IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wai/econwp/23-05.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

COVID-19 and the Role of Remittances on Sustainable Development: Insights from Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:

Abstract

The role of remittances has received considerable attentions at various national and regional economies due to their significant influence on growth and development indicators. Because of COVID-19, however, re-examining this relationship is necessary given the realities to trade and investment occasioned by the pandemic. Also, the extant literature has largely measured the effects of this variable on economic growth and development without expansion into sustainable development. Observing this relationship is, thus, considered appropriate due to the global outcry on climate change and the environment, which sustainable development better captures. Given these, this research measures the impact of COVID-19 on the nexus between remittances and sustainable development in SSA. Based on both static and dynamic estimators on a panel data from thirty-eight SSA countries, the empirical findings suggest that remittances raise sustainable development, though a negative effect sets in where remittances exceed 0.388 percent of the SSA region’s adjusted net savings. More so, the sign of the coefficient of COVID-19 is negative and the magnitude shows a severe impact. Finally, the interaction effect of remittances with COVID-19 is such that COVID-19 reduces the positive effect of remittances on sustainable development. The appropriate polices are discussed based on the findings of the study.

Suggested Citation

  • Waliu O. Shittu & Gazi M. Hassan & Frank G. Scrimgeour, 2023. "COVID-19 and the Role of Remittances on Sustainable Development: Insights from Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers in Economics 23/05, University of Waikato.
    • Handle: RePEc:wai:econwp:23/05
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://repec.its.waikato.ac.nz/wai/econwp/2305.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Isabel Ruiz & Elias Shukralla & Carlos Vargas-Silva, 2009. "Remittances, Institutions and Growth: A Semiparametric Study," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 111-119.
    2. Toke S. Aidt, 2009. "Corruption, institutions, and economic development," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 25(2), pages 271-291, Summer.
    3. Tachibana, Towa & Goto, Rie & Sakurai, Takeshi & Rayamajhi, Santosh & Adhikari, Angel & Dow, William H., 2019. "Do remittances alleviate negative impacts of disaster on mental health? A case of the 2015 Nepal earthquake," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Mbiba, Beacon & Mupfumira, Daisy, 2022. "Rising to the occasion: Diaspora remittances to Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 pandemic," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    5. Gazi M. Hassan & Mark J. Holmes, 2013. "Remittances and the real effective exchange rate," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(35), pages 4959-4970, December.
    6. Murakami, Enerelt, 2021. "International migration and remittance effects on school enrolment of children staying behind: The evidence from Tajikistan," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Adams, Samuel & Klobodu, Edem Kwame Mensah, 2016. "Remittances, regime durability and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-8.
    8. Mitra, Aniruddha & Bang, James T. & Abbas, Faisal, 2021. "Do remittances reduce women’s acceptance of domestic violence? Evidence from Pakistan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    9. Thanh Le, 2009. "Trade, Remittances, Institutions, and Economic Growth," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 391-408.
    10. M. Hashem Pesaran, 2021. "General diagnostic tests for cross-sectional dependence in panels," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(1), pages 13-50, January.
    11. Gao, Xin & Kikkawa, Aiko & Kang, Jong Woo, 2021. "Evaluating the Impact of Remittances on Human Capital Investment in the Kyrgyz Republic," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 637, Asian Development Bank.
    12. Uweis Abdulahi Ali Bare & Yasmin Bani & Normaz Wana Ismail & Anitha Rosland, 2022. "Does financial development mediate the impact of remittances on sustainable human capital investment? New insights from SSA countries," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2078460-207, December.
    13. Acheampong, Alex O. & Appiah-Otoo, Isaac & Dzator, Janet & Agyemang, Kwabena Koforobour, 2021. "Remittances, financial development and poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for post-COVID-19 macroeconomic policies," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(6), pages 1365-1387.
    14. Adams, Richard H. & Cuecuecha, Alfredo, 2013. "The Impact of Remittances on Investment and Poverty in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 24-40.
    15. Cazachevici, Alina & Havranek, Tomas & Horvath, Roman, 2020. "Remittances and economic growth: A meta-analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    16. Sobiech, Izabela, 2019. "Remittances, finance and growth: Does financial development foster the impact of remittances on economic growth?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 44-59.
    17. Imad El Hamma, 2018. "Migrant Remittances and Economic Growth: The Role of Financial Development and Institutional Quality," Economie et Statistique / Economics and Statistics, Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE), issue 503-504, pages 123-142.
    18. Abdih, Yasser & Chami, Ralph & Dagher, Jihad & Montiel, Peter, 2012. "Remittances and Institutions: Are Remittances a Curse?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 657-666.
    19. Sayantan Ghosh Dastidar, 2017. "Impact of Remittances on Economic Growth in Developing Countries: The Role of Openness," Global Economy Journal (GEJ), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 17(2), pages 1-12, June.
    20. Ambrosius, Christian & Cuecuecha, Alfredo, 2016. "Remittances and the Use of Formal and Informal Financial Services," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 80-98.
    21. Catrinescu, Natalia & Leon-Ledesma, Miguel & Piracha, Matloob & Quillin, Bryce, 2009. "Remittances, Institutions, and Economic Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 81-92, January.
    22. Warwick McKibbin & Alexandra Sidorenko, 2006. "Global Macroeconomic Consequences of Pandemic Influenza," CAMA Working Papers 2006-26, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    23. Mora-Rivera, Jorge & van Gameren, Edwin, 2021. "The impact of remittances on food insecurity: Evidence from Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    24. Muhammad Azam & Liu Liu & Najid Ahmad, 2021. "Impact of institutional quality on environment and energy consumption: evidence from developing world," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 1646-1667, February.
    25. Pamela Efua Ofori & Daryna Grechyna & Muhammad Shafiullah, 2021. "Remittances, natural resource rent and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 1979305-197, January.
    26. Wagle, Udaya R. & Devkota, Satis, 2018. "The impact of foreign remittances on poverty in Nepal: A panel study of household survey data, 1996–2011," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 38-50.
    27. Askarov, Zohid & Doucouliagos, Hristos, 2020. "A meta-analysis of the effects of remittances on household education expenditure," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    28. J.M.D. Sandamali Wijayarathne & Gazi M. Hassan & Mark J. Holmes, 2022. "Migration, Remittances and Clean Fuel Usage in Sri Lanka: The Mediating Role of Household Wealth," Working Papers in Economics 22/09, University of Waikato.
    29. Berdiev, Aziz N. & Kim, Yoonbai & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2013. "Remittances and corruption," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 182-185.
    30. Fromentin, Vincent, 2017. "The long-run and short-run impacts of remittances on financial development in developing countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 192-201.
    31. Salas, Vania B., 2014. "International Remittances and Human Capital Formation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 224-237.
    32. Agbloyor, Elikplimi Komla & Abor, Joshua Yindenaba & Adjasi, Charles Komla Delali & Yawson, Alfred, 2014. "Private capital flows and economic growth in Africa: The role of domestic financial markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 137-152.
    33. Simon Feeny & Sasi Iamsiraroj & Mark McGillivray, 2014. "Remittances and Economic Growth: Larger Impacts in Smaller Countries?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(8), pages 1055-1066, August.
    34. Kishor Sharma, Badri Bhattarai, and Salma Ahmed, 2019. "Aid, Growth, Remittances and Carbon Emissions in Nepal," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1).
    35. Kaufmann, Daniel & Kraay, Aart & Mastruzzi, Massimo, 2010. "The worldwide governance indicators : methodology and analytical issues," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5430, The World Bank.
    36. Sikiru Babalola & Waliu Shittu, 2020. "Foreign Aid and Economic Growth in West Africa: Examining the Roles of Institutions," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 534-552, July.
    37. Gazi Mainul Hassan & Shamim Shakur, 2017. "Nonlinear Effects of Remittances on Per Capita GDP Growth in Bangladesh," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-11, July.
    38. Kevin Williams, 2018. "Are remittances good for economic growth? The role of political institutions," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 56-60, January.
    39. Anupam Das & Murshed Chowdhury, 2019. "Macroeconomic impacts of remittances in Bangladesh: The role of reverse flows," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 48(3), November.
    40. Mubinzhon Abduvaliev & Ricardo Bustillo, 2020. "Impact of remittances on economic growth and poverty reduction amongst CIS countries," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 525-546, May.
    41. Nahed Zghidi & Imen Mohamed Sghaier & Zouheir Abida, 2018. "Remittances, Institutions, and Economic Growth in North African Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(3), pages 804-821, September.
    42. Oluwaseyi Musibau, Hammed & Olawale Shittu, Waliu & Yanotti, Maria, 2022. "Natural resources endowment: What more does West Africa need in order to grow?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    43. Vincent Fromentin, 2017. "The long-run and short-run impacts of remittances on financial development in developing countries," Post-Print halshs-02152600, HAL.
    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. Wadad Saad & Hassan Ayoub, 2019. "Remittances, Governance and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from MENA Region," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(8), pages 1-1, August.
    2. Peter Nderitu GITHAIGA, 2019. "Foreign Remittances, Private Sector Investment and Banking Sector Development," Journal of Economics and Financial Analysis, Tripal Publishing House, vol. 3(2), pages 85-112.
    3. Ibrahim Ayoade Adekunle & Tolulope Oyakhilome Williams & Olatunde Julius Omokanmi & Serifat Olukorede Onayemi, 2020. "The Mediating Role Of Institutions In The Remittance–Growth Relationship: Evidence From Nigeria," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 65(227), pages 7-30, October –.
    4. Ma, Yechi & Chen, Zhiguo & Shinwari, Riazullah & Khan, Zeeshan, 2021. "Financialization, globalization, and Dutch disease: Is Dutch disease exist for resources rich countries?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    5. Imad El Hamma, 2018. "Migrant Remittances and Economic Growth: The Role of Financial Development and Institutional Quality," Economie et Statistique / Economics and Statistics, Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE), issue 503-504, pages 123-142.
    6. Thanh Dinh Su & Canh Phuc Nguyen, 2022. "Foreign financial flows, human capital and economic growth in African developing countries," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 3010-3031, July.
    7. El Hamma Imad, 2017. "Do political institutions improve the effect of remittances on economic growth? Evidence South-Mediterranean countries," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 37(3), pages 2133-2148.
    8. Ait Benhamou, Zouhair & Cassin, Lesly, 2021. "The impact of remittances on savings, capital and economic growth in small emerging countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 789-803.
    9. Sena Kimm Gnangnon, 2019. "Remittances Inflows and Trade Policy," Remittances Review, Remittances Review, vol. 4(2), pages 117-142, October.
    10. Imad El Hamma, 2017. "Do political institutions improve the effect of remittances on economic growth? Evidence from South-Mediterranean countries," Post-Print halshs-01655347, HAL.
    11. Chrysost Bangake & Jude Eggoh, 2020. "Financial Development Thresholds and the Remittances-Growth Nexus," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 18(2), pages 425-445, June.
    12. Eunice Adu-Darko & Emmanuel K Aidoo, 2022. "Government Stability in the Remittance-Economic Growth Link in Ghana," International Journal of Applied Economics, Finance and Accounting, Online Academic Press, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14.
    13. Louis Bernard Tchekoumi & Patrick Danel Nya, 2023. "Remittances and economic growth: What lessons for the CEMAC zone?," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 2191448-219, December.
    14. Chrysost BANGAKE & Jude EGGOH, 2020. "Les transferts des migrants améliorent-ils l’inclusion financière dans les pays récipiendaires ?," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 51, pages 115-132.
    15. Michael Clemens and David McKenzie, 2014. "Why Don't Remittances Appear to Affect Growth? - Working Paper 366," Working Papers 366, Center for Global Development.
    16. Jamiu Adetola Odugbesan & Tomiwa Adebayo Sunday & Gbolahan Olowu, 2021. "Asymmetric effect of financial development and remittance on economic growth in MINT economies: an application of panel NARDL," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-9, December.
    17. Georgeta Soava & Anca Mehedintu & Mihaela Sterpu & Mircea Raduteanu, 2020. "Impact of Employed Labor Force, Investment, and Remittances on Economic Growth in EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-31, December.
    18. Shreya Pal, 2023. "Does Remittance and Human Capital Formation Affect Financial Development? A Comparative Analysis Between India and China," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 30(2), pages 387-426, June.
    19. Konte, Maty, 2016. "The effects of remittances on support for democracy in Africa: Are remittances a curse or a blessing?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 1002-1022.
    20. Fromentin, Vincent & Leon, Florian, 2019. "Remittances and credit in developed and developing countries: A dynamic panel analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 310-320.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Remittances; COVID-19; sustainable development; instrumental variables; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development

    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:wai:econwp:23/05. 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: Geua Boe-Gibson (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/dewaknz.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.