(a) For any two of the following countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, list (i) two commodities exported to countries outside West Africa ...

Assessment: WAEC SSCE - Geography - 1999 (Essay) Subject: Geography

Question 1 Report

(a) For any two of the following countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, list
(i) two commodities exported to countries outside West Africa
(ii) two commodities imported from those foreign countries

(b) Choose one of the countries in (a) above and name three of its most active foreign customers

(c) What four measures can a country which experiences Unfavourable balance of trade take to remedy the situation? 

Answer Details

(a) Two countries: commodities exported and imported (outside West Africa)

Nigeria

  • Exported: crude petroleum and cocoa (also rubber, tin).
  • Imported: machinery/vehicles and refined chemicals or manufactured goods.

Ghana

  • Exported: cocoa and gold (also timber, bauxite).
  • Imported: machinery/motor vehicles and petroleum products or manufactured goods.

(Sierra Leone exports diamonds and iron ore; The Gambia exports groundnuts; both import machinery and manufactured goods.)

(b) Three active foreign customers of one country

Taking Nigeria, three of its most active foreign trading partners (customers) are the United States of America, the United Kingdom and India (China, the Netherlands and Germany are also acceptable).

(c) Four measures to remedy an unfavourable balance of trade

An unfavourable (adverse) balance of trade occurs when the value of a country's imports exceeds that of its exports. To correct it a country can:

  • Reduce imports by raising tariffs, using quotas or banning non-essential goods.
  • Promote local production and import substitution so that goods once bought abroad are made at home.
  • Increase and diversify exports, adding processed and manufactured goods rather than raw materials only.
  • Discourage extravagant spending abroad, devalue the currency to make exports cheaper, and encourage exports through incentives.

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