Does Governance Influence Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa?
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Global Journal of HUMAN-SOCIAL SCIENCE: E Economics Volume 18 Issue 1 Version 1.0 Year 2018 Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal Publisher: Global Journals Online ISSN: 2249-460x & Print ISSN: 0975-587X Does Governance Influence Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa? By Salawu M.B., Yusuff A.S, Salman K.K., Ogunniyi A.I & A.M Rufa Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology Abstract- Poor governance in Sub-Saharan Africa has been a major hindrance to economic growth of the region compared to other regions in the rest of the world. To examine the influence of governance on economic growth of Sub-Saharan Africa, panel data on growth rate of Gross Domestic Product, governance indicators and other indicators of the three selected Sub-Saharan Africa countries namely Nigeria, South- Africa and Ghana for the period of 1996-2015 were sourced from World Development Indicators of the World Bank and World Governance Indicators. The data were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, Principal Component Analysis, Ordinary Least Square Regression and Generalized Method of Moments. The result revealed that South Africa and Ghana enjoyed better governance than Nigeria. It was also found that governance impacts positively on the economic growth of South Africa and Ghana however a negative impact was experienced by Nigeria. The disaggregated governance indicators regression showed that political stability and control of corruption increase economic growth in South- Africa and Ghana while voice and accountability as well as control of corruption had negative influence on economic growth of Nigeria. The study thus recommends freedom of speech to citizens, accountability of leaders, political stability as well as control of corruption to enhance effective governance and economic growth in the region. GJHSS-E Classification: FOR Code: 910103 DoesGovernanceInfluenceEconomicGrowthinSubSaharanAfrica Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of: © 2018. Salawu M.B., Yusuff A.S, Salman K.K., Ogunniyi A.I & A.M Rufa. This is a research/review paper, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nc/3.0/), permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Does Governance Influence Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa? α σ ρ Ѡ ¥ Salawu M.B. , Yusuff A.S , Salman K.K. , Ogunniyi A.I & A.M Rufai Abstract- Poor governance in Sub-Saharan Africa has been a economic activity is not disturbed by corruption and major hindrance to economic growth of the region compared other activities that are not compliance with public trust. to other regions in the rest of the world. To examine the The main elements of good governance as influence of governance on economic growth of Sub-Saharan highlighted by Kaufmann, Kraay and Mastruzzi (2005) Africa, panel data on growth rate of Gross Domestic Product, are accountability and responsibility of government, governance indicators and other indicators of the three political stability and lack of violence, governance 2018 selected Sub-Saharan Africa countries namely Nigeria, South- Africa and Ghana for the period of 1996-2015 were sourced efficiency, legal framework, law enforcement and corruption control. Each of these elements is vital to ear from World Development Indicators of the World Bank and Y World Governance Indicators. The data were analyzed using economic growth and constituted the institutions of Descriptive statistics, Principal Component Analysis, Ordinary government. Acemoglu and Robinson (2012) have 57 Least Square Regression and Generalized Method of identified good and quality institutions as necessary Moments. The result revealed that South Africa and Ghana requirement for long term GDP growth however the enjoyed better governance than Nigeria. It was also found that institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa is weak from global governance impacts positively on the economic growth of perspective and this may be one of the reasons for South Africa and Ghana however a negative impact was weak development in the region. experienced by Nigeria. The disaggregated governance indicators regression showed that political stability and control According to the World Bank (2013), the overall of corruption increase economic growth in South-Africa and score for institution quality in Sub-Saharan Africa is Ghana while voice and accountability as well as control of below world average and there had been no corruption had negative influence on economic growth of improvement as the score reduces from -0.63 in 2012 to Nigeria. The study thus recommends freedom of speech to -0.67 in 2013. This has made the political stability of the citizens, accountability of leaders, political stability as well as region fallen relative to the rest of the world. The key control of corruption to enhance effective governance and factor identified for weak institution quality in the region economic growth in the region. is corruption. Transparency International (2013) defined ) E and perceived corruption across a spectrum of illegal ( I. Introduction Volume XVIII Issue I Version payments and transactions such as bribes, ub-Saharan Africa is a continent that is very rich in embezzlement, and money laundering among others. resources however the resources have been a This index identified three categories of corruption S curse for economic development in the region. namely Grand corruption, petty corruption and political Good economic outcomes in any part of the world can corruption. Corruption impacts negatively on economic - only be achieved through good governance as growth through reduction of FDI (Sanyal and Samatan, extensive evidences have shown that improving the 2008), reduction of efficiency of government, reduction quality of government impact positively on economic of tax raising ability of government (Tanzi and Davoodi, growth and development (Kaufman and Kraay, 2002). 2000), increase inequality (Gupta et al., 2002) and Economic governance is a wide concept that reduce confidence in public institutions and political encompasses several core components namely Public processes. financial management and accountability, Integrity of World Bank (2011) had declared corruption as monetary and financial institution, Regulatory framework the greatest obstacle to economic and social (Economic Commission of Africa, 2002). They further development as it undermines the rule of law and asserted that an economy benefit from good economic weakening the institutional foundations on which Global Journal of Human Social Science governance when institutions of government control the sustainable development of any economy depends. resources of the economy efficiently, formulate and World Bank also affirmed that corruption is very high in implement efficient policies and regulations, can be sub-Saharan Africa as about 85% of the countries in the monitored and held accountable, respect the rules and region score poorly in its measures of control of norms of economic interaction and a situation where corruption and a strong correlation has been found between control of corruption and government Author α σ : Federal College of Animal Health and Production effectiveness. Aside Corruption, democracy in sub- Technology, Ibadan Nigeria. e-mail: [email protected] Saharan Africa is scarce and flawed as the democracy Author ρѠ ¥: Agricultural Economics Department, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. index calculated by the European International Union ©2018 Global Journals Does Governance Influence Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa? 2014 revealed that only 8 out of the 44 countries in Sub- of the region’s population and 71% of its GDP in 2013 Saharan Africa included in the index are classified as (Euromonitor International, 2017) however these fairly democratic while about 22 were categorized as countries were ranked low interms of governance with authoritarian. The Centre for Systemic Peace also Africa as a region recording an average of 0.551 as affirmed that Africa and Sub Saharan Africa had the governance index in 2011. This average is lower than highest fragility index in 2014 and this accounted for the 0.744, 0.655, 0.561 and 0.601 recorded by European sparse resilience and poor functioning government in Union OECD, Latin Americans and Caribbean, Asia the region. pacific and CIS Central Asia Balkans respectively and Sub-Saharan economies namely Nigeria, South higher than 0.539 recorded by Arab states (WGI, 2011). Africa, Angola, Ethiopia and Ghana accounted for 41% Table 1: Gross Domestic Product and World Governance Index of five largest Economies in Sub-Saharan Africa GDP 2016 GDP WGI WGI 2011 WGI WGI 2008 World Country (Million US World 2011World Regional (2011) Ranking 2018 Dollars) Ranking Ranking Ranking (Africa) ear Nigeria 405,083 26 0.512 165 157 33 Y South-Africa 294,841 38 0.638 38 68 5 58 Angola 89,633 62 0.505 166 161 37 Ethiopia 72,374 66 0.486 156 165 40 Ghana 42,690 85 0.616 50 80 7 Source: World Bank Development Indicators(2017) and World Governance Index (2011) • examine the effect of governance performances on Comparing the GDP with WGI regional ranking in Table 1, Nigeria with the highest GDP in Sub-Saharan economic growth. Examine Africa ranks 33rd out of the 45 African countries III. Justification of the Study considered in the estimation while South Africa and Ghana with the second and fifth GDP ranks 5th and 7th The rejuvenation of Sub-Saharan Africa can only respectively. This implied that governance varies across be achieved through good governance as it does not countries in the same region and that some countries only enhance macroeconomic stability but also assist enjoy better governance than the other. The low average government in the implementation of developmental and ) E WGI recorded by Africa in which Sub-Saharan Africa poverty reduction policies; signal government’s ( Volume XVIII Issue I Version countries form its majority must be concern to policy adherence to standards of institutional functioning free makers as Africa is the source of majority of raw of corruption or other such rent-seeking behaviours.