The Central Bank of Nigeria’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for August stood at 48.5 index points, indicating contraction in the manufacturing sector for the fourth consecutive months while the PMI for the non-manufacturing sector stood at 44.7 points in August 2020, indicating contraction in non-manufacturing activities for the fifth consecutive months.
Jointly, the average PMI (both for manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors) for August stood at 46.6, according to the analysis of the report, contracting for the fourth month since May.
With a month left to complete the third quarter, the average manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMI reading for August translates to an average of 45.35, pointing to another contraction in Q3 if September PMI (for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors) falls below an average of 59.3.
The PMI is a survey of sentiments in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors of the economy, and the index historically shows it possesses predictive power for the direction of growth in output.
Thus, a contracting PMI most likely suggests GDP growth for the third quarter will remain in the negative albeit an improvement over the 6.1% decline seen in the second quarter of the year.
Analysis of the components of manufacturing PMI showed production level remaining in a contraction for the fourth month at 49.2 points in August, the same index as new orders which contracted slower from the previous month.
The supplier’s delivery time index was at 53.0 points in August 2020, indicating faster supplier delivery time for the fourth time while the employment level index for the month stood at 44.6 points, indicating contraction in employment level for the fifth consecutive months. The manufacturing sector inventories index contracted for the fifth time in August 2020 at 46.1 points, the index declined in the review month.
These developments signaled the measured pace of progress made in getting business activities back to pre-COVID levels as the economy reopens with a vaccine or cure, and multi-faceted challenges like acute dollar scarcity, the partial restoration of international linkages, depressed levels of consumer demand, etc.
Patterns in components of non-manufacturing PMI in August were similar pointing to the same general constraints for businesses in the economy.
A breakdown of sectoral performance
Under the manufacturing sub-sector, the cement index expanded from 48.6 points in July to 64.4 points in August. Chemical & pharmaceutical products also moved into expansion territory of 52.2 points in August, from the previous month. Nonmetallic mineral products, Plastics & rubber products, Textile, apparel, leather & footwear and transportation equipment expanded from the previous contraction.
On the other hand, electrical equipment, fabricated metal products, food, beverage & tobacco products, Furniture & related products, Paper products, Petroleum & coal products, primary metals, and Printing & related support activities remained in contraction.
For non-manufacturing activities, all sub-sectors remained below expansionary levels. The most improved was utilities which grew from 31.3 points in July to 50.0 points in August, a transition from contraction to stationary.
Accommodation and food services index rose from 43.6 points to 45.7 points, Agriculture rose from 44.3 points to 48.7 points.
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation index worsened from 65.3 points to 45.3 points, which is from an expansion to a contraction. Repair, Maintenance/Washing of Motor Vehicles also trended in a similar fashion.
Other sub-sectors including construction, education services, finance & insurance, information & communication, transportation & warehousing etc remained in contraction.