Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring the Interaction Between ICT Diffusion and Financial Development

Ofori, Isaac K. and Osei, Dennis B. and Alagidede, Imhotep P. (2022): Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring the Interaction Between ICT Diffusion and Financial Development. Published in: Telecommunications Policy , Vol. 7, No. 46 (2022)

Abstract

Despite the momentous rise in ICT diffusion, and financial development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), their plausible joint effect on inclusive growth have not been explored, leaving a lacuna in the literature. This study, therefore, examines the direct and indirect effects of ICT diffusion on inclusive growth in 42 SSA countries over the period 1980–2019. We provide evidence robust to several specifications from the dynamic system GMM to show that: (i) ICT skills, access and usage induce inclusive growth in SSA, and (ii) the effects of ICT skills, access and usage are enhanced in the presence of financial development. These findings remain the same when we focussed on financial institution access. Policy recommendations are provided in line with the region’s green growth agenda and striving efforts at improving socioeconomic development.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Financial Development; Financial Inclusion; ICT Diffusion; Inequality; Inclusive Growth; Poverty; Sub-Saharan Africa
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D63 - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E5 - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit; G - Financial Economics > G2 - Financial Institutions and Services; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L96 - Telecommunications; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O11 - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O5 - Economywide Country Studies > O55 - Africa

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