IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/ecopln/v55y2022i3d10.1007_s10644-021-09360-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Infrastructure threshold and economic growth in Africa: do income level and geography matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Kalu Ojah

    (University of Witwatersrand
    ADEFEI Research Group)

  • Stella Muhanji

    (Kabarak University
    ADEFEI Research Group)

  • Odongo Kodongo

    (University of Witwatersrand
    ADEFEI Research Group)

Abstract

Though infrastructure investment has been shown to enable growth in many countries, it appears not to be the case for many African countries and consequently is failing to help bridge the economic growth shortfall of the continent. Why is that, and how could it be reversed? We address this matter by using a Panel Threshold Regression of real economic growth on major infrastructure types, of 42 African countries, from 2000 to 2015. We find that electricity, water, transport and, to a lesser extent, information and communication technology investments have identifiable thresholds for these countries, with upper- and lower-middle-income countries being nearer to these thresholds than low-income countries. Furthermore, we find infrastructure quality to have more economic impact than infrastructure access for resource-endowed countries that use high intensity production form than for less-resource-endowed ones that deploy low intensity production form. And both infrastructure access and quality have more economic impacts for landlocked countries than for coastal countries. Overall, our findings suggest several lessons on how African countries can deploy infrastructure funds much more productively, going forward.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalu Ojah & Stella Muhanji & Odongo Kodongo, 2022. "Infrastructure threshold and economic growth in Africa: do income level and geography matter?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 1587-1627, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:55:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s10644-021-09360-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-021-09360-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10644-021-09360-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10644-021-09360-6?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gramlich, Edward M, 1994. "Infrastructure Investment: A Review Essay," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 32(3), pages 1176-1196, September.
    2. Fedderke, J.W. & Bogetic, Z., 2009. "Infrastructure and Growth in South Africa: Direct and Indirect Productivity Impacts of 19 Infrastructure Measures," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1522-1539, September.
    3. Dani Rodrik, 2018. "An African Growth Miracle?," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(1), pages 10-27.
    4. William Easterly & Ross Levine, 1997. "Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Divisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(4), pages 1203-1250.
    5. Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew M. Warner, 1995. "Natural Resource Abundance and Economic Growth," NBER Working Papers 5398, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Alesina, Alberto, 1992. "Political models of macroeconomic policy and fiscal reform," Policy Research Working Paper Series 970, The World Bank.
    7. Stephane Straub, 2011. "Infrastructure and Development: A Critical Appraisal of the Macro-level Literature," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(5), pages 683-708.
    8. Jiang, Xiushan & He, Xiang & Zhang, Lei & Qin, Huanhuan & Shao, Fengru, 2017. "Multimodal transportation infrastructure investment and regional economic development: A structural equation modeling empirical analysis in China from 1986 to 2011," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 43-52.
    9. Bruce E. Hansen, 2000. "Sample Splitting and Threshold Estimation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(3), pages 575-604, May.
    10. Bertrand Candelon & Gilbert Colletaz & Christophe Hurlin, 2013. "Network Effects and Infrastructure Productivity in Developing Countries," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 75(6), pages 887-913, December.
    11. Easterly, William & Rebelo, Sergio, 1993. "Fiscal policy and economic growth: An empirical investigation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 417-458, December.
    12. Paul Collier & Benedikt Goderis, 2007. "Commodity Prices, Growth, and the Natural Resource Curse: Reconciling a Conundrum," CSAE Working Paper Series 2007-15, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    13. Auty, Richard M., 1994. "Industrial policy reform in six large newly industrializing countries: The resource curse thesis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 11-26, January.
    14. Ahlin, Christian & Pang, Jiaren, 2008. "Are financial development and corruption control substitutes in promoting growth?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 414-433, June.
    15. Aydin, Celil & Esen, Ömer, 2018. "Does the level of energy intensity matter in the effect of energy consumption on the growth of transition economies? Evidence from dynamic panel threshold analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 185-195.
    16. Dvornik, Darko & Sabolić, Dubravko, 2007. "Telecommunication liberalization and economic development in European countries in transition," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 378-387.
    17. Chowdhury, Abdur, 2015. "Terms of trade shocks and private savings in the developing countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 1122-1134.
    18. Zhang, Yin-Fang & Ji, Shengbao, 2018. "Does infrastructure have a transitory or longer-term impact? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 195-207.
    19. Metzer, Jacob, 1984. "Railroads and the Efficiency of Internal Markets: Some Conceptual and Practical Considerations," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(1), pages 61-70, October.
    20. Pradhan, Rudra P. & Bagchi, Tapan P., 2013. "Effect of transportation infrastructure on economic growth in India: The VECM approach," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 139-148.
    21. Hansen, Bruce E., 1999. "Threshold effects in non-dynamic panels: Estimation, testing, and inference," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 345-368, December.
    22. Castells-Quintana, David, 2017. "Malthus living in a slum: Urban concentration, infrastructure and economic growth," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 158-173.
    23. David Canning & Peter Pedroni, 2008. "Infrastructure, Long‐Run Economic Growth And Causality Tests For Cointegrated Panels," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 76(5), pages 504-527, September.
    24. Kenneth L. Sokoloff & Stanley L. Engerman, 2000. "Institutions, Factor Endowments, and Paths of Development in the New World," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 217-232, Summer.
    25. Farhadi, Minoo, 2015. "Transport infrastructure and long-run economic growth in OECD countries," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 73-90.
    26. Paul Collier & Jan Willem Gunning, 1999. "Why Has Africa Grown Slowly?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 3-22, Summer.
    27. H. Mikael Sandberg & James Seale & Timothy Taylor, 2006. "History, regionalism, and CARICOM trade: A gravity model analysis," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(5), pages 795-811.
    28. Barro, Robert J, 1990. "Government Spending in a Simple Model of Endogenous Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 103-126, October.
    29. Alice Shiu & Pun-Lee Lam, 2008. "Causal Relationship between Telecommunications and Economic Growth in China and its Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(5), pages 705-718.
    30. Benno J. Ndulu, 2006. "Infrastructure, Regional Integration and Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Dealing with the disadvantages of Geography and Sovereign Fragmentation," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 15(2), pages 212-244, December.
    31. Salmon, Claire & Tanguy, Jeremy, 2016. "Rural Electrification and Household Labor Supply: Evidence from Nigeria," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 48-68.
    32. Lakshmanan, T.R., 2011. "The broader economic consequences of transport infrastructure investments," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 1-12.
    33. Fay, Marianne, 2001. "Financing the future : infrastructure needs in Latin America, 2000-05," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2545, The World Bank.
    34. Maarten Bosker & Harry Garretsen, 2006. "Geography Rules Too! Economic Development and the Geography of Institutions," CESifo Working Paper Series 1769, CESifo.
    35. Kalu Ojah & Tendai Gwatidzo & Sheshangai Kaniki, 2010. "Legal Environment, Finance Channels and Investment: The East African Example," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(4), pages 724-744.
    36. Cronin, Francis J. & Parker, Edwin B. & Colleran, Elisabeth K. & Gold, Mark A., 1991. "Telecommunications infrastructure and economic growth : An analysis of causality," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 529-535, December.
    37. Matthias M. Cinyabuguma & Louis Putterman, 2011. "Sub-Saharan Growth Surprises: Being Heterogeneous, Inland and Close to the Equator Does not Slow Growth Within Africa-super- †," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 20(2), pages 217-262, March.
    38. W. A. Naude & W. F. Krugell, 2007. "Investigating geography and institutions as determinants of foreign direct investment in Africa using panel data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(10), pages 1223-1233.
    39. John Luke Gallup & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew D. Mellinger, 1998. "Geography and Economic Development," NBER Working Papers 6849, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    40. Muhanji, Stella & Ojah, Kalu & Soumaré, Issouf, 2019. "How do natural resource endowment and institutional quality influence the nexus between external indebtedness and welfare in Africa?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 77-98.
    41. Pradhan, Rudra P. & Arvin, Mak B. & Norman, Neville R., 2015. "The dynamics of information and communications technologies infrastructure, economic growth, and financial development: Evidence from Asian countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 135-149.
    42. Bichaka Fayissa & Christian Nsiah, 2013. "The impact of governance on economic growth in Africa," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 47(1), pages 91-108, January-J.
    43. Esfahani, Hadi Salehi & Ramirez, Maria Teresa, 2003. "Institutions, infrastructure, and economic growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 443-477, April.
    44. Narayana, M.R., 2011. "Telecommunications services and economic growth: Evidence from India," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 115-127, March.
    45. Arusha Cooray, 2009. "Government Expenditure, Governance and Economic Growth," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 51(3), pages 401-418, September.
    46. Saidi, Samir & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Akhtar, Pervaiz, 2018. "The long-run relationships between transport energy consumption, transport infrastructure, and economic growth in MENA countries," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 78-95.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kodongo, Odongo & Mukoki, Paul & Ojah, Kalu, 2023. "Bond market development and infrastructure-gap reduction: The case of Sub-saharan Africa," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).

    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. John S. Hill & Myung-Su Chae & Jinseo Park, 2012. "The Effects of Geography and Infrastructure on Economic Development and International Business Involvement," Journal of Infrastructure Development, India Development Foundation, vol. 4(2), pages 91-113, December.
    2. Ştefan Cristian Gherghina & Mihaela Onofrei & Georgeta Vintilă & Daniel Ştefan Armeanu, 2018. "Empirical Evidence from EU-28 Countries on Resilient Transport Infrastructure Systems and Sustainable Economic Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-34, August.
    3. Zhang, Yin-Fang & Ji, Shengbao, 2018. "Does infrastructure have a transitory or longer-term impact? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 195-207.
    4. Bazoumana Ouattara & Yin-Fang Zhang, 2019. "Infrastructure and long-run economic growth: evidence from Chinese provinces," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 263-284, July.
    5. Piotr Rosik & Julia Wójcik, 2022. "Transport Infrastructure and Regional Development: A Survey of Literature on Wider Economic and Spatial Impacts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Diaz-Bautista, Alejandro, 2002. "The role of telecommunications infrastructure and human capital: Mexico´s economic growth and convergence," ERSA conference papers ersa02p102, European Regional Science Association.
    7. Angel De la Fuente, 2010. "Infrastructures and productivity: an updated survey," Working Papers 1018, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    8. Cockx, Lara & Francken, Nathalie, 2014. "Extending the concept of the resource curse: Natural resources and public spending on health," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 136-149.
    9. Pythagoras Petratos, 2015. "Infrastructure and Financial Innovation," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 471-478, October.
    10. Ibrahim B. Kamara, 2007. "The Direct Productivity Impact of Infrastructure Investment: Dynamic Panel Data Evidence From Sub Saharan Africa," Working Papers 048, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    11. Fedderke, J.W. & Bogetic, Z., 2009. "Infrastructure and Growth in South Africa: Direct and Indirect Productivity Impacts of 19 Infrastructure Measures," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1522-1539, September.
    12. Sharif, Arshian & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Hille, Erik, 2019. "The Transportation-growth nexus in USA: Fresh insights from pre-post global crisis period," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 108-121.
    13. Kaznacheev, Peter, 2013. "Resource Rents and Economic Growth: Economic and institutional development in countries with a high share of income from the sale of natural resources. Analysis and recommendations based on internatio," EconStor Research Reports 121950, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    14. Özer, Mustafa & Canbay, Şerif & Kırca, Mustafa, 2021. "The impact of container transport on economic growth in Turkey: An ARDL bounds testing approach," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    15. Park, Jin Suk & Seo, Young-Joon & Ha, Min-Ho, 2019. "The role of maritime, land, and air transportation in economic growth: Panel evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    16. Wan, Guanghua & Zhang, Yan, 2018. "The direct and indirect effects of infrastructure on firm productivity: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 143-153.
    17. Mitra, Arup & Sharma, Chandan & Véganzonès-Varoudakis, Marie-Ange, 2016. "Infrastructure, information & communication technology and firms’ productive performance of the Indian manufacturing," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 353-371.
    18. Smith, Brock, 2015. "The resource curse exorcised: Evidence from a panel of countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 57-73.
    19. Capolupo, Rosa, 2009. "The New Growth Theories and Their Empirics after Twenty Years," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 3, pages 1-72.
    20. Tamoya Christie, 2014. "The Effect Of Government Spending On Economic Growth: Testing The Non-Linear Hypothesis," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(2), pages 183-204, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Infrastructure type; Economic growth and development; Panel threshold regression; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C24 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Truncated and Censored Models; Switching Regression Models; Threshold Regression Models
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    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:kap:ecopln:v:55:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s10644-021-09360-6. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.