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Political Leadership and Economic Complexity in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Désiré Avom

    (Yaoundé,Cameroon)

  • Simplice A. Asongu

    (Johannesburg, South Africa)

  • Cherif Abdramane

    (Yaoundé,Cameroon)

  • Hamed Salim Yazid

    (Yaoundé,Cameroon)

Abstract

Following the literature on leadership impact, this article examines the effect of presidential attributes on the level of economic complexity in African countries. For this purpose, a sample of 28 countries observed over the period 1998 to 2020 was selected. Based on estimates using the ordinary least squares (OLS) and the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) estimators, it is established that the President's education and occupation are important factors in economic complexity. These results are robust to the employment of various methodologies. The study identifies two potential transmission channels through which the president's attributes influence economic complexity. These mechanisms are institutional quality and human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Désiré Avom & Simplice A. Asongu & Cherif Abdramane & Hamed Salim Yazid, 2025. "Political Leadership and Economic Complexity in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 25/024, African Governance and Development Institute..
    • Handle: RePEc:agd:wpaper:25/024
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    File URL: http://www.afridev.org/RePEc/agd/agd-wpaper/24.Political-Leadership-and-Economic-Complexity-in-Africa.pdf
    File Function: Revised version, 2025
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