IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-05285105.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Economic resilience in Central Africa in the face of COVID-19: corruption, a hindrance or a key factor?

Author

Listed:
  • Aristide Merlin Ngono

  • Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa
  • Marc-Hubert Depret

    (UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers, CRIEF [Poitiers] - Centre de recherche sur l'intégration économique et financière [UR 13822] - UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers, LéP [Poitiers] - Laboratoire d'économie de Poitiers [UR 13822] - UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers)

  • Cho Emmanuel Asafor

Abstract

ContextThe COVID-19 health crisis has triggered major economic shocks globally, particularly affecting the fragile economies of Central Africa. The region, faced with institutional challenges and sometimes fragile governance, has had to implement strict health measures (lockdowns, border closures, etc.) to limit the spread of the virus. However, the impact of these measures on economic resilience remains underexplored, particularly with regard to the influence of corruption in this process. This study aims to analyze the effects of COVID-19 control measures on economic resilience in the region, with a specific focus on the role of corruption. MethodsThe study is based on an econometric analysis using panel data covering several Central African countries during the pandemic. We use Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Triple Least Squares (TLS) regressions to estimate the impact of economic support policies, health measures, and corruption on the economic resilience index. Variables include income support, debt relief, and other health measures such as school and workplace closures. The corruption indicator is included to assess its influence on economic recovery. ResultsThe results show that income support policies and debt relief have a significant impact on economic resilience, but corruption exacerbates the negative effects on growth. Countries with higher levels of corruption experience slower economic recovery. Health measures such as school and workplace closures also have negative effects, although these are mitigated by appropriate support policies. ConclusionsThis study reveals that corruption plays a key role in post-COVID economic resilience in Central Africa. More transparent governance and stronger institutions are crucial to building resilience in the face of health crises. Recommendations include better management of public resources and the adoption of more inclusive economic policies to accelerate economic recovery.

Suggested Citation

  • Aristide Merlin Ngono & Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa & Marc-Hubert Depret & Cho Emmanuel Asafor, 2025. "Economic resilience in Central Africa in the face of COVID-19: corruption, a hindrance or a key factor?," Post-Print hal-05285105, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05285105
    DOI: 10.1186/s12913-025-13163-0
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://univ-poitiers.hal.science/hal-05285105v1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://univ-poitiers.hal.science/hal-05285105v1/document
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s12913-025-13163-0?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. Luca Fornaro & Martin Wolf, 2020. "Covid-19 coronavirus and macroeconomic policy," Economics Working Papers 1713, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    2. Luca Fornaro & Martin Wolf, 2020. "Covid-19 Coronavirus and Macroeconomic Policy," Working Papers 1168, Barcelona School of Economics.
    3. Stiglitz, Joseph & Ocampo, Jose Antonio & Spiegel, Shari & Ffrench-Davis, Ricardo & Nayyar, Deepak, 2006. "Stability with Growth: Macroeconomics, Liberalization and Development," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199288144.
    4. Pierre-Guillaume Méon & Khalid Sekkat, 2005. "Does corruption grease or sand the wheels of growth?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 69-97, January.
    5. Warwick McKibbin & Roshen Fernando, 2021. "The Global Macroeconomic Impacts of COVID-19: Seven Scenarios," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 20(2), pages 1-30, Summer.
    6. Daron Acemoglu & Victor Chernozhukov & Ivàn Werning & Michael D. Whinston, 2020. "A Multi-Risk SIR Model with Optimally Targeted Lockdown," CeMMAP working papers CWP14/20, Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    7. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    8. Arthur Lewbel, 2012. "Using Heteroscedasticity to Identify and Estimate Mismeasured and Endogenous Regressor Models," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 67-80.
    9. Acemoglu, Daron & Verdier, Thierry, 1998. "Property Rights, Corruption and the Allocation of Talent: A General Equilibrium Approach," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 108(450), pages 1381-1403, September.
    10. Driscoll, John & Kraay, Aart, 1995. "Spatial correlations in panel data," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1553, The World Bank.
    11. Bhushan Praveen Jangam & Hari Venkatesh & Aviral Kumar Tiwari, 2024. "Global value chains and economic growth: A study of resilience during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(4), pages 2096-2128, May.
    12. Ugur, Mehmet & Dasgupta, Nandini, 2011. "Corruption and economic growth: A meta-analysis of the evidence on low-income countries and beyond," MPRA Paper 31226, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 31 May 2011.
    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. David Baqaee & Emmanuel Farhi, 2020. "Nonlinear Production Networks with an Application to the Covid-19 Crisis," NBER Working Papers 27281, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Oleksiuk Adam & Pleśniak Agnieszka, 2022. "Environment Characteristics and Internationalization of SMEs: Insights from a Polish and Finnish Sample," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 30(3), pages 175-194, September.
    3. Philipp Pfeiffer & Werner Roeger & Jan in ’t Veld, 2020. "The COVID19-Pandemic in the EU: Macroeconomic Transmission and Economic Policy Response," European Economy - Discussion Papers 127, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    4. Adesoji O. Farayibi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2020. "The Economic Consequences of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Nigeria," Working Papers 20/042, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    5. Garriga, Carlos & Manuelli, Rody & Sanghi, Siddhartha, 2022. "Optimal management of an epidemic: Lockdown, vaccine and value of life," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    6. Johanna Bocklet, 2020. "The Reformed EU ETS in Times of Economic Crises: the Case of the COVID-19 Pandemic," EWI Working Papers 2020-10, Energiewirtschaftliches Institut an der Universitaet zu Koeln (EWI).
    7. Enrique G. Mendoza & Eugenio Rojas & Linda L. Tesar & Jing Zhang, 2023. "A Macroeconomic Model of Healthcare Saturation, Inequality and the Output–Pandemia Trade-off," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(1), pages 243-299, March.
    8. Dhruv Sharma & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & Stanislao Gualdi & Marco Tarzia & Francesco Zamponi, 2021. "V–, U–, L– or W–shaped economic recovery after Covid-19: Insights from an Agent Based Model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, March.
    9. David Baqaee & Emmanuel Farhi, 2022. "Supply and Demand in Disaggregated Keynesian Economies with an Application to the COVID-19 Crisis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 112(5), pages 1397-1436, May.
    10. Mohammad Ghaderi, 2020. "Public Health Interventions in the Face of Pandemics: Network Structure, Social Distancing, and Heterogeneity," Working Papers 1193, Barcelona School of Economics.
    11. Pierluigi Balduzzi & Emanuele Brancati & Marco Brianti & Fabio Schiantarelli, 2020. "Credit Constraints anf Firms' Decisions: Evidence from the COVID-19 Outbreak Italian Firms’ Expectations and Plans," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1013, Boston College Department of Economics, revised 07 Oct 2022.
    12. Giuli, Francesco & Maugeri, Gabriele, 2022. "Economic Effects of Covid-19 and Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions: applying a SEIRD-RBC Model to Italy," MPRA Paper 114673, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Fisayo Fagbemi, 2021. "COVID-19 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): An Appraisal of the Emanating Effects in Nigeria," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 21/026, African Governance and Development Institute..
    14. Lie, Denny, 2021. "Implications of state-dependent pricing for DSGE model-based policy analysis in Indonesia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 532-552.
    15. Abel Brodeur & David Gray & Anik Islam & Suraiya Bhuiyan, 2021. "A literature review of the economics of COVID‐19," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1007-1044, September.
    16. Ghaderi, Mohammad, 2022. "Public health interventions in the face of pandemics: Network structure, social distancing, and heterogeneity," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 298(3), pages 1016-1031.
    17. Pichler, Anton & Pangallo, Marco & del Rio-Chanona, R. Maria & Lafond, François & Farmer, J. Doyne, 2022. "Forecasting the propagation of pandemic shocks with a dynamic input-output model," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    18. Balduzzi, Pierluigi & Brancati, Emanuele & Brianti, Marco & Schiantarelli, Fabio, 2020. "The Economic Effects of COVID-19 and Credit Constraints: Evidence from Italian Firms' Expectations and Plans," IZA Discussion Papers 13629, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Hind Alofaysan & Fatma Mabrouk & Jihen Bousrih, 2022. "Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Economic Performance: DSGE and Probit Investigations," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 11, July.
    20. Fisayo Fagbemi, 2021. "COVID-19 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): An Appraisal of the Emanating Effects in Nigeria," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/026, Research Africa Network (RAN).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

    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:hal:journl:hal-05285105. 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: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    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.