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Fighting consumer price inflation in Africa

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  • Simplice A. Asongu

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of policy options in financial dynamics (of money, credit, efficiency and size) on consumer prices. Soaring food prices have marked the geopolitical landscape of African countries in the past decade. Design/methodology/approach - The sample is limited to a panel of African countries for which inflation is non‐stationary. VAR models from both error correction and Granger causality perspectives are applied. Analyses of dynamic shocks and responses are also covered and six batteries of robustness checks are applied, to ensure consistency in the results. Findings - First, it is found that there are significant long‐run equilibriums between inflation and each financial dynamic. Second, when there is a disequilibrium, while only financial depth and financial size could be significantly used to exert deflationary pressures, inflation is significant in adjusting all financial dynamics. In other words, financial depth and financial size are more significant instruments in fighting inflation than financial efficiency and activity. Third, the financial intermediary dynamic of size appears to be more instrumental in exerting a deflationary tendency than financial intermediary depth. Fourth, the deflationary tendency from money supply is double that based on liquid liabilities. Practical implications - Monetary policy aimed at fighting inflation only based on bank deposits may not be very effective until other informal and semi‐formal financial sectors are taken into account. It could be inferred that, tight monetary policy targeting the ability of banks to grant credit (in relation to central bank credits) is more effective in tackling consumer price inflation than that, targeting the ability of banks to receive deposits. In the same vein, adjusting the lending rate could be more effective than adjusting the deposit rate. The insignificance of financial allocation efficiency and financial activity as policy tools in the battle against inflation could be explained by the (well documented) surplus liquidity issues experienced by the African banking sector. Social implications - This paper helps in providing monetary policy options in the fight against soaring consumer prices. By keeping inflationary pressures on food prices in check, sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches, rallies and political crises that seriously disrupt economic performance could be mitigated. Originality/value - To the best of the author's knowlege, there is yet no study that assesses monetary policy options that could be relevant in addressing the dramatic surge in the price of consumer commodities.

Suggested Citation

  • Simplice A. Asongu, 2013. "Fighting consumer price inflation in Africa," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(1), pages 39-60, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:jfeppp:v:5:y:2013:i:1:p:39-60
    DOI: 10.1108/17576381311317772
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Akingbade U. Aimola & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, "undated". "Public Debt and Inflation: Empirical Evidence from Ghana," Working Papers AESRIWP06, African Economic and Social Research Institute (AESRI).
    2. Simplice A. Asongu, 2019. "FDI in Selected Developing Countries: Evidence from Bundling and Unbundling Governance," Working Papers 19/057, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    3. Asongu Simplice, 2014. "Fresh Patterns of Liberalization, Bank Return and Return Uncertainty in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 14/004, African Governance and Development Institute..
    4. Asongu, Simplice & Nguena, Christian, 2014. "Equitable and Sustainable Development of Foreign Land Acquisitions: what have we learnt on policy syndromes and implications?," MPRA Paper 56808, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nwachukwu, Jacinta C., 2017. "Quality of Growth Empirics: Comparative gaps, benchmarking and policy syndromes," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 861-882.
    6. Simplice Anutechia Asongu & Christian Lambert Nguena, 2014. "Equitable and sustainable development of foreign land acquisitions: Lessons, Policies and Implications," AAYE Policy Research Working Paper Series 14_013, Association of African Young Economists, revised Aug 2014.
    7. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2015. "Information Asymmetry and Financial Development Dynamics in Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 15/025, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    8. Asongu, Simplice & Nwachukwu, Jacinta C., 2015. "Finance and Inclusive Human Development: Evidence from Africa," MPRA Paper 71787, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Simplice Asongu & Rexon Nting, 2021. "The role of finance in inclusive human development in Africa revisited," Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 38(2), pages 345-370, February.
    10. Odhiambo, Nicholas M, 2021. "Health expenditure and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: An empirical investigation," Working Papers 28863, University of South Africa, Department of Economics.
    11. Asongu, Simplice & Anyanwu, John & Tchamyou, Vanessa, 2016. "Information sharing and conditional financial development in Africa," MPRA Paper 74653, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Simplice A. Asongu & John C. Anyanwu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2019. "Technology-driven information sharing and conditional financial development in Africa," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 630-659, October.
    13. Simplice Asongu & Vanessa Tchamyou, 2015. "Inequality, Finance and Pro-Poor Investment in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 15/052, African Governance and Development Institute..
    14. Asongu, Simplice & Nwachukwu, Jacinta, 2015. "Drivers of FDI in Fast Growing Developing Countries: Evidence from Bundling and Unbundling Governance," MPRA Paper 67294, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2017. "At what levels of financial development does information sharing matter?," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 3(1), pages 1-30, December.
    16. Simplice Asongu & Oasis Kodila-Tedika, 2015. "Conditional determinants of FDI in fast emerging economies: an instrumental quantile regression approach," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 15/003, African Governance and Development Institute..
    17. Nicholas M. Odhiambo, "undated". "Health Expenditure and Economic Growth in sub-Saharan Africa: An Empirical Investigation," Working Papers AESRIWP05, African Economic and Social Research Institute (AESRI).
    18. Nguena, Christian Lambert, 2010. "Rethinking Pro-Growth Monetary Policy in Africa: Monetarist versus Keynesian Approach," MPRA Paper 52100, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 08 Dec 2013.
    19. Simplice A Asongu, 2014. "On the substitution of institutions and finance in investment," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(3), pages 1557-1574.
    20. Asongu, Simplice, 2015. "Financial development in Africa - a critical examination," MPRA Paper 82131, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Nguena Christian Lambert & Tsafack Nanfosso Roger, 2014. "On the Sensitivity of Banking Activity Shocks: Evidence from the CEMAC Sub-region," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(1), pages 354-372.
    22. Aimola, Akingbade U & Odhiambo, Nicholas M, 2021. "Public debt and inflation: Empirical evidence from Ghana," Working Papers 27063, University of South Africa, Department of Economics.

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