IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ebl/ecbull/eb-24-00399.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analysis of public sector efficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa: Focus on economic performance and stability

Author

Listed:
  • Maïga Nouhoun Oumarou

    (Université Thomas SANKARA)

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the efficiency of the public sector in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries over the period 1991�2020. We use DEA model to estimate relative efficiency scores for two government targets (economic performance and economic stability). Then, we use a semi-parametric econometric method to isolate the impact of government inefficiency from the inefficiency arising from the socioeconomic environment and luck. Finally, we use the Tobit model to analyze the political sources of inefficiency of public sector. The results show that the quality of the political institutions in particular the democratic participation of the citizens, the control of corruption, the weak intervention of military in politics improve the effectiveness of the public sector in SSA countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Maïga Nouhoun Oumarou, 2025. "Analysis of public sector efficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa: Focus on economic performance and stability," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 45(3), pages 1228-1239.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-24-00399
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2025/Volume45/EB-25-V45-I3-P106.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Antonis Adam & Manthos Delis & Pantelis Kammas, 2011. "Public sector efficiency: leveling the playing field between OECD countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 146(1), pages 163-183, January.
    2. Cinzia Daraio & Léopold Simar, 2005. "Introducing Environmental Variables in Nonparametric Frontier Models: a Probabilistic Approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 93-121, September.
    3. Ablam Estel Apeti & Bao-We-Wal Bambe & Aguima Aime Bernard Lompo, 2023. "Determinants of public sector efficiency: a panel database from a stochastic frontier analysis," Post-Print hal-04189811, HAL.
    4. António Afonso & Mina Kazemi, 2017. "Assessing Public Spending Efficiency in 20 OECD Countries," Dynamic Modeling and Econometrics in Economics and Finance, in: Bettina Bökemeier & Alfred Greiner (ed.), Inequality and Finance in Macrodynamics, pages 7-42, Springer.
    5. António Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio, 2023. "Government Spending and Tax Revenue Decentralization and Public Sector Efficiency: Do Natural Disasters Matter?," CESifo Working Paper Series 10424, CESifo.
    6. Antonio Afonso & Ludger Schuknecht & Vito Tanzi, 2010. "Public sector efficiency: evidence for new EU member states and emerging markets," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(17), pages 2147-2164.
    7. Tanzi,Vito & Schuknecht,Ludger, 2000. "Public Spending in the 20th Century," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521662918, January.
    8. Dobdinga Fonchamnyo & Molem Sama, 2016. "Determinants of public spending efficiency in education and health: evidence from selected CEMAC countries," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 40(1), pages 199-210, January.
    9. Hoff, Ayoe, 2007. "Second stage DEA: Comparison of approaches for modelling the DEA score," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 181(1), pages 425-435, August.
    10. Christl, Michael & Köppl-Turyna, Monika & Kucsera, Dénes, 2018. "Public sector efficiency in Europe: Long-run trends, recent developments and determinants," Working Papers 14, Agenda Austria.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jean-François Brun & Constantin Thierry Compaore, 2021. "Public Expenditures Efficiency On Education Distribution in Developing Countries," Working Papers hal-03116615, HAL.
    2. António Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio, 2021. "Taxation and Public Spending Efficiency: An International Comparison," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 63(3), pages 356-383, September.
    3. Jean-François Brun & Constantin Thierry Compaore, 2021. "Public Expenditures Efficiency On Education Distribution in Developing Countries," CERDI Working papers hal-03116615, HAL.
    4. António Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio, 2021. "Structural Tax Reforms and Public Spending Efficiency," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 32(5), pages 1017-1061, November.
    5. Tumaniants, Karen A. (Туманянц, Карэн) & Sesina, Julia E. (Сесина, Юлия), 2017. "Social Expenditures of Russian Regions in Terms of “Input-Output” [Расходы На Социальную Политику Российских Регионов В Координатах «Затраты — Результат»]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 128-149, October.
    6. Bambe, Bao-We-Wal & Ouedraogo, Adama, 2025. "Public expenditure efficiency and foreign direct investment in developing countries," IDOS Discussion Papers 16/2025, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    7. António Afonso & José Alves & Najat Bazah, 2024. "Public Sector Efficiency and the Functions of the Government," CESifo Working Paper Series 11487, CESifo.
    8. Antonis Adam & Manthos Delis & Pantelis Kammas, 2011. "Public sector efficiency: leveling the playing field between OECD countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 146(1), pages 163-183, January.
    9. Antonis Adam & Manthos Delis & Pantelis Kammas, 2014. "Fiscal decentralization and public sector efficiency: evidence from OECD countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 17-49, February.
    10. António Afonso & Ludger Schuknecht, 2019. "How “Big” Should Government Be?," Working Papers REM 2019/78, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    11. Afonso, António & Tovar Jalles, João & Venâncio, Ana, 2022. "Do financial markets reward government spending efficiency?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    12. Afonso, António & Tovar Jalles, João & Venâncio, Ana, 2024. "Fiscal decentralization and public sector efficiency: Do natural disasters matter?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    13. Arrouna Keita, 2024. "Public Agricultural Expenditure Efficiency and Food Security in Sub-Saharan African Countries: Cash Crops or Food Crops?," Working Papers 2024.17, International Network for Economic Research - INFER.
    14. Ant—nio Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio, 2023. "Government spending efficiency, measurement and applications: A cross-country efficiency dataset," Chapters, in: António Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio (ed.), Handbook on Public Sector Efficiency, chapter 3, pages 44-71, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Abiodun Adegboye & Olawale Daniel Akinyele, 2022. "Assessing the determinants of government spending efficiency in Africa," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    16. Nistor Cristina Silvia & Ștefănescu Cristina Alexandrina & Crișan Andrei-Răzvan, 2017. "Performance Through Efficiency in the Public Healthcare System – A DEA Approach in an Emergent Country," Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Oeconomica, Sciendo, vol. 62(1), pages 31-49, April.
    17. Antonio Afonso & Ludger Schuknecht, 2019. "How “big†should government be?," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 8(2), pages 85-96.
    18. Sok-Gee Chan Mohd & Zaini Abd Karim, 2012. "Public Spending Efficiency And Political And Economic Factors: Evidence From Selected East Asian Countries," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 57(193), pages 7-24, April- Ju.
    19. António Afonso & José Alves, 2023. "Are fiscal consolidation episodes helpful for public sector efficiency?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(31), pages 3547-3560, July.
    20. Ant—nio Afonso & Ludger Schuknecht & Vito Tanzi, 2023. "The size of government," Chapters, in: António Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio (ed.), Handbook on Public Sector Efficiency, chapter 1, pages 6-31, Edward Elgar Publishing.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
    • H5 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-24-00399. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: John P. Conley (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.