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Is Investment in Africa Too High or Too Low? Macro‐ and Micro‐evidence

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  • Shantayanan Devarajan
  • William Easterly
  • Howard Pack

Abstract

Many analysts decry the lack of sufficient investment in Africa, implying that investment in Africa is ‘too low’. We find no evidence that private and public capital are productive in Africa, either in the cross‐country data or in micro‐data from Tanzania. In this restricted sense, investment in Africa is too high rather than too low.

Suggested Citation

  • Shantayanan Devarajan & William Easterly & Howard Pack, 2001. "Is Investment in Africa Too High or Too Low? Macro‐ and Micro‐evidence," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 10(suppl_2), pages 81-108.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:10:y:2001:i:suppl_2:p:81-108.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jae/10.Suppl2.81
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    1. Easterly, William, 2002. "How Did Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Become Heavily Indebted? Reviewing Two Decades of Debt Relief," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(10), pages 1677-1696, October.
    2. Fosu, Augustin Kwasi & Getachew, Yoseph Yilma & Ziesemer, Thomas H.W., 2016. "Optimal Public Investment, Growth, And Consumption: Evidence From African Countries," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(8), pages 1957-1986, December.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu, 2020. "Financial Access and Productivity Dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(12), pages 1029-1041, September.
    4. Andrés Solimano & Mario Gutierrez, 2008. "Savings, Investment and Capital Accumulation," Chapters, in: Amitava Krishna Dutt & Jaime Ros (ed.), International Handbook of Development Economics, Volumes 1 & 2, volume 0, chapter 19, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Asongu, Simplice & Amavilah, Voxi & Andrés, Antonio R., 2014. "Economic Implications of Business Dynamics for KE-Associated Economic Growth and Inclusive Development in African Countries," MPRA Paper 63793, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Rune Jansen Hagen, 2002. "Marginalisation in the Context of Globalisation: Why Is Africa so Poor?," Nordic Journal of Political Economy, Nordic Journal of Political Economy, vol. 28, pages 147-179.
    7. Kraay, Aart & Raddatz, Claudio, 2007. "Poverty traps, aid, and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 315-347, March.
    8. Leonce Ndikumana, 2008. "Can macroeconomic policy stimulate private investment in South Africa? New insights from aggregate and manufacturing sector-level evidence," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(7), pages 869-887.
    9. Simplice A. Asongu & Voxi H. S. Amavilah & Antonio R. Andres, 2019. "Business Dynamics, Knowledge Economy, and the Economic Performance of African Countries," Research Africa Network Working Papers 19/004, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    10. Abu-Ghaida, Dina & Klasen, Stephan, 2004. "The Costs of Missing the Millennium Development Goal on Gender Equity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(7), pages 1075-1107, July.
    11. Simplice Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2017. "Openness, ICT and Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 17/032, African Governance and Development Institute..
    12. Floribert Ngaruko, 2003. "Agricultural Export Performance in Africa: Elements of comparison with Asia," Working Papers 03-09, Agricultural and Development Economics Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - ESA).
    13. Ambachew, Mekonnen Sisay, 2009. "The Dynamic Links between Investment, Trade and Growth: Evidence from Ethiopia," Ethiopian Journal of Economics, Ethiopian Economics Association, vol. 18(2), pages 132-132, August.
    14. Clas Wihlborg, 2002. "Insolvency and Debt Recovery Procedures in Economic Development: An Overview of African Law," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2002-27, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Mr. Ludvig Söderling, 2002. "Escaping the Curse of Oil? The Case of Gabon," IMF Working Papers 2002/093, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Mastromarco, Camilla & Ghosh, Sucharita, 2009. "Foreign Capital, Human Capital, and Efficiency: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis for Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 489-502, February.
    17. World Bank & International Monetary Fund, 2005. "Global Monitoring Report 2005 : Millennium Development Goals— From Consensus to Momentum," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7325, December.
    18. Nihal Bayraktar, 2019. "Effectiveness of public investment on growth in sub-Saharan Africa," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 9(4), pages 421-457, December.
    19. Bennett, John & Levy, Stephanie, 2018. "Family Ceremonies as a Constraint on Informal Sector Investment: The Case of Sénégal," IZA Discussion Papers 11529, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Stuart John Barton, 2016. "Policy Signals and Market Responses," Palgrave Studies in the History of Finance, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-39098-1, December.
    21. Augustin Kwasi Fosu & Yoseph Getachew & Thomas H.W. Ziesemer, 2014. "Optimal Public Investment, Growth, and Consumption: Fresh Evidence from African Countries," Working Papers 201464, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    22. Nihal Bayraktar & Blanca Moreno-Dodson, 2015. "How Can Public Spending Help You Grow? An Empirical Analysis For Developing Countries," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 30-64, January.
    23. Assa, Maganga & Abdi, Edriss K., 2012. "Selected Macroeconomic Variables Affecting Private Investment in Malawi," MPRA Paper 40698, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    24. Watu Wamae, 2006. "Why Technological Spillovers elude Developing Countries A Dynamic Non-linear Model," DRUID Working Papers 06-02, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    25. Chow, Peter C.Y. & Wang, Zhi & Tuan, Francis C., 2001. "The Impact of WTO Membership on Economic / Trade Relations Among the Three Chinese Economies--China, Hong Kong and Taiwan," Conference papers 330900, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.

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