IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/exs/wpaper/21-059.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Has Knowledge Improved Economic Growth? Evidence from Nigeria and South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Olatunji A. Shobande

    (University of Aberdeen, UK)

  • Simplice A. Asongu

    (Yaoundé, Cameroon)

Abstract

This study examines whether knowledge causes economic growth in Africa's two leading economies: Nigeria and South Africa. Using the Vector Autoregressive and Vector Error Correction approach, the findings show cointegration among the variables. The speed of convergence of the variables to their long-term mean values is relatively higher for South Africa than for Nigeria. In the short run, it is observed that knowledge unidirectionally Granger causes growth for Nigeria, whereas bidirectional causality is observed for South Africa. The higher correlation between knowledge and growth in South Africa reflects the success of greater investment in education. Nigeria must increase investment in education and modern infrastructure to converge to South Africa’s growth trajectory. Moreover, for Nigeria, (i) knowledge unidirectionally Granger cause growth, (ii) evidence of bidirectional causality flow is apparent between trade, the economic incentive and growth and (iii) health unidirectionally Granger cause knowledge. As for South Africa: (i) there is bidirectional causality between knowledge, trade openness and growth, whereas investment and economic incentive, unidirectionally Granger causes growth, (ii) investment, trade openness and health unidirectionally Granger cause knowledge and (iii) economic incentive unidirectionally Granger cause trade openness. In conclusion, this paper argues that a transformed education system can provide the knowledge base essential for promoting and sustaining economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Olatunji A. Shobande & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Has Knowledge Improved Economic Growth? Evidence from Nigeria and South Africa," Working Papers 21/059, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    • Handle: RePEc:exs:wpaper:21/059
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://publications.excas.org/RePEc/exs/exs-wpaper/Has-Knowledge-Improved-Economic-Growth-Evidence-from-Nigeria-and-South-Africa.pdf
    File Function: Revised version, 2021
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Antonio Andrés & Simplice Asongu & Voxi Amavilah, 2015. "The Impact of Formal Institutions on Knowledge Economy," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 6(4), pages 1034-1062, December.
    2. Vanessa Simen Tchamyou, 2020. "Education, lifelong learning, inequality and financial access: evidence from African countries," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 7-25, January.
    3. Gary S. Becker, 2007. "Health as human capital: synthesis and extensions -super-1," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 59(3), pages 379-410, July.
    4. Voyvoda, Ebru & Yeldan, Erinç, 2015. "Public policy and growth in Canada: An applied endogenous growth model with human and knowledge capital accumulation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 298-309.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Basic formal education quality, information technology, and inclusive human development in sub‐Saharan Africa," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 419-428, May.
    6. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Building Knowledge-Based Economies in Africa: A Systematic Review of Policies and Strategies," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(4), pages 1538-1555, December.
    7. Pierre Perron & Serena Ng, 1996. "Useful Modifications to some Unit Root Tests with Dependent Errors and their Local Asymptotic Properties," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 63(3), pages 435-463.
    8. Gary S. Becker & Kevin M. Murphy & Robert Tamura, 1994. "Human Capital, Fertility, and Economic Growth," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition, pages 323-350, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Simplice A. Asongu, 2017. "Knowledge Economy Gaps, Policy Syndromes, and Catch-Up Strategies: Fresh South Korean Lessons to Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(1), pages 211-253, March.
    10. Vanessa S. Tchamyou & Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "The Role of ICT in Modulating the Effect of Education and Lifelong Learning on Income Inequality and Economic Growth in Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 31(3), pages 261-274, September.
    11. Asongu, Simplice A. & Andrés, Antonio R., 2020. "Trajectories of knowledge economy in SSA and MENA countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    12. Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2020. "Human capital, knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, institutions and economic incentives: South Korea versus Africa," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 26-47, January.
    13. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2020. "The role of Globalization in Modulating the Effect of Environmental Degradation on Inclusive Human Development," MPRA Paper 103143, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Peter C.B. Phillips, 1987. "Multiple Regression with Integrated Time Series," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 852, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    15. Serena Ng & Pierre Perron, 2001. "LAG Length Selection and the Construction of Unit Root Tests with Good Size and Power," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(6), pages 1519-1554, November.
    16. Tchamyou, Vanessa S. & Erreygers, Guido & Cassimon, Danny, 2019. "Inequality, ICT and financial access in Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 169-184.
    17. Stephen Oluwatobi & Isaiah Olurinola & Philip Alege & Adeyemi Ogundipe, 2020. "Knowledge-driven economic growth: the case of Sub-Saharan Africa," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 62-81, January.
    18. Francisco H. G. Ferreira & Jérémie Gignoux, 2014. "The Measurement of Educational Inequality: Achievement and Opportunity," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 28(2), pages 210-246.
    19. Vanessa Simen Tchamyou, 2017. "The Role of Knowledge Economy in African Business," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(4), pages 1189-1228, December.
    20. Voxi Heinrich Amavilah, 2009. "Knowledge of African countries: production and value of doctoral dissertations," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(8), pages 977-989.
    21. Simplice A. Asongu & John C. Anyanwu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2019. "Technology-driven information sharing and conditional financial development in Africa," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 630-659, October.
    22. Galindo, Miguel-Ángel & Méndez, María Teresa, 2014. "Entrepreneurship, economic growth, and innovation: Are feedback effects at work?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 825-829.
    23. Yaw Nyarko, 2013. "Sustaining High Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Knowledge and the Structure of the Economy," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 22(suppl_1), pages -101, January.
    24. Gary S. Becker & Nigel Tomes, 1994. "Human Capital and the Rise and Fall of Families," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition, pages 257-298, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    25. Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2019. "The Role of Information Sharing in Modulating the Effect of Financial Access on Inequality," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 317-338, July.
    26. Jeremiah O. Ejemeyovwi & Evans S. Osabuohien & Romanus Osabohien, 2018. "ICT investments, human capital development and institutions in ECOWAS," International Journal of Economics and Business Research, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(4), pages 463-474.
    27. Kim, Jong-Min & Lee, Namgil & Hwang, Sun Young, 2020. "A Copula Nonlinear Granger Causality," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 420-430.
    28. Ricardo Hausmann & Jason Hwang & Dani Rodrik, 2007. "What you export matters," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, March.
    29. Benk, Szilard & Gillman, Max, 2020. "Granger predictability of oil prices after the Great Recession," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    30. Asongu, Simplice A. & Le Roux, Sara, 2017. "Enhancing ICT for inclusive human development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 44-54.
    31. Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou & Paul N. Acha-Anyi, 2020. "Who Is Who in Knowledge Economy in Africa?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(2), pages 425-457, June.
    32. Massa, Ricardo & Rosellón, Juan, 2020. "Linear and nonlinear Granger causality between electricity production and economic performance in Mexico," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    33. Ebru Voyvoda & Erinç Yeldan, 2015. "An applied endogenous growth model with human and knowledge capital accumulation for the Turkish economy," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 195-225, July.
    34. N. Gregory Mankiw & David Romer & David N. Weil, 1992. "A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 407-437.
    35. Phillips, P C B, 1987. "Time Series Regression with a Unit Root," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(2), pages 277-301, March.
    36. Mazzarisi, Piero & Zaoli, Silvia & Campajola, Carlo & Lillo, Fabrizio, 2020. "Tail Granger causalities and where to find them: Extreme risk spillovers vs spurious linkages," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    37. Zhao, Lili & Wen, Fenghua & Wang, Xiong, 2020. "Interaction among China carbon emission trading markets: Nonlinear Granger causality and time-varying effect," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    38. Gary S. Becker, 1994. "Human Capital Revisited," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition, pages 15-28, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    39. Pedro Teixeira, 2014. "Gary Becker’s early work on human capital – collaborations and distinctiveness," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-20, December.
    40. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-01030825 is not listed on IDEAS
    41. Gary S. Becker, 1994. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck94-1.
    42. Granger, C W J, 1969. "Investigating Causal Relations by Econometric Models and Cross-Spectral Methods," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 37(3), pages 424-438, July.
    43. Phillips, P C B, 1987. "Time Series Regression with a Unit Root," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(2), pages 277-301, March.
    44. Michael Takudzwa Pasara & Tapiwa Kelvin Mutambirwa & Nolutho Diko, 2020. "The Trivariate Causality among Education, Health, and Economic Growth in Zimbabwe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, February.
    45. Johansen, Soren, 1991. "Estimation and Hypothesis Testing of Cointegration Vectors in Gaussian Vector Autoregressive Models," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 59(6), pages 1551-1580, November.
    46. Odhiambo, Nicholas M & Nyasha, Sheilla, 2020. "Is tourism a spur to economic growth in South Africa: An empirical investigation," Working Papers 26731, University of South Africa, Department of Economics.
    47. Shao, Liuguo & Hu, Wenqin & Yang, Danhui, 2020. "The price relationship between main-byproduct metals from a multiscale nonlinear Granger causality perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    48. Ram, Rati, 2007. "IQ and economic growth: Further augmentation of Mankiw-Romer-Weil model," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 7-11, January.
    49. Elena Širá & Roman Vavrek & Ivana Kravčáková Vozárová & Rastislav Kotulič, 2020. "Knowledge Economy Indicators and Their Impact on the Sustainable Competitiveness of the EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.
    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. Shobande, Olatunji A. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "The Critical Role of Education and ICT in Promoting Environmental Sustainability in Eastern and Southern Africa: A Panel VAR Approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Yassine Jaber & Ismail Kabouri & Mohamed Bouzahzah & Ibourk Aomar & Mohamed Karim, 2022. "Economic growth and education in Morocco: Cointegration and Toda Yamamoto Granger Causality," Post-Print hal-03694377, HAL.

    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. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2020. "The role of governance in quality education in sub-Saharan Africa," MPRA Paper 107497, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Simplice A. Asongu & Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2020. "Foreign aid volatility and lifelong learning," International Journal of Education Economics and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 11(4), pages 370-406.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu & John Kuada, 2020. "Building knowledge economies in Africa: an introduction," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 1-6, January.
    4. Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "The Effects of Mobile Phone Technology, Knowledge Creation and Diffusion on Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(3), pages 1367-1398, September.
    5. Asongu, Simplice A. & Andrés, Antonio R., 2020. "Trajectories of knowledge economy in SSA and MENA countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    6. Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou & Paul N. Acha-Anyi, 2020. "Who Is Who in Knowledge Economy in Africa?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(2), pages 425-457, June.
    7. Asongu, Simplice A. & Rahman, Mushfiqur & Nnanna, Joseph & Haffar, Mohamed, 2020. "Enhancing information technology for value added across economic sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa✰," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    8. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nnanna, Joseph & Acha-Anyi, Paul N., 2020. "Finance, inequality and inclusive education in Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 162-177.
    9. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2020. "The role of Globalization in Modulating the Effect of Environmental Degradation on Inclusive Human Development," MPRA Paper 103143, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Enhancing ICT for insurance in Africa," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 9(2), pages 16-27.
    11. Simplice A. Asongu & Joseph Amankwah‐Amoah & Rexon T. Nting & Godfred Adjapong Afrifa, 2021. "Information Technology and Gender Economic Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 120-133, April.
    12. Simplice Asongu & Joseph Nnanna, 2020. "Inclusive human development in sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 183-200, May.
    13. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Building Knowledge-Based Economies in Africa: A Systematic Review of Policies and Strategies," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(4), pages 1538-1555, December.
    14. Asongu, Simplice A. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2020. "Foreign direct investment, information technology and economic growth dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1).
    15. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Finance, governance and inclusive education in Sub-Saharan Africa," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(8), pages 1044-1061, July.
    16. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Governance, capital flight and industrialisation in Africa," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-22, December.
    17. Asongu, Simplice A. & Folarin, Oludele E. & Biekpe, Nicholas, 2019. "The long run stability of money demand in the proposed West African monetary union," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 483-495.
    18. Elvis Dze Achuo & Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Gildas Dohba Dinga, 2021. "Unravelling the Mysteries of Underdevelopment in Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/073, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    19. Asongu, Simplice A & Odhiambo, Nicholas M, 2019. "Governance,CO2 emissions and inclusive human development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 25253, University of South Africa, Department of Economics.
    20. Koketso Phale & Fanglin Li & Isaac Adjei Mensah & Akoto Yaw Omari-Sasu & Mohammed Musah, 2021. "Knowledge-Based Economy Capacity Building for Developing Countries: A Panel Analysis in Southern African Development Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-28, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Convergence; Growth performance; Knowledge-based economy; Nigeria; South Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

    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:exs:wpaper:21/059. 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: Anutechia Asongu Simplice (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://excas.org/ .

    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.