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Effect of external debt on the level of infrastructure in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Arsène Aurelien Njamen Kengdo

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Dschang, Cameroon)

  • Tii N. Nchofoung

    (University of Dschang, Cameroon)

  • Philemon Bonaventure Ntang

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Maroua, Cameroon)

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to analyse the effect of external debt on infrastructure development in Africa over the 2003-2018 periods. It employs a fixed-effects Driscoll and Kraay's estimator and the Lewbel's estimator after second-generation unit roots test. The estimations establish that the effect of external debt on the level of infrastructure in Africa is negative, but for a sustainable level of debt around 99%, the positive impact of the debt on infrastructure is observed. Similar results were obtained when Transport index, electricity index and water and sanitation index are used as the dependent variable, while the effect of external debt is positive when mobile cellular per habitant and ICT index are used as the dependent variables. These results imply that public policies for improving infrastructure investment and assuring sustainable debt should be promoted.

Suggested Citation

  • Arsène Aurelien Njamen Kengdo & Tii N. Nchofoung & Philemon Bonaventure Ntang, 2020. "Effect of external debt on the level of infrastructure in Africa," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(4), pages 3349-3366.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-19-00755
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    Cited by:

    1. Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Arsène A. Njamen Kengdo & Elvis D. Achuo, 2022. "Linear and non‐linear effects of infrastructures on inclusive human development in Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 34(1), pages 81-96, March.
    2. Nchofoung, Tii N. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "Effects of infrastructures on environmental quality contingent on trade openness and governance dynamics in Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 152-163.
    3. Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2022. "Effect of women’s political inclusion on the level of infrastructures in Africa," Working Papers of The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA). 22/004, The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA).
    4. Tii N. Nchofoung & Hervé Kaffo Fotio & Clovis Wendji Miamo, 2023. "Green taxation and renewable energy technologies adoption: A global evidence," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 23/007, African Governance and Development Institute..
    5. Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing & Tii N. Nchofoung & Felix Mejame Etape, 2023. "Revisiting the human capital–economic growth nexus in Africa," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(7), pages 1-29, July.
    6. Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2024. "Effect of women’s political inclusion on the level of infrastructures in Africa," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1181-1202, April.
    7. Jean‐Claude Kouladoum, 2023. "Technology and control of corruption in Africa," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(6), pages 1163-1180, August.
    8. Simplice Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2024. "The role of foreign aid in the nexus between capital flight and unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 24/007, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    9. Tii N. Nchofoung & Guivis Zeufack Nkemgha & Dieu ne Dort Talla Fokam & Arsène Aurelien Njamen Kengdo, 2024. "Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Through Water and Sanitation: Do Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Matter for Africa?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 4383-4407, March.
    10. Meytang Cédric & Ongo Nkoa Bruno Emmanuel, 2024. "Infrastructure development in sub-Saharan African countries: does insurance matter?," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 49(4), pages 747-778, October.
    11. Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2021. "The political implication of women and industrialisation in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 21/072, African Governance and Development Institute..
    12. Simplice A. Asongu & Cheikh T. Ndour & Judith C. M. Ngoungou, 2023. "The effects of gender political inclusion and democracy on environmental performance: evidence from the method of moments by quantile regression," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 23/060, African Governance and Development Institute..
    13. Guivis Zeufack Nkemgha & Tii N. Nchofoung & Fabien Sundjo, 2022. "Financial development and human capital thresholds for the infrastructure development-industrialization nexus in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 22/091, African Governance and Development Institute..
    14. 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).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    External debt; infrastructure; Generalized Method of Moments; Threshold;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H5 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies
    • H6 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt

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