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Can West African countries catch up with Nigeria? Evidence from smooth nonlinearity method in fractional unit root framework

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  • OlaOluwa S.Yaya
  • Pui Kiew Ling
  • Fumitaka Furuoka
  • Chinyere Mary Rose Ezeoke
  • Ray Ikechukwu Jacob

Abstract

West African countries have long promoted economic integration and income convergence. In recent trends, Nigeria has recorded the highest GDP per capita, and its neighbouring countries are yet to catch up with this economic growth. The paper examines the convergence of West African countries to catch up with Nigeria in terms of real per capita income. For the estimation, the paper employs fractional unit root approach to model simultaneously smooth breaks by means of flexible Fourier function in time. This approach is novel and has not been widely applied in the study of economic convergence across countries. The findings show that, while there is evidence of economic convergence and catching up in West Africa, only Ghana is likely to catch up with Nigeria in the region. As a policy recommendation, the West African countries should strengthen their human resource capacities through acquisition of relevant skills and technology transfers. This would promote income convergence and equitable economic growth.

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  • OlaOluwa S.Yaya & Pui Kiew Ling & Fumitaka Furuoka & Chinyere Mary Rose Ezeoke & Ray Ikechukwu Jacob, 2019. "Can West African countries catch up with Nigeria? Evidence from smooth nonlinearity method in fractional unit root framework," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 158, pages 51-63.
    • Handle: RePEc:cii:cepiie:2019-q2-158-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Yaya, OlaOluwa S. & Furuoka, Fumitaka & Pui, Kiew Ling & Jacob, Ray Ikechukwu & Ezeoke, Chinyere M., 2020. "Investigating Asian regional income convergence using Fourier Unit Root test with Break," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 120-129.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income convergence; Economic integration; West Africa; Nonlinear method;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C19 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Other
    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • N17 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Africa; Oceania

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