Financial resource curse and firms' accessibility to financing in resource-based countries

Abstract

This study delves into the paradox of the financial resource curse, exploring how the abundance of natural resources in a country paradoxically constrains firms' accessibility to financing. Despite the potential economic boon natural resources represent, evidence suggests that they can lead to less diversified economies, making it challenging for firms outside the resource sector to access financing. Our research aims to dissect this phenomenon by analyzing microeconomic statistics on the financial accessibility of enterprises, juxtaposed with macroeconomic statistics across 170 countries, encompassing over 10,000 firms surveyed from 1990 to 2022. The panel regression analysis allows us to control for both time-invariant country characteristics and global economic trends, providing insights into the causal relationship between resource dependence and financial access for firms. The results are striking, revealing that, indeed, countries with significant natural resource wealth tend to exhibit reduced financial accessibility for firms outside the resource extraction sector. The panel regression models indicate a robust negative correlation between the extent of a country's resource wealth and the ease with which non-resource firms can access financial capital. This suggests that the financial resource curse is not only a real phenomenon but also one that has significant implications for economic diversification and sustainable development. Moreover, findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions. Countries with abundant natural resources should implement strategies that foster economic diversification, enhance the financial infrastructure to support a broader range of industries, and encourage the development of financial instruments tailored to the needs of non-resource sectors.