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Foreign Aid and Economic Growth in West Africa: Examining the Roles of Institutions

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  • Sikiru Babalola
  • Waliu Shittu

Abstract

This study examines the roles of institutions on the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth in the 16 West African countries. Relying on panel data obtained from the World Bank’s world development and governance indicators, from 1996 to 2017, the study employs the autoregressive distributed lag technique in investigating the relationship. The empirical findings depict that foreign aid exerts a neutral effect on economic growth; the effect turns negative when the institutional variable is incorporated into the analysis. Again, the interaction effect of foreign aid and institution on economic growth is such that it reduces the negative effect of foreign aid on economic growth. The other factors of growth included are trade openness and government size, whose effects are positive and largely negative on the growth of the West African region, respectively. A significant policy implication from these findings is that the efforts of governments of the region should be directed towards building formidable economic, social and political institutions. This would not only reduce the negative impact of aid on growth but would also promote the competitiveness of the countries for private domestic and foreign capital; thus, reducing reliance on foreign aid.

Suggested Citation

  • Sikiru Babalola & Waliu Shittu, 2020. "Foreign Aid and Economic Growth in West Africa: Examining the Roles of Institutions," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 534-552, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:intecj:v:34:y:2020:i:3:p:534-552
    DOI: 10.1080/10168737.2020.1780292
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    Cited by:

    1. Ofori, Isaac K. & Figari, Francesco, 2022. "Economic Globalisation and Inclusive Green Growth in Africa: Contingencies and Policy-Relevant Thresholds of Governance," MPRA Paper 114377, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Ofori, Isaac K. & Figari, Francesco & Ojong, Nathanael, 2023. "Towards sustainability: The relationship between foreign direct investment, economic freedom and inclusive green growth," MPRA Paper 116956, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Md Ismail Hossain & Md Istiak Hossain & Mollah Aminul Islam & Md Reza Sultanuzzaman, 2022. "Does Foreign Aid Have an Expected Role in the Economic Growth of Bangladesh? An Analysis in ARDL Approach," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 12(6), pages 113-126, November.
    4. Waliu Olawale Shittu & Hammed Oluwaseyi Musibau & Sodiq Olaiwola Jimoh, 2022. "The complementary roles of human capital and institutional quality on natural resource - FDI—economic growth Nexus in the MENA region," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 7936-7957, June.
    5. Ofori, Isaac K. & Figari, Francesco, 2022. "Economic Globalisation and Inclusive Green Growth in Africa: Contingencies and Policy-Relevant Thresholds of Governance," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue Forthcomi, pages 1-1.
    6. Isaac K. Ofori & Francesco Figari, 2022. "Economic Globalisation and Inclusive Green Growth in Africa: Contingencies and Policy-Relevant Thresholds of Governance," Working Papers 22/053, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    7. Isaac K. Ofori & Francesco Figari & Nathanael Ojong, 2023. "Towards sustainability: The relationship between foreign direct investment, economic freedom and inclusive green growth," Working Papers 23/023, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    8. Oluwaseyi Musibau, Hammed & Olawale Shittu, Waliu & Yanotti, Maria, 2022. "Natural resources endowment: What more does West Africa need in order to grow?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    9. Isaac K. Ofori & Francesco Figari & Nathanael Ojong, 2023. "Towards sustainability: The relationship between foreign direct investment, economic freedom and inclusive green growth," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 23/023, African Governance and Development Institute..
    10. Isaac K. Ofori & Francesco Figari, 2023. "Economic globalisation and inclusive green growth in Africa: Contingencies and policy‐relevant thresholds of governance," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 452-482, February.
    11. Waliu O. Shittu & Gazi M. Hassan & Frank G. Scrimgeour, 2023. "COVID-19 and the Role of Remittances on Sustainable Development: Insights from Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers in Economics 23/05, University of Waikato.
    12. Isaac K. Ofori & Francesco Figari, 2022. "Economic Globalisation and Inclusive Green Growth in Africa: Contingencies and Policy-Relevant Thresholds of Governance," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 22/053, African Governance and Development Institute..

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