Globalization and its Challenges in Nigeria: A Study of the Rise of Fuel Prices in Adamawa State

Abstract

This study examines the socio-economic impacts of globalization on Nigeria, focusing specifically on the domestic consequences of global oil market dynamics. It explores how international economic integration, under the framework of neoliberalism, influences local fuel pricing mechanisms. Centered on a empirical and analytical case study of Adamawa State, located in northeastern Nigeria, the research investigates the direct and indirect impacts of escalating petroleum costs on regional transport, food inflation, small-scale enterprises, and household welfare. Using both quantitative survey data and qualitative structured interviews gathered across three major zones in Adamawa State (Yola, Mubi, and Numan), the study maps out the severe economic distortions caused by structural market reforms, currency devaluation, and subsidy removal policies. The findings reveal that globalization has accelerated internal economic precarity, leaving localized frontier economies like Adamawa highly vulnerable to global commodity shocks without adequate institutional safety nets. The paper concludes by presenting strategic policy recommendations aimed at stabilizing local energy supply chains, revitalizing domestic refining capacity, and instituting regional structural palliatives.