IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/mgtdec/v46y2025i1p329-346.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Striding towards a greener future: Unlocking the potential of natural resources and employment dynamics in green energy transition in sub‐Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Kingsley I. Okere
  • Stephen Kelechi Dimnwobi
  • Ismail O. Fasanya

Abstract

The adoption and utilization of renewable energy offer potential benefits such as enhanced energy efficiency, cost savings, and ecological advantages. However, a key research question addressed in this analysis is whether natural resource rent and employment dynamics influence renewable energy consumption in Africa. Previous research has predominantly focused on the aggregate employment rate, overlooking the nuances of labor diversity across sectors and employment types. Hence, this study evaluates the importance of natural resource rent and employment in driving the transition to green energy in sub‐Saharan Africa from 1991 to 2022. It employs the innovative method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) model for this purpose. The findings reveal a positive connection between natural resource rent and the adoption of green energy. When considering employment types, the study observes that self‐employment and wages/salaried workers undermine clean energy utilization. Moreover, the study highlights that employment across key economic sectors also plays a role. While employment in the agriculture and service sectors fosters green energy utilization, employment in the industrial sector impedes renewable energy consumption. To advance the development of green energy in Africa, this study underscores a range of policy options.

Suggested Citation

  • Kingsley I. Okere & Stephen Kelechi Dimnwobi & Ismail O. Fasanya, 2025. "Striding towards a greener future: Unlocking the potential of natural resources and employment dynamics in green energy transition in sub‐Saharan Africa," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(1), pages 329-346, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:46:y:2025:i:1:p:329-346
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.4377
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.4377
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/mde.4377?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christopher F Baum & Mark E. Schaffer & Steven Stillman, 2003. "Instrumental variables and GMM: Estimation and testing," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 3(1), pages 1-31, March.
    2. Li, Xiang & Tong, Xiuyu, 2024. "Fostering green growth in Asian developing economies: The role of good governance in mitigating the resource curse," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Machado, José A.F. & Santos Silva, J.M.C., 2019. "Quantiles via moments," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 213(1), pages 145-173.
    4. Ma, Qiang & Li, Sa & Aslam, Misbah & Ali, Naveed & Alamri, Ahmad Mohammed, 2023. "Extraction of natural resources and sustainable renewable energy: COP26 target in the context of financial inclusion," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    5. Przychodzen, Wojciech & Przychodzen, Justyna, 2020. "Determinants of renewable energy production in transition economies: A panel data approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    6. Hashem Pesaran, M. & Yamagata, Takashi, 2008. "Testing slope homogeneity in large panels," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 50-93, January.
    7. Karmaker, Shamal Chandra & Barai, Munim Kumar & Sen, Kanchan Kumar & Saha, Bidyut Baran, 2023. "Effects of remittances on renewable energy consumption: Evidence from instrumental variable estimation with panel data," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    8. Joakim Westerlund, 2007. "Testing for Error Correction in Panel Data," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 69(6), pages 709-748, December.
    9. Ahmadov, Anar Kamil & van der Borg, Charlotte, 2019. "Do natural resources impede renewable energy production in the EU? A mixed-methods analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 361-369.
    10. Stephen K. Dimnwobi & Chukwunonso Ekesiobi & Chekwube V. Madichie & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Population Dynamics and Environmental Quality in Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/047, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    11. Hlalefang Khobai & Nwabisa Kolisi & Clement Moyo & Izunna Anyikwa & Siyasanga Dingela, 2020. "Renewable Energy Consumption and Unemployment in South Africa," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(2), pages 170-178.
    12. Dimnwobi, Stephen Kelechi & Madichie, Chekwube V. & Ekesiobi, Chukwunonso & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "Financial development and renewable energy consumption in Nigeria," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 668-677.
    13. Jan Ditzen & Yiannis Karavias & Joakim Westerlund, 2021. "Testing and Estimating Structural Breaks in Time Series and Panel Data in Stata," Papers 2110.14550, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2025.
    14. Liu, Jiayu & Lu, Shichang, 2023. "Do natural resources ensure access to sustainable renewable energy in developing economies? The role of mineral resources in a resources-energy novel setting," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    15. Victor Chernozhukov & Christian Hansen, 2004. "The Effects of 401(K) Participation on the Wealth Distribution: An Instrumental Quantile Regression Analysis," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(3), pages 735-751, August.
    16. M. Hashem Pesaran & Yimeng Xie, 2021. "A Bias-Corrected CD Test for Error Cross-Sectional Dependence in Panel Data Models with Latent Factors," CESifo Working Paper Series 9234, CESifo.
    17. Stephen K. Dimnwobi & Kingsley I. Okere & Favour C. Onuoha & Chukwunonso Ekesiobi, 2022. "Energy Poverty, Environmental Degradation and Agricultural Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 22/096, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    18. M. Hashem Pesaran, 2007. "A simple panel unit root test in the presence of cross-section dependence," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(2), pages 265-312.
    19. Artūras Juodis & Simon Reese, 2022. "The Incidental Parameters Problem in Testing for Remaining Cross-Section Correlation," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(3), pages 1191-1203, June.
    20. George Halkos & Iacovos Psarianos, 2016. "Exploring the effect of including the environment in the neoclassical growth model," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 18(3), pages 339-358, July.
    21. York, Richard & Rosa, Eugene A. & Dietz, Thomas, 2003. "STIRPAT, IPAT and ImPACT: analytic tools for unpacking the driving forces of environmental impacts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 351-365, October.
    22. Yann Füllemann & Vincent Moreau & Marc Vielle & François Vuille, 2020. "Hire fast, fire slow: the employment benefits of energy transitions," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 202-220, April.
    23. Favour C. Onuoha & Stephen K. Dimnwobi & Kingsley I. Okere & Chukwunonso Ekesiobi, 2023. "Sustainability Burden or Boost? Examining the Effect of Public Debt on Renewable Energy Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 23/031, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    24. Ying Chen, 2019. "Renewable energy investment and employment in China," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(3), pages 314-334, May.
    25. Yuan, Jian & Yang, Ranran & Fu, Qiang, 2023. "Aspects of renewable energy influenced by natural resources: How do the stock market and technology play a role?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    26. Onuoha, Favour Chidinma & Dimnwobi, Stephen Kelechi & Okere, Kingsley Ikechukwu & Ekesiobi, Chukwunonso, 2023. "Funding the green transition: Governance quality, public debt, and renewable energy consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    27. Chinazaekpere Nwani, 2022. "Global Trade Flows and the Role of Bank Financing: Policy Path for Mitigating Associated Environmental Impacts in Import-Oriented Economies," Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy (JICEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 13(03), pages 1-28, October.
    28. Shinwari, Riazullah & Yangjie, Wang & Payab, Ahmad Haseeb & Kubiczek, Jakub & Dördüncü, Hazar, 2022. "What drives investment in renewable energy resources? Evaluating the role of natural resources volatility and economic performance for China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    29. Zhang, Yueman & Danish, & Khan, Salah UD Din, 2023. "The role of energy poverty in the linkage between natural resources and economic performance: Resource curse or resource blessing?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    30. Deng, Zhongqi & Song, Shunfeng & Jiang, Nan & Pang, Ruizhi, 2023. "Sustainable development in China? A nonparametric decomposition of economic growth," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    31. Saboori, Behnaz & Gholipour, Hassan F. & Rasoulinezhad, Ehsan & Ranjbar, Omid, 2022. "Renewable energy sources and unemployment rate: Evidence from the US states," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    32. Fanti, Luciano & Manfredi, Piero, 2009. "Neoclassical production theory and growth with unemployment: The stability issue revisited," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 126-135, June.
    33. Han, Zhanbing & Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Youn, Ik Joong & Tawiah, Vincent, 2023. "The impact of natural resources on renewable energy consumption," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    34. Olanrewaju, Busayo T. & Olubusoye, Olusanya E. & Adenikinju, Adeola & Akintande, Olalekan J., 2019. "A panel data analysis of renewable energy consumption in Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 668-679.
    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. Okere, Kingsley Ikechukwu & Dimnwobi, Stephen Kelechi & Ekesiobi, Chukwunonso & Onuoha, Favour Chidinma, 2023. "Turning the tide on energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: Does public debt matter?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    2. Sufang Liu & Kingsley Ikechukwu Okere & Obumneke Bob Muoneke, 2025. "Energizing Small and Medium‐sized Enterprises for environmental sustainability in poor Europe: Do green finance and bureaucratic quality matter?," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(1), pages 116-137, February.
    3. Usman, Muhammad & Simionescu, Mihaela & Radulescu, Magdalena & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel, 2024. "Breaking barriers, cultivating sustainability: Discovering the trifecta influence of digitalization, natural resources, and globalization on eco-innovations across 27 European nations," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    4. Saboori, Behnaz & Gholipour, Hassan F. & Rasoulinezhad, Ehsan & Ranjbar, Omid, 2022. "Renewable energy sources and unemployment rate: Evidence from the US states," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    5. Clement Olalekan Olaniyi & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al‐Faryan & Eyitayo Oyewunmi Ogbaro, 2025. "Do institutional quality and its threshold matter in the sensitivity of the renewable energy transition to financial development? New empirical perspectives," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 5-43, January.
    6. Yang, Zhenghan & Wei, Changjing & Fang, Zhen & Song, Xiaowei & Shi, Yang, 2024. "What role green finance and natural resources play for energy transition in ASEAN nations? A pathway to mitigating environmental degradation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    7. Uche, Emmanuel & Ngepah, Nicholas & Das, Narasingha & Dey, Labani, 2024. "Dynamic interactions of green innovations, green transitions and ecological load capacity factor in BRICS," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    8. Jianjie Huang & Ridwan Lanre Ibrahim & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al‐Faryan, 2024. "Is natural resource dependence a blessing or curse for sustainable energy blueprint? An empirical insight towards achieving sustainable environment," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(3), pages 962-984, August.
    9. Olympia Frogoudaki & Eleni Sardianou & Konstadinos Abeliotis & Ioannis Kostakis, 2024. "Assessing Determinants of E-waste in Eurozone Countries: An Empirical Study," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 2221-2240, September.
    10. Chishti, Muhammad Zubair & Patel, Ritesh, 2023. "Breaking the climate deadlock: Leveraging the effects of natural resources on climate technologies to achieve COP26 targets," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    11. Huo, Qixin & Huang, Yuchen & Khan, Salahuddin & Mallek, Sabrine & Wolanin, Elżbieta, 2023. "Employment generation via natural resources: A novel perspective of Dutch disease in the employment market," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    12. Sun, Yanpeng & Chang, Hsuling & Vasbieva, Dinara G. & Andlib, Zubaria, 2022. "Economic performance, investment in energy resources, foreign trade, and natural resources volatility nexus: Evidence from China's provincial data," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    13. Huang, Chaoqun & Liu, Weibai & Iqbal, Wasim & Shah, Syed Ale Raza, 2024. "Does digital governance matter for environmental sustainability? The key challenges and opportunities under the prism of natural resource management," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    14. Onyekachukwu Ernest Ebenebe & Ifunanya Miracle Ejimgini & Uju Regina Ezenekwe & Christopher U. Kalu, 2024. "Bridging Health Divides: Remittances and Health Expenditure in Nigeria[1]," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(9), pages 24-41, September.
    15. Dao, Ngoc Bich & Truong, Huong Hoang Diep & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Chu, Lan Khanh, 2024. "The impacts of natural resources rents diversification, uncertainty, and environmental technologies on ecological sustainability: Empirical evidence from OECD countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    16. James Temitope Dada & Folorunsho Monsur Ajide & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan & Mosab I. Tabash, 2024. "The moderating effect of economic complexity in the shadow economy-renewable energy transition nexus: evidence from African economies," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 1-27, December.
    17. Aladejare, Samson Adeniyi, 2022. "Natural resource rents, globalisation and environmental degradation: New insight from 5 richest African economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    18. Benedette Nneka Okezie & Tobechi Faith Agbanike & Nwaonuma Douglas Nnachi & Nkama Nnachi Otta & Chinazaekpere Nwani & Beatrice Chinyere Eneje & Ijeoma Perpetual Onuoha & Hilary Ikechukwu Nnam, 2025. "Does fiscal burden impede green transition? Income, taxation, clean energy, and ecological sustainability in sub‐Saharan Africa," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(1), pages 177-196, February.
    19. Fang, Shuya & Fang, Wei, 2023. "How fiscal decentralization and trade diversification influence sustainable development: Moderating role of resources dependency," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    20. Khan, Yasir & Hassan, Taimoor & Guiqin, Huang & Nabi, Ghulam, 2023. "Analyzing the impact of natural resources and rule of law on sustainable environment: A proposed policy framework for BRICS economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).

    More about this item

    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:wly:mgtdec:v:46:y:2025:i:1:p:329-346. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/7976 .

    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.