(Bloomberg) -- Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, recorded its strongest quarterly growth in 4 1/2 years at the end of last year even as oil output declined. Bloomberg Economics says that spending ahead of elections on Feb. 16 probably played a part and growth is likely to slow this year as the recent decline in crude prices creates more pressure to reduce spending.

To contact the staff on this story: Mark Bohlund (Economist) in London at mbohlund@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Zoe Schneeweiss at zschneeweiss@bloomberg.net

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