ABSTRACT This research work was embarked upon with a view to determine the impact of the capital market on the economic growth of Nigeria. The capital market was set up to achieve specific objectives which would boost the economy such as encourage domestic savings and increasing the quantity and quality of investments. The capital market offers access to a variety of financial instruments which are very essential for government and other institutions in need of long term funds. The data was obtained from the CBN Statistical Bulletin (1980 – 2009) and analyzed using ordinary least square analysis. The result shows that the capital market has a positive and significant impact on the country’s economic growth. It also revealed the limited contribution of the market to the development of the industrial sector.

CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY The capital market is a highly specialized and organized financial market and indeed essential agent of economic growth because of its ability to facilitate and mobilize saving and investment. To a great extent, the positive relationship between capital accumulation real economic growths has long affirmed in economic theories (Anyanwu, 1993). Success in capital accumulation and mobilization for development varies among nations, but it is largely dependent on domestic savings and inflows of foreign capital. Therefore, to arrest the menace of the current economic downturn, effort must be geared towards effective resources mobilization. It is in realization of this that consideration is given to measure for the development of capital market as an institution for the mobilization of finance from the surplus sectors to the deficit sectors. The development of capital market in Nigeria, as in other developing countries has been induced by the government. Though prior to the establishment of stock market in Nigeria, there existed some less formal market arrangements for the operation of capital market. It was not prominent until the visit of Mr. J. B. Lobynesion in 1959, on the invitation of the Federal government, to advice on the role the Central Bank could play in the development of local money and capital market.