International Business Research; Vol. 5, No. 11; 2012 ISSN 1913-9004 E-ISSN 1913-9012 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education Understanding the Nexus of R&D, Innovation and Economic Growth in Nigeria Yusuf O. Akinwale1, Abolaji D. Dada1, Adekemi J. Oluwadare1, Olalekan A. Jesuleye1 & Willie O. Siyanbola1 1 National Centre for Technology Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria Correspondence: Yusuf O. Akinwale, National Centre for Technology Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria. Tel: 234-805-522-9353. E-mail:
[email protected] Received: August 30, 2012 Accepted: October 9, 2012 Online Published: October 19, 2012 doi:10.5539/ibr.v5n11p187 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v5n11p187 Abstract R&D and Innovation activities, which lead to technological progress, are considered as important factors contributing to stable and continuous economic growth. Total Factor Productivity accounts for the proportion of economic growth that is not captured by labour and capital inputs, and is measured by R&D and innovation in this paper. The paper investigates the impact of R&D and innovation, labour and capital on economic growth in Nigeria using Least Square Method. The result of the thirty one (31) years (1977-2007) reviewed shows that Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) has significant impact on economic growth. The coefficient of R&D which is negatively related to economic growth implies that it is not enough to increase spending on R&D and innovation when there are weak institutions, high corruption practices, low interaction between the academia and the industry, uncoordinated industrial clusters, among others.