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Why are natural resources a curse in Africa, but not elsewhere?

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Abstract

We study the nexus between natural resources and growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and find that SSA is indeed special: resources dependence retards growth in SSA, but not elsewhere. The natural resources curse is thus specific to SSA. We then show that this specificity does not depend on the type of primary commodities on which SSA specializes. Instead, the SSA specificity appears to arise from the interaction between institutions and natural resources.

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  • Fabrizio Carmignani & Abdur Chowdhury, 2010. "Why are natural resources a curse in Africa, but not elsewhere?," Discussion Papers Series 406, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    • Handle: RePEc:qld:uq2004:406
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    2. Janda, Karel & Quarshie, Gregory, 2017. "Modelling Natural Resources, Oil and Economic Growth in Africa," MPRA Paper 76749, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    5. Gideon Minua Kwaku Ampofo & Prosper Basommi Laari & Emmanuel Opoku Ware & Williams Shaw, 2023. "Further investigation of the total natural resource rents and economic growth nexus in resource-abundant sub-Saharan African countries," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 36(1), pages 97-121, January.
    6. Ampofo, Gideon Kwaku Minua & Cheng, Jinhua & Asante, Daniel Akwasi & Bosah, Philip, 2020. "Total natural resource rents, trade openness and economic growth in the top mineral-rich countries: New evidence from nonlinear and asymmetric analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    7. Tcheta-Bampa, Tcheta-Bampa & Kodila-Tedika, Oasis, 2018. "Dynamisation de la malédiction des ressources naturelles en Afrique sur les performances économiques : institution et guerre froide [Curse of Natural Resources and Economic Performance in Africa: I," MPRA Paper 86510, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Arshad Hayat & Muhammad Tahir, 2021. "Natural Resources Volatility and Economic Growth: Evidence from the Resource-Rich Region," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-17, February.
    9. Xia, Liangke & Wan, Lijiang & Wang, Weizheng & Luo, Jian & Yan, Jiale, 2023. "Energy accessibility via natural resources: Do natural resources ensure energy accessibility in low income countries?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    10. Janda, Karel & Quarshie, Gregory, 2017. "Natural Resources, Oil and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," MPRA Paper 76748, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Li, Tianyu & Yue, Xiao-Guang & Waheed, Humayun & Yıldırım, Bilal, 2023. "Can energy efficiency and natural resources foster economic growth? Evidence from BRICS countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    12. Yu, Shiyu & Liang, Yanpeng & Zhu, Zhe & Olaniyi, Oladokun Nafiu & Khan, Numan, 2024. "Dutch disease perspective of energy sector: Natural resources and energy sector nexus with the role of renewable energy consumption," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    13. Rian Hilmawan & Jeremy Clark, 2021. "Resource dependence and the causes of local economic growth: An empirical investigation," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(3), pages 596-626, July.
    14. Oluwaseyi Musibau, Hammed & Olawale Shittu, Waliu & Yanotti, Maria, 2022. "Natural resources endowment: What more does West Africa need in order to grow?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    15. Ye, Xinyu & Lin, Runtian, 2023. "Financial market risk and innovation nexus with growth: Channelizing the role of natural resources volatility for United States," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    16. Kpognon, Koffi D., 2022. "Effect of Natural Resources on the Size of Informal Economy in sub-Saharan Africa: An Empirical Investigation," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-14.

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