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Development Interventions in Africa’s Historical Borderlands: Evidence from Colonial Missions

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  • Cermeño, Alexandra L.
  • Quintigliano, Alessandra
  • Weisdorf, Jacob

Abstract

Africa’s historical borderlands are persistently associated with low levels of economic development. This paper examines how these regions respond to development interventions, asking how much the long-run development advantage associated with colonial Christian missions attenuates near the borders. Combining georeferenced data on 3,365 pioneering mission stations with high-resolution satellite night-time luminosity data, we show that the positive association between proximity to missionary activity and contemporary economic development weakens sharply near the borders. This result is robust across a wide range of specifications and is corroborated by evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys on household wealth and human capital

Suggested Citation

  • Cermeño, Alexandra L. & Quintigliano, Alessandra & Weisdorf, Jacob, 2026. "Development Interventions in Africa’s Historical Borderlands: Evidence from Colonial Missions," CEPR Discussion Papers 21364, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:21364
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