IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/adb/adbwps/2491.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Working Paper 365 - Public Investment Efficiency, Economic Growth and Debt Sustainability in Africa

Author

Listed:

Abstract

Investment is an important driver of economic growth with important implications for debt sustainability. Investment efficiency gaps adversely impact debt sustainability in Africa. The current heightened fiscal vulnerabilities can be attributed to external factors including volatile commodity prices particularly for commodity-exporting countries and health challenges like COVID-19 pandemic that weakened fiscal revenues and growth. In addition are domestic factors such as elevated government spending on the back of big-push investment expenditures to close infrastructure gap, increased security expenditures in response to conflict and social unrest in some countries. Using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) framework, we estimate the role of debt in the provision of productive investments, driving economic growth and subsequent debt sustainability. To entrench fiscal sustainability, countries need to strengthen domestic resource mobilization and improve public investment management for greater efficiency. Measures to increase tax revenue collections, savings mobilization and efficiency of public spending are therefore critical. It is prudent for development partners to support debt reporting, data harmonisation, tax compliance, combating illicit financial flows and developing effective debt resolution frameworks.

Suggested Citation

  • George Kararach & Jacob Oduor & Edward Sennoga & Walter Odero & Peter Rasmussen & Lacina Balma, 2022. "Working Paper 365 - Public Investment Efficiency, Economic Growth and Debt Sustainability in Africa," Working Paper Series 2491, African Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:adb:adbwps:2491
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/wps_no_365_public_investment_efficiency_economic_growth_and_debt_sustainability_in_africa_.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hamilton, James D & Flavin, Marjorie A, 1986. "On the Limitations of Government Borrowing: A Framework for EmpiricalTesting," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(4), pages 808-819, September.
    2. Fabrizio Balassone & Daniela Monacelli, 2000. "EMU fiscal rules: Is there a gap?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 375, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    3. Ramkishen S. Rajan & Tan Khee Giap & Tan Kong Yam, 2014. "Fiscal Sustainability and Competitiveness in Europe and Asia," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-40697-2, December.
    4. Pritchett, Lant, 2000. "The Tyranny of Concepts: CUDIE (Cumulated, Depreciated, Investment Effort) Is Not Capital," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 5(4), pages 361-384, December.
    5. Beqiraj, Elton & Fedeli, Silvia & Forte, Francesco, 2018. "Public debt sustainability: An empirical study on OECD countries," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 238-248.
    6. Kelbesa Megersa & Danny Cassimon, 2015. "Public Debt, Economic Growth, and Public Sector Management in Developing Countries: Is There a Link?," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35(5), pages 329-346, December.
    7. Auerbach, Alan J & Gorodnichenko, Yuriy, 2013. "Measuring the Output Responses to Fiscal Policy (vol 4, pg 1, 2012)," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt73c8q5wx, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    8. Pritchett, Lant, 1996. "Where has all the education gone?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1581, The World Bank.
    9. Joao Tovar Jalles, 2011. "The Impact Of Democracy And Corruption On The Debt-Growth Relationship In Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 36(4), pages 41-72, December.
    10. Charles Wyplosz, 2007. "Debt Sustainability Assessment: The IMF Approach and Alternatives," IHEID Working Papers 03-2007, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    11. Ales Krejdl, 2006. "Fiscal Sustainability - Definition, Indicators and Assessment of Czech Public Finance Sustainability," Working Papers 2006/3, Czech National Bank.
    12. Trehan, Bharat & Walsh, Carl E., 1988. "Common trends, the government's budget constraint, and revenue smoothing," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 12(2-3), pages 425-444.
    13. McLeay, Michael & Radia, Amar & Thomas, Ryland, 2014. "Money in the modern economy: an introduction," Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, Bank of England, vol. 54(1), pages 4-13.
    14. Alan J. Auerbach & Yuriy Gorodnichenko, 2013. "Corrigendum: Measuring the Output Responses to Fiscal Policy," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(3), pages 320-322, August.
    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. Hillary Chijindu Ezeaku & David Okelue Ugwunta & Godwin Imo Ibe & Ebele Igwemeka & Eze Festus Eze & Obiamaka P. Egbo, 2023. "Effect of bilateral and multilateral concessional debts on public investment in Africa: A contingency analysis," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 35(2), pages 198-210, June.

    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. Abderrahim Chibi & Sidi Mohamed Chekouri & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2019. "The dynamics of fiscal policy in Algeria: sustainability and structural change," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-27, December.
    2. Amarachukwu Anthony ANYANWU, 2021. "Debt-financed public investment in developing countries: Does the efficiency of public investment matter?," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(626), S), pages 259-272, Spring.
    3. Masten, Igor & Grdović Gnip, Ana, 2019. "Macroeconomic effects of public investment in South-East Europe," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 1179-1194.
    4. Ernesto del Castillo & René Cabral & Eduardo Saucedo, 2022. "The Sustainability of Mexican Municipal Public Debt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Abderrahim Chibi & Sidi Mohamed Chekouri & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2019. "Debt sustainability, structural breaks and nonlinear fiscal adjustment: empirical evidence from Algeria," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 66(4), pages 369-397, December.
    6. Michał Mackiewicz & Piotr Krajewski, 2009. "On the mechanisms of achieving fiscal (un)sustainability: the case of Poland," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 36(4), pages 445-460, November.
    7. Golpe, Antonio A. & Sánchez-Fuentes, A. Jesus & Vides, José Carlos, 2023. "Fiscal sustainability, monetary policy and economic growth in the Euro Area: In search of the ultimate causal path," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1026-1045.
    8. Olaoye, Olumide Olusegun & Olomola, P.A., 2022. "Empirical analysis of asymmetry phenomenon in the public debt structure of Sub-Saharan Africa's five biggest economies: A Markov-Switching model," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    9. Paniagua, Jordi & Sapena, Juan & Tamarit, Cecilio, 2017. "Fiscal sustainability in EMU countries: A continued fiscal commitment?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 85-97.
    10. Abderrahim Chibi & Sidi Mohamed Chekouri & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2015. "Assessing Fiscal Sustainability in Algeria: a Nonlinear Approach," Working Papers 962, Economic Research Forum, revised Oct 2015.
    11. Olumide Olusegun Olaoye & Phillip A. Olomola, 2023. "Sub‐Saharan Africa's rising public debt stock: Is there a cause for concern?," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 91(1), pages 85-115, March.
    12. Owusu Benjamin, 2021. "Fiscal Sustainability Hypothesis Test in Central and Eastern Europe: A Panel Data Perspective," Central European Economic Journal, Sciendo, vol. 8(55), pages 285-312, January.
    13. D’Erasmo, P. & Mendoza, E.G. & Zhang, J., 2016. "What is a Sustainable Public Debt?," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & Harald Uhlig (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 2493-2597, Elsevier.
    14. Bajo-Rubio, Oscar & Díaz-Roldán, Carmen & Esteve, Vicente, 2014. "Deficit sustainability, and monetary versus fiscal dominance: The case of Spain, 1850–2000," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 924-937.
    15. João Tovar Jalles, 2024. "Financial Crises and Climate Change," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 66(1), pages 166-190, March.
    16. Pierre ALDAMA & Jérôme Creel, 2017. "Fiscal policy in the US : Ricardian after all ?," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2017-23, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    17. Munawar-Shah, Syed & Abdul-Majid, Mariani & Hussain-Shah, Syed, 2014. "Assessing Fiscal Sustainability for SAARC and IMT-GT Countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 5(2), pages 26-40.
    18. António Afonso & José Alves & Oļegs Matvejevs & Oļegs Tkačevs, 2023. "Fiscal Sustainability and the Role of Inflation," CESifo Working Paper Series 10843, CESifo.
    19. Gabriella Deborah Legrenzi & Costas Milas, 2010. "Spend-and-Tax Adjustments and the Sustainability of the Government's Intertemporal Budget Constraint," CESifo Working Paper Series 2926, CESifo.
    20. ALEME, Timkete, 2019. "An Econometric Analysis Of Determinants Of Debt Sustainability In Ethiopia," Studii Financiare (Financial Studies), Centre of Financial and Monetary Research "Victor Slavescu", vol. 23(1), pages 39-55, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public investment; economic growth; debt sustainability; dynamic stochastic general equilibrium; Africa development1George Kararach is a Lead Economist; African Development Bank (a.kararach@afdb.org)& Visiting Professor; Wits School of Governance; university of Witwatersrand; South Africa; Jacob Oduor is a Chief Country Economist; African Development Bank (j.oduor@afdb.org); Edward Sennoga is a Lead Economist; African Development Bank (e.sennoga@afdb.org); Walter Oderois a Principal Country Economist; African Development Bank(w.odero@afdb.org); Peter Rasmussen is a Principal Country Economist; African Development Bank (p.rasmussen@afdb.org); Lacina Balma is a Senior Research Economist; African Development Bank (l.balma@afdb.org).The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the Africa DevelopmentBankand the University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg; South Africa JEL classification: E6; H63; H4; O11;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic 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:adb:adbwps:2491. 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: Adeleke Oluwole Salami (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/afdbgci.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.