OxCARRE seminar: James Fenske, Oil and ethnic inequality in Nigeria

Today's OxCARRE's brownback seminar at 12h has James Fenske presenting his paper with Igor Zurimendi, on

Oil and Ethnic inequality in Nigeria. 

Abstract

Oil prices experienced in early life predict differential adult outcomes across Nigerian ethnic groups. Our difference-in-difference approach compares members of south- ern ethnicities to other Nigerians from the same birth cohort. Greater prices in a southern individual’s birth year predict positive relative outcomes, including reduced fertility, de- layed marriage, higher probabilities of working and having a skilled occupation, and greater schooling. By contrast, health outcomes suffer, including reduced height and increased BMI. These microeconomic impacts can be explained by macroeconomic responses to greater oil prices. Relative Southern incomes increase, food production declines, maternal labor inten- sifies, and Southern conflict rises.

See here for the earlier post, here for the working paper