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Nominal Exchange Rates and Price Convergence in the West African Monetary Zone

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Alagidede

    (Stirling Management School, Division of Economics, University of Stirling, U.K.)

  • George Tweneboah

    (School of Management, University of Leicester, U.K.)

  • Anokye M. Adam

    (School of Management, University of Leicester, U.K.)

Abstract

We investigate nominal exchange rates and nominal price convergence in the West African Monetary Zone. Using data for the first quarter of 1974 through the first quarter of 2007, we find that real exchange rates in The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone follow a random walk. Further, we show that nominal exchange rates and nominal prices adjust at different speeds to achieve long-run purchasing power parity, with the former adjusting faster than the latter. Finally, we argue that the success (or otherwise) of a second monetary zone in West Africa depends on well coordinated macroeconomic policies and on minor divergence in prices and exchange rates to eliminate excessive arbitrage profits that may arise.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Alagidede & George Tweneboah & Anokye M. Adam, 2008. "Nominal Exchange Rates and Price Convergence in the West African Monetary Zone," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 7(3), pages 181-198, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ijb:journl:v:7:y:2008:i:3:p:181-198
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    Cited by:

    1. Simplice Asongu, 2014. "REER Imbalances and Macroeconomic Adjustments in the Proposed West African Monetary Union," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(2), pages 276-289, June.
    2. Hwa-Taek Lee & Gawon Yoon, 2013. "Does purchasing power parity hold sometimes? Regime switching in real exchange rates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(16), pages 2279-2294, June.
    3. Siaw Frimpong, 2022. "On the Macroeconomic Conditions of West African Economies to External Uncertainty Shocks," Risks, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-27, July.
    4. Gilles Duffrenot & Kimiko Sugimoto, 2010. "Pegging the future West African single currency in regard to internal/external competitiveness: a counterfactual analysis," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp974, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    5. Peterson Owusu Junior & Anokye M. Adam & George Tweneboah, 2017. "Co-movement of real exchange rates in the West African Monetary Zone," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1351807-135, January.
    6. Adu, Raymond & Litsios, Ioannis & Baimbridge, Mark, 2019. "Real exchange rate and asymmetric shocks in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 232-249.
    7. Seyram P. Kumah, 2024. "Cryptocurrency and African fiat currencies: A peaceful coexistence?," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 53(1), February.
    8. Anokye M. Adam & Kwabena Kyei & Simiso Moyo & Ryan Gill & Emmanuel N. Gyamfi, 2022. "Multifrequency network for SADC exchange rate markets using EEMD-based DCCA," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 46(1), pages 145-166, January.
    9. Njindan Iyke, Bernard, 2015. "Real Exchange Rates Persistence in the West African Monetary Zone: A Revisit of the PPP Puzzle," MPRA Paper 67282, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Paul Alagidede & George Tweneboah, 2015. "On the Sustainability and Synchronization of Fiscal Policy in Latin America," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 52(2), pages 213-240, November.
    11. Raji, Rahman Olanrewaju, 2012. "REAL Exchange Rate Misalignment and Economic Performance of WEST AFRICAN MONETARY ZONE:Implications for macroeconomic unionisation," MPRA Paper 37385, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    purchasing power parity; real exchange rate stationarity; convergence; West African Monetary Zone;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models

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