoped that policy suggestions there in will help make the Nigerian agricultural sector highly improved to provide for the needs of its citizens and also to face challenges amidst global competition. Keywords: Household, Quantile Regression, Nigerian Living Standard Survey. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………