IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i2p2566-2578.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Toward economic resilience in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The role of institutional quality and human capital development

Author

Listed:
  • Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi
  • Isiaka Akande Raifu

Abstract

A viable economy's hallmark is its ability to generate positive growth rates and its capacity to sustain such growth, especially during a crisis. Economic crises have the potential to induce uncertainty, reverse pre‐crisis economic gains and force preexisting challenges to reemerge, necessitating actions on building economic resilience. Given the fragility of most countries in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), the current paper evaluates the role of institutional quality (INSQ) and human capital development in boosting economic resilience in SSA. The sampled countries were classified into fragile and resilient countries. Annual data spanning 2000–2021 was obtained and analyzed using the Bias‐Corrected Method of Moments (BCMM) estimation method, which can adequately account for cross‐sectional dependence, endogeneity, and heterogeneity in the sample. The results revealed that human capital development improves the resilience of fragile and non‐fragile economies, and INSQ has a higher positive impact in fragile countries than in non‐fragile countries. The results of the bundled INSQ support the positive effect of economic governance, institutional governance, and political governance on the resilience of fragile and non‐fragile countries. Therefore, group‐specific economic resilient policies need to be designed to strengthen economic resilience in the SSA region, and buffers that will ensure a healthy response to economic crises need to be strengthened. In addition, sound institutions and massive investment in human capital development should be pursued to boost economic resilience in the SSA region.

Suggested Citation

  • Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi & Isiaka Akande Raifu, 2025. "Toward economic resilience in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The role of institutional quality and human capital development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 2566-2578, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:2:p:2566-2578
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.3251
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3251
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.3251?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. Mohamed Ali Trabelsi & Salah Ahmed, 2021. "Economic Resilience in Developing Countries: The Role of Democracy in the Face of External Shocks," Working Papers 1499, Economic Research Forum, revised 20 Oct 2021.
    2. S. S. Abere & T. O. Akinbobola, 2020. "External Shocks, Institutional Quality, and Macroeconomic Performance in Nigeria," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    3. Joshua Adeyemi Ogunjimi & Dauda Olarotimi Oladipupo, 2019. "Dynamics of Demographic Structure and Economic Growth in Nigeria," Asian Journal of Economics and Empirical Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 6(2), pages 186-196.
    4. Tii N. Nchofoung & Ibrahim Ngouhouo, 2024. "Determinants of economic resilience response in sub-Saharan Africa to a common exogenous shock: roles of demographic differences, exchange rate regimes and institutional quality," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 26(1), pages 186-213, April.
    5. World Bank, 2020. "Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 34496, April.
    6. Nchofoung, Tii N., 2022. "Trade shocks and labour market resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: Does the franc zone response differently?," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 161-174.
    7. Musibau Adetunji Babatunde & Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi, 2023. "Growth effect of trade misinvoicing in Sub-Saharan Africa: the role of governance," International Journal of Development Issues, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(2), pages 241-254, May.
    8. 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.
    9. World Bank, 2021. "Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 36322, April.
    10. Xiaowen Wang & Meiyue Li, 2022. "Determinants of Regional Economic Resilience to Economic Crisis: Evidence from Chinese Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-25, January.
    11. Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi, 2024. "Does illicit financial flows crowd‐out domestic investment? Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa economic regions," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 1417-1431, April.
    12. Malefa R. Malefane & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2021. "Trade Openness and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Lesotho," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 22(5), pages 1103-1119, October.
    13. Hansen, Christian B., 2007. "Generalized least squares inference in panel and multilevel models with serial correlation and fixed effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 140(2), pages 670-694, October.
    14. Benedicte Vibe Christensen & Christian Upper, 2017. "Building Resilience to Global Risks: Challenges for African Central Banks," BIS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 93.
    15. Afolabi, Joshua Adeyemi, 2023. "Natural resource rent and environmental quality nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa: Assessing the role of regulatory quality," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    16. Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing & Tii N. Nchofoung & Felix Mejame Etape, 2023. "Revisiting the human capital–economic growth nexus in Africa," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(7), pages 1-29, July.
    17. World Bank, 2021. "Investing in Human Capital for a Resilient Recovery," World Bank Publications - Reports 35840, The World Bank Group.
    18. Sondermann, David, 2018. "Towards more resilient economies: The role of well-functioning economic structures," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 97-117.
    19. Jonathan Mukiza Peter Kansheba & Mutaju Isack Marobhe, 2022. "Institutional quality and resource-based economic sustainability: the mediation effects of resource governance," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 1-24, February.
    20. repec:bla:obuest:v:61:y:1999:i:0:p:631-52 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Edwina E. Pereira & Albert E. Steenge, 2022. "Vulnerability and Resilience in the Caribbean Island States; the Role of Connectivity," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 515-540, September.
    22. Qazi Muhammad Adnan Hye & Wee-Yeap Lau, 2015. "Trade openness and economic growth: empirical evidence from India," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(1), pages 188-205, February.
    23. Isiaka Akande Raifu & Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi, 2023. "The Effect of Financial Development on Unemployment in Emerging Market Countries," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 15(3), pages 354-384, September.
    24. Zanxin Wang & Wei Wei, 2021. "Regional economic resilience in China: measurement and determinants," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(7), pages 1228-1239, July.
    25. G. S. Maddala & Shaowen Wu, 1999. "A Comparative Study of Unit Root Tests with Panel Data and a New Simple Test," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 61(S1), pages 631-652, November.
    26. Robert J. Barro, 2001. "Human Capital and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 12-17, May.
    27. Désiré Avom & Brice Kamguia & Henri Njangang, 2021. "Understand growth episodes in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do exogenous shocks matters?," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 596-624, May.
    28. Breitung, Jörg & Kripfganz, Sebastian & Hayakawa, Kazuhiko, 2022. "Bias-corrected method of moments estimators for dynamic panel data models," Econometrics and Statistics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 116-132.
    29. repec:aoj:ajeaer:v:6:y:2019:i:2:p:186-196:id:1151 is not listed on IDEAS
    30. Ibrahim Ngouhouo & Tii Njivukuh Nchofoung, 2022. "Economic Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Composite Indicators," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(1), pages 70-91, March.
    31. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    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. Ayhan KULOĞLU & Eyyup ECEVİT, 2017. "The Relationship Between Health Development Index And Financial Development Index: Evidence From High Income Countries," Journal of Research in Economics, Politics & Finance, Ersan ERSOY, vol. 2(2), pages 83-95.
    2. Mehraj Ahmad Sheikh & Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, 2021. "The Nexus of Trade Openness, Institutions and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation of BRICS Countries," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 56(2), pages 206-215, May.
    3. Nikos Benos & Nikolaos Mylonidis & Stefania Zotou, 2017. "Estimating production functions for the US states: the role of public and human capital," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 691-721, March.
    4. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Nasreen, Samia & Abbas, Faisal & Anis, Omri, 2015. "Does foreign direct investment impede environmental quality in high-, middle-, and low-income countries?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 275-287.
    5. T. Gries & M. Redlin, 2020. "Trade and economic development: global causality and development- and openness-related heterogeneity," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 923-944, October.
    6. Igor Kotlán & Zuzana Machová, 2012. "Vliv zdanění korporací na ekonomický růst: selhání daňové kvóty? [The Influence of Corporate Taxation on Economic Growth: The Failure of Tax Quota?]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2012(6), pages 743-763.
    7. Ismail Senturk & Fiaz Ahmad Sulehri & Syeda Mehak Ali, 2022. "Financial Development and Innovation Led-Growth: A Case of Selected Developing Countries," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 8(3), pages 81-97, September.
    8. Sheereen Fauzel* & Boopen Seetanah & RV Sannassee, 2015. "Foreign direct investment and welfare nexus in sub Saharan Africa," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 49(4), pages 271-283, October-D.
    9. Mehmet Balcilar & Ojonugwa Usman & George N. Ike, 2023. "Investing green for sustainable development without ditching economic growth," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 728-743, April.
    10. Bernard Njindan Iyke, 2018. "The real effect of currency misalignment on productivity growth: evidence from middle-income economies," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1637-1659, December.
    11. Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2022. "Does Foreign Direct Investment Spur Economic Growth? New Empirical Evidence From Sub-Saharan African Countries," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 67(233), pages 61-84, April – J.
    12. Hlalefang Khobai & Clement Moyo, 2021. "Trade openness and industry performance in SADC countries: is the manufacturing sector different?," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 105-126, February.
    13. Yang Song & Dayu Liu & Qiaoru Wang, 2021. "The dual-financial-threshold effect in the “club convergence” of economic growth: a dynamic panel threshold model," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(5), pages 2713-2737, November.
    14. Mushtaq Ahmad Malik & Tariq Masood, 2022. "Dynamics of Output Growth and Convergence in the Middle East and North African Countries: Heterogeneous Panel ARDL Approach," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(2), pages 1444-1469, June.
    15. Mohammad Mafizur Rahman & Istihak Rayhan & Nahid Sultana, 2023. "How Does Electricity Affect Economic Growth? Examining the Role of Government Policy to Selected Four South Asian Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-17, February.
    16. Fang, Zheng & Chen, Yang, 2017. "Human capital, energy, and economic development – Evidence from Chinese provincial data," RIEI Working Papers 2017-03, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Research Institute for Economic Integration.
    17. Seyi Saint Akadiri & Ada Chigozie Akadiri, 2018. "Growth and Inequality in Africa: Reconsideration," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 4(3), pages 76-86, September.
    18. Vighneswara Swamy & Munusamy Dharani, 2020. "Thresholds of financial development in the Euro area," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(6), pages 1730-1774, June.
    19. Swamy, Vighneswara & Dharani, Munusamy, 2019. "The dynamics of finance-growth nexus in advanced economies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 122-146.
    20. Andreas Dietrich, 2012. "Does growth cause structural change, or is it the other way around? A dynamic panel data analysis for seven OECD countries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 915-944, December.

    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:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:2:p:2566-2578. 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://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    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.