scholarly journals Institutions, Macroeconomic Policies and Economic Growth in Africa: Evidence from Panel Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Haruna M. Aliero ◽  
Muftau Olaiya Olarinde

This study investigates the effects of institution and macroeconomic policy on economic growth in Africa, using panel Cointegration technique to analysed data obtained from a panel  of 50 African Countries covering a period of 25years (1990-2014). The results confirm that declining growth rate in Africa is due to poor management of macroeconomic policies. A weak turning point is also confirmed to exist for government size in the short run; in the long run it becomes more pronounce. The Wald restrictions tests of causality ascertain that institutions lead economic growth performance in the short run, while poor economic growth performance impaired the capacity required in building strong institutions which in turn stunts growth in the long run. Therefore, African leaders should tilt their expenditure in favour of human capital development and strong institution, ensure intra-regional trade and adopt private sector led – economic growth strategy.

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mert Topcu ◽  
İlhan Aras

Although the relationship between military expenditures and economic growth is well documented for the old members of the European Union, empirically little is known for the new members. Thus, the goal of this paper is to investigate the economic impact of military expenditures in Central and Eastern European countries employing panel cointegration and causality methods for the period 1993–2013. Findings indicate that the variables in question do not move together in the long run and the direction of causality in the short run is from economic growth to military expenditures. The implications of the results for international relations are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Themba G. Chirwa ◽  
Nicholas M. Odhiambo

In this article, the key macroeconomic determinants of economic growth in Zambia are investigated using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach. The study has been motivated by the unsustainable growth trends that Zambia has been experiencing in recent years. Our study finds that the key macroeconomic determinants that are significantly associated with economic growth in Zambia include, amongst others, investment, human capital development, government consumption, international trade and foreign aid. The study’s results reveal that in the short run, investment and human capital development are positively associated with economic growth, while government consumption, international trade and foreign aid are negatively associated with economic growth. However, in the long run, the study finds investment and human capital development to be positively associated with economic growth, while only foreign aid is negatively associated with economic growth. These results have significant policy implications. They imply that short–run economic policies should focus on creating incentives that attract investment and increase the quality of education, the effectiveness of government institutions, the promotion of international trade reforms and the effectiveness of development aid. In the long run, development strategies should focus on attracting the accumulation of long-term investment, improving the quality of education and the effectiveness of development aid.


Author(s):  
Issoufou Oumarou

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to examine the existence or not of a long run or a short run relationship between public debt and economic in Niger and investigate the significance of this relationship. Approach/Methodology/Design: The study first applied time series econometrics tests such as Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test, Bound cointegration test and Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) on annual data obtained from the International monetary fund (IMF) and the West African States Central Bank (BCEAO). The observations cover the period from 1970 to 2019. The study then performed some residual tests including serial correlation, normality and heteroskedasticity for the accuracy of the prediction of the model. Findings: The empirical results showed no long run relationship between public debt and economic growth in Niger. The short run analysis revealed that public debt and budget balance have short run causal effects on economic growth in Niger. The coefficients are significant at 10% significance level. Practical Implications: This article gives valuable information to Niger policy makers regarding the effects of public debt on Niger economic growth. The article highlights the effects that public debt has on economic growth in Niger in the short and long run. Therefore helping policy makers decide whether to increase or reduce the borrowing trend. Originality/value: The results of the paper give valuable information on the relationship that public debt may have with economic growth in Sub Saharan African countries with the similar macroeconomic indicators with Niger.


Author(s):  
Busrat Abidemi Agbaje ◽  
Ekele Idachaba

An important prerequisite for reducing poverty, sustainable development and achievement of the millennium development goal has to some extent been tied to access to electricity. However, the subject matter; 'electricity consumption causing economic growth' has seen conflicting results from the theoretical and empirical front, if indeed a relationship exist at all. The study tests, within a panel context the long-run relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth for 13 African Countries from 2006 to 2017 by employing recently developed panel co-integration techniques. Implementing a three stage approach made up of panel unit root, panel co-integration and Granger causality test to examine the causal relationship between electricity consumption, electricity price, corruption, employment and growth. The study provides empirical evidence that a bidirectional causal relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth exist in the short run, suggesting that lack of electricity could hamper economic growth as well as an investment in electricity infrastructure would in turn improve economic growth. Also reveals that corruption causes the level of electricity consumption and GDP in the short run. On the long-run front electricity consumption and electricity price granger causes GDP and GDP causes electricity consumption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tough Chinoda ◽  
Tafirei Mashamba

Orientation: The relevance of bank competition and economic growth for boosting financial inclusion is attracting unprecedented attention from academics and policymakers, mainly because of several persisting issues which, if addressed, can enhance the functionality of governments, businesses, individuals and the economy.Research purpose: The study aims to examine the interplay between financial inclusion, bank competition and economic growth in Africa.Motivation for the study: Previous literature focuses mainly on the nexus between financial inclusion and bank competition, financial inclusion and economic growth and bank competition and economic growth producing diverse results, with a dearth of literature on the trivariate link between the three variables.Research approach/design and method: This study employed the pooled mean group estimation-based panel autoregression distribution lag approach from 2004 to 2018. A panel data analysis for 20 African countries was used.Main findings: The study found a significant positive relationship between financial inclusion and economic growth in the long run. However, in the short run, economic growth significantly reduces financial inclusion. We also found that in the long-run bank competition reduces financial inclusion in line with the information hypothesis. However, in the short run the effect is significantly positive, consistent with the market power hypothesis.Practical/managerial implications: Policymakers and development agencies should implement measures that reckon incentives that can accelerate bank competition to bring on-board the unbanked. They should also take note of financial inclusion measurement in addressing financial inclusion challenges. Moreover, they should minimise barriers to financial inclusion to enhance bank competition and stability.Contribution/value-add: The study managed to discover how bank competition and economic growth influences financial inclusion.


Author(s):  
Raphael Kolade Ayeni

The policy of import substitution dominated developing economies especially Sub-Sharan African countries up till 1970. The focus later shifted to pursuing growth through increased export. Recently, countries of the West Africa Sub-region are clamoring for a revisit of growth through import substitution policies. This study therefore delved into the question of whether ECOWAS countries should go for import substitution growth strategy, or to develop strategy that promotes export-led growth, following the law of comparative advantage or a considerable mix of the two strategies. Using an export-augmented neoclassical production function, the study tested how relevant is the Export-led Growth Hypothesis for the ECOWAS sub-region over the period 1980-2014. Evidence does not offer a strong support for the Hypothesis in the short run but a strong evidence for improved capital stock and labor causing growth. However, long-run results suggest a significant relationship between export and growth but currently negative. A likely explanation of this negativity is that although exports, in the West African sub-regions has the tendency of increasing growth in the long run along with other factors of production, the present conditions of export, especially manufactured and agricultural exports, is experiencing a kind of “Import surge”. That is the import content of exports is high and the local content is low, thus reducing the spillover or multiplier effects. This was confirmed by the strong bilateral causality between export and import discovered in this study. A policy mix of import substitution and export promotion strategies was recommended for countries in this sub-region. Policies that will promote technological innovation in manufacturing and linkages with local suppliers alongside incentives to produce towards export are imperative. Production towards export should be focused on manufactured and agricultural products where each country has the highest comparative advantage so as to reduce the import content of the export.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
R. K. Ayeni ◽  
Momodou Mustapha FANNEH

The policy of import substitution dominated developing economies especially Sub-Sharan African countries up till 1970. The focus later shifted to pursuing growth through increased export. Recently, countries of the West Africa Sub-region are clamoring for a revisit of growth through import substitution policies. This study therefore delved into the question of whether ECOWAS countries should go for import substitution growth strategy, or to develop strategy that promotes export-led growth, following the law of comparative advantage or a considerable mix of the two strategies. Using an export-augmented neoclassical production function, the study tested how relevant is the Export-led Growth Hypothesis for the ECOWAS sub-region over the period 1980-2014.  Evidence does not offer a strong support for the Hypothesis in the short run but a strong evidence for improved capital stock and labor causing growth. However, long-run results suggest a significant relationship between export and growth but currently negative.  A likely explanation of this negativity is that although exports, in the West African sub-regions has the tendency of increasing growth in the long run along with other factors of production, the present conditions of export, especially manufactured and agricultural exports, is experiencing a kind of “Import surge”. That is the import content of exports is high and the local content is low, thus reducing the spillover or multiplier effects. This was confirmed by the strong bilateral causality between export and import discovered in this study. A policy mix of import substitution and export promotion strategies was recommended for countries in this sub-region.  Policies that will promote technological innovation in manufacturing and linkages with local suppliers alongside incentives to produce towards export are imperative. Production towards export should be focused on manufactured and agricultural products where each country has the highest comparative advantage so as to reduce the import content of the export.


Author(s):  
Thobeka Ncanywa ◽  
Karabo Mabusela

Orientation: Financial sector development in a vast majority of sub-Saharan African countries has the potential to reduce the volatility of growth.Research purpose: This article is aimed at determining the influence of financial development on economic growth in selected sub-Saharan African countries.Motivation for the study: In most of the sub-Saharan countries, financial sectors are among the world’s least developed, and the absence of deep, efficient financial markets puts major constraints on economic growth.Research approach/design and method: This article employed panel autoregressive and distributive lag model to determine the relationship between financial development and economic growth.Main findings: The results indicated that there exists a short- and a long-run relationship between financial development and economic growth in the selected countries. In the long run, bank credit to the private sector and liquid liabilities have a positive influence on economic growth, with gross domestic savings exhibiting a negative influence.Practical/managerial implications: This article makes recommendations that as financial stability, both globally and within countries, generates jobs and improves productivity, more effort should be made in ensuring an effective and sound developed financial sector system.Contribution/value-add: The financial-economic growth nexus indicate that a well-functioning financial market development can promote economic growth. However, some controversies exist as some evidence indicated that a negative or positive financial development–growth nexus exists, so there was a need to find out what is the sub-Saharan case. Furthermore, there was a need to find development regulatory and macroeconomic policies that enhance growth.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
KIZITO UYI EHIGIAMUSOE ◽  
SIKIRU JIMOH BABALOLA

This study examines the relationship between electricity consumption, trade openness and economic growth in 25 African countries during 1980–2016. It disaggregates electricity into renewable and non-renewable and disaggregates trade into exports and imports. It employs cointegration and Granger causality techniques that enable us to determine both joint and individual causality, as well as account for individual heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. It also uses the variance decompositions (VDs) and impulse response functions (IRFs). This study shows a short-run and long-run joint causality from electricity and trade to growth, as well as a short-run and long-run joint causality from trade and growth to electricity. Besides, the Dumitrescu–Hurlin Granger non-causality technique shows a bidirectional causality between electricity and growth and between trade and growth but a unidirectional causality from electricity to trade. It also reveals the causal relationships from exports, imports, renewable and non-renewable electricity to growth. This study implies that electricity consumption and trade openness stimulate growth, while the latter also determines electricity consumption and trade openness. Based on the findings, we recommend some policy options.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajesh Sharma ◽  
Pradeep Kautish ◽  
D. Suresh Kumar

Due to the socio-economic, infrastructural and governance peculiarities, identification of key macroeconomic factors determining the economic growth in developing countries becomes a complicated case. The present study attempts to assess the impact of foreign aid, government consumption expenditure, foreign direct investment, trade openness, exchange rate, human capital development, and inflation on economic growth in India by using yearly data for the period of 46 years, that is, from 1971 to 2016. An autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds model enables to examine the short-run and long-run impact of selected determinants on economic growth during the study period. The outcomes of the study find that in the long run, foreign aid, the government’s final consumption expenditure and foreign direct investment have a positive and significant impact on economic growth, whereas, economic growth has been negatively influenced by exchange rate and human capital development. Contrary to the long run, foreign aid has a negative and significant impact on economic growth in the short run. The short-run outcomes show that all the selected macroeconomic determinants have either negative or positive influence on economic growth. To ensure the long-run economic growth, besides regulating the exchange rate fluctuations, policies related to export -import and human capital development need to be re-examined.


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