IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/126558.html

The Synergistic Effects of Digitalization and Financial Capital on Inclusive Growth: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa - A Panel PMG-VECM Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Mabrouki, Mohamed

Abstract

This study examines the synergistic effects of digitalization and financial development on inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using a balanced panel from 13 countries (2000–2022) and the Pooled Mean Group Vector Error Correction Model (PMG-VECM), we establish a robust long-run equilibrium. Findings reveal digitalization (Internet penetration) and institutional quality as the strongest drivers, with elasticities of 0.084 and 0.424, respectively. Financial development shows a moderate positive effect (0.075), while investment and trade openness present counterintuitive negative coefficients, suggesting structural inefficiencies. A significant error correction mechanism confirms convergence towards long-run equilibrium at a 19.5% annual speed. As the first comprehensive application of PMG-VECM to this nexus in SSA, this study provides methodologically robust evidence that distinguishes short-run dynamics from long-run effects. The results underscore the necessity for integrated, long-term policies that simultaneously advance digital infrastructure, financial sector deepening, and institutional quality to foster inclusive growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Mabrouki, Mohamed, 2025. "The Synergistic Effects of Digitalization and Financial Capital on Inclusive Growth: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa - A Panel PMG-VECM Analysis," MPRA Paper 126558, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:126558
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/126558/1/MPRA_paper_126558.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pedroni, Peter, 2004. "Panel Cointegration: Asymptotic And Finite Sample Properties Of Pooled Time Series Tests With An Application To The Ppp Hypothesis," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 597-625, June.
    2. Kao, Chihwa, 1999. "Spurious regression and residual-based tests for cointegration in panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 1-44, May.
    3. Romer, Paul M, 1990. "Endogenous Technological Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 71-102, October.
    4. Vanessa Simen Tchamyou, 2020. "Education, lifelong learning, inequality and financial access: evidence from African countries," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 7-25, January.
    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. Iheonu, Chimere & Asongu, Simplice & Odo, Kingsley & Ojiem, Patrick, 2020. "Financial Sector Development and Investment in Selected ECOWAS Countries: Empirical Evidence using Heterogeneous Panel Data Method," MPRA Paper 107102, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Chimere O. Iheonu & Simplice A. Asongu & Kingsley O. Odo & Patrick K. Ojiem, 2020. "Financial sector development and Investment in selected countries of the Economic Community of West African States: empirical evidence using heterogeneous panel data method," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Pegkas, Panagiotis & Staikouras, Christos & Tsamadias, Constantinos, 2019. "Does research and development expenditure impact innovation? Evidence from the European Union countries," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 1005-1025.
    4. Dierk Herzer & Holger Strulik & Sebastian Vollmer, 2012. "The long-run determinants of fertility: one century of demographic change 1900–1999," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 357-385, December.
    5. 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.
    6. Chris Belmert Milindi & Roula Inglesi-Lotz, 2023. "Impact of technological progress on carbon emissions in different country income groups," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(5), pages 1348-1382, August.
    7. Mohammed Shuaibu & Popoola Timothy Oladayo, 2016. "Determinants Of Human Capital Development In Africa: A Panel Data Analysis," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 7(4), pages 523-549, December.
    8. Saia, Artjom, 2023. "Digitalization and CO2 emissions: Dynamics under R&D and technology innovation regimes," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Olatunji A. Shobande & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Financial Development, Human Capital Development and Climate Change in East and Southern Africa," Working Papers 21/042, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    10. Amenu Leta Duguma & Xiuguang Bai & Agerie Nega Wassihun & Bacha Gebissa Negeri, 2025. "On the mediating effect of foreign direct investment in the relationship between governance and economic growth: evidence from selected African countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 211-242, June.
    11. Markus Eberhardt & Francis Teal, 2011. "Econometrics For Grumblers: A New Look At The Literature On Cross‐Country Growth Empirics," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 109-155, February.
    12. Descalzi Ricardo Luis & Acedo Colli Luis & Barone Sergio & Navarrete José Luis, 2024. "Midiendo la relación entre crecimiento e inversión en un modelo AK," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4726, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    13. Kul Luintel & Mosahid Khan & Konstantinos Theodoridis, 2014. "On the robustness of R&D," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 137-155, October.
    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. Tiba, Sofien & Frikha, Mohamed, 2019. "The controversy of the resource curse and the environment in the SDGs background: The African context," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 437-452.
    16. Mosahid Khan & Kul B. Luintel & Konstantinos Theodoris, 2010. "How Robust is the R&D – Productivity relationship? Evidence from OECD Countries," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 01, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division, revised Dec 2010.
    17. repec:wip:wpaper:1 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Salifou Ouedraogo & Hamidou Sawadogo, 2022. "Financial development, financial structure and economic growth in the Sub‐Saharan African countries," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 3139-3162, July.
    19. Karatheodoros Anastasios & Tsamadias Constantinos & Pegkas Panagiotis, 2019. "The effects of formal educations’ levels on regional economic growth in Greece over the period 1995–2012," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 39(1), pages 91-111, February.
    20. Seck, Abdoulaye, 2012. "International technology diffusion and economic growth: Explaining the spillover benefits to developing countries," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 437-451.
    21. James B. Ang & Jakob B. Madsen & Peter E. Robertson, 2015. "Export performance of the Asian miracle economies: The role of innovation and product variety," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 48(1), pages 273-309, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;

    JEL classification:

    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:pra:mprapa:126558. 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: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    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.