Nigeria Vs Saudi Arabia: Not Petrol Price; Real Indices Buhari Should Be Comparing

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Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari got tongues wagging on social media Thursday when he compared petrol pump price in Nigeria and other countries.

The president made the comparison in his 60th Independence Anniversary broadcast to the nation Thursday morning.

According to him, the pump price of petrol in Nigeria (N161/litre) was low compared to prices in other oil-producing countries like Chad (N362/litre), Niger Republic (N346/litre), (N326/litre), Egypt (N211/litre), and Saudi Arabia (N168/litre).

Buhari added: “It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.”

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to brace for adjustment in pump price.

Read Also: Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan govts nearly destroyed Nigeria – Buhari

As expected, the announcement got many Nigerians talking, and many commentators urged the president to pay more attention to economic and other indices in Nigeria compared to Saudi Arabia, which is the second-largest oil producer in the world.

GDP: Saudi Arabia is easily above Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the monetary value of all finished goods and services made within a country during a specific period. Nigeria is the 32nd largest economy in the world with GDP of $397.3 billion, while Saudi Arabia is the 18th largest economy with $786.5 billion of GDP.

GDP per capita is a country’s economic output divided by its population. Nigeria’s population of 195.9 million (2018, World Bank) is more than quintuple that of Saudi Arabia’s 33.7 million population. Nigeria’s GDP per capita was a paltry $2,028 in 2018 compared to Saudi Arabia’s $23,338 within the same period. Adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), Nigeria’s GDP capita stood at $6,000 compared to Saudi Arabia’s $56,000.

Income Tax rate: Nigeria’s income tax rate is 24 per cent compared to Saudi Arabia’s 2.5 per cent.

Corporate Tax rate: Nigeria’s corportate tax rate is 30 per cent compared to Saudi Arabia’s 2.5 per cent.

Inflation (Consumer prices): Inflation rate in Nigeria is 12.1 per cent compared to Saudi Arabia’s 2.5 per cent.

Read below a full comparison of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia (compiled by GeoRank)

Gross Domestic Product & Income

Stat Nigeria Saudi Arabia
GDP $397.3B $786.5B
GDP growth, 1 year 1.9% 2.2%
GDP growth, 5-years average 2% 2.2%
Population 190.9M 33M
GDP per capita $2k $23k
GDP per capita growth -0.67% 0.61%
Purchasing Power Parity conversion factor 110.03 1.58
Price level ratio of PPP conversion factor GDP to market exchange rate 0.34 0.42
GDP per capita, PPP adjusted $6k $56k
GNI, Atlas method $384.8B $727.8B
GNI per capita $2k $22k
GNI, PPP adjusted $1.1T $1.9T
GNI per capita, PPP adjusted $5.7k $56k

 

Financial system and Human development

Stat Nigeria Saudi Arabia
Income Tax Rate 24% 2.5%
Corporate Tax Rate 30% 2.5%
Inflation, consumer prices 12.1% 2.5%
Inflation, GDP deflator 10.2% 11.5%
Unemployment 6% 5.9%
Economic Freedom Index 57.2 62.4
Personal Freedom Index 6.01 4.65
Human Freedom Index 6.1 5.66
Property Rights Index 38.1 64.6
Judical Effectiveness Index 32.2 72.3
Business Freedom Index 54.7 66.6
Fiscal Health Index 64.1 19.3
Labor Freedom Index 84 63.3
Investment Freedom Index 45 45
Financial Freedom Index 40 50
Trade Freedom Index 62.4 75.4
Monetary Freedom Index 61.7 81
Government Spending Index 96.2 61.8
Tax Burden Index 85.1 99.8
Government Integrity Index 22.3 49.6
Corruption Perceptions Index 27 49
Life expectancy at birth, years 54 74.9
Suicide mortality rate, per 100,000 people 9.5 3.2
Mortality caused by road traffic injury, per 100,000 people 21.4 28.8
Intentional homicides, per 100,000 people 9.9 1.3
International tourism, number of arrivals 5.3M 15.3M

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