The COVID-19 effects on automation, remote working and labor productivity in Nigeria

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the threat of future pandemics, has shifted the focus of automation technology, forcing many firms to migrate to remote working in order to boost productivity. The goal of this study is to investigate the COVID-19 effect on automation-related jobs, remote work, and labor productivity in Nigeria. The data collected for this research paper was cumulative monthly data from March 2020 to April 2021 via world health organization website for Nigeria confirmed cases of COVID-19 while other data are automation related jobs, remote working and labor productivity in Nigeria. This study uses empirical analysis such as the Johansen co-integration test to assess whether the series are co-integrated, implying the usage of a vector error correction model (VECM) and indicating that the variables have a long-term relationship. A causality test was also carried out, which revealed that COVID-19 had a considerable impact on automation, remote work, and labor productivity in Nigeria. In the meantime, COVID-19, automation-related professions, remote working, and labor productivity are all linked in the short and long run, according to the Johansen cointegration, vector auto regression (VAR), and vector error correction models (VECM). Granger causality demonstrates that COVID-19 occurrences in Nigeria have a causal effect on the risk of automation-related professions, distant work, and labor productivity, demonstrating the study's value.