African Nations Research Articles

The impact of firm-level innovation on labor productivity and employment in selected African countries

The paper examines the impact of different types of innovations—such as process, product, and R&D—on labor productivity and employment across several African nations. Utilizing data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey, the study constructs pseudo-panel data based on legal status, firm size, and industry type and employs the propensity score matching and the dose–response model to explore the relationship between innovation and labor market outcomes. The descriptive analysis indicates that 2,673 firms are engaged in at least one of the innovation activities, and 250 firms do not have any innovation activities. The propensity score matching finds that the overall combined effect of all types of innovation is statistically significant and has a positive effect on the employment of non-production workers and skilled workers, but it harms their productivity. Not only this, but it has also a negative impact on the productivity of permanent, and unskilled workers. The only positive impact goes to the productivity of production workers. Except for skilled labor, no segments of the labor force have been impacted by product innovation, but it has statistically significant influences on the productivity of all types of workers, still, production workers received a positive influence. It also finds that process innovation positively influences the productivity of production workers and the employment of skilled, non-production, and production workers. On the other hand, permanent, non-production, and skilled employees respond negatively to process innovation. Regarding R&D innovation, except for production workers, all are negatively impacted and statistically significant. On employment creation, R&D has also a positive and statistically significant impact on employment except for permanent employees. On top of this, the findings of the dose–response function are also in line with the propensity score matching method except for the combined effect of innovation on production workers. In other words, the intensity has a declining dose effect while innovation has a growing effect by the propensity score method for production workers. Additionally, the dose–response function shows a strong positive correlation between the intensity of innovation and skilled workers with various trends as well as permanent employees. The effect is initially diminishing for unskilled workers and non-production workers, but it gradually increases over time. In general, the finding challenges the assumption that innovation uniformly improves productivity, instead revealing a more complex dynamic where job creation comes at the cost of lower productivity in certain labor segments.

Changing food waste regimes in Africa’s transition to export-oriented production: the case of Tanzanian avocado

Abstract African nations are increasingly focusing on exporting high-value crops. However, a major challenge exists: high rates of food waste within supply chains. The problem is often seen as a technological issue—a lack of proper infrastructure and coordination creates inefficiencies. This research takes a different perspective, focusing on social relations within the supply chain. It uses the concept of “food waste regimes” to understand the underlying structures, relationships, and systems that cause food waste, with a focus on Tanzania’s avocado trade. The goals of the research are to: (1) Identify the factors contributing to food waste within Tanzania’s avocado supply chains, particularly in the context of export-oriented production; (2) Explore how these factors change as production shifts towards exports; (3) Analyse the fairness (equity) of how waste burdens are distributed among those involved. We adopted a “follow the thing” approach, combining interviews and observations across both domestic and export avocado supply chains in Tanzania. The research reveals that interactions between various aspects of the supply chain—practices, physical properties of the product (avocado perishability), and established institutions—influence where food waste occurs and who shoulders the burden of that waste. The research exposes how unequal power dynamics between participants lead to some actors bearing a disproportionate amount of the risk and cost of food waste. By taking a social relations approach, this research highlights that tackling food waste and social inequality are intertwined issues. The paper suggests potential areas for future research and intervention to address these interconnected challenges.

Developing the Recovery Gap Index: A Comprehensive Tool for Assessing National Disaster Recovery Capacities

The increasing frequency and severity of extreme natural events, along with their escalating impacts, highlight the urgent need for robust tools to assess and strengthen national capacities for disaster preparedness and recovery. In this context, this paper introduces one of these tools, called the Recovery Gap Index (RGI), a comprehensive composite index designed to quantify and evaluate the post-extreme natural event response and recovery capabilities at the country level. The tool addresses the need for a systematic approach to quantify resilience and evaluate the impacts of consecutive events on vulnerable areas. The RGI synthesizes data from three well-established indices: the World Risk Index, INFORM, and Global Infrastructure Risk Model and Index (GIRI), covering critical dimensions related to sociodemographic factors, infrastructure, governance, technology, and economic resilience. By extracting key parameters from these diverse indices and aggregating them, the RGI provides a detailed assessment of each nation’s ability to manage the aftermath of extreme natural events. The index findings reveal significant regional disparities in recovery capacities, with European countries exhibiting stronger resilience, whereas many African and Asian nations face substantial challenges. Furthermore, this study proposes several potential future enhancements, such as the incorporation of early warning systems and insurance coverage metrics, aimed at improving its accuracy and practical application. The RGI aims to be a valuable tool for policymakers, disaster management professionals, and stakeholders, enabling them to make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions to further enhance global disaster resilience.

Pathways to Achieving Low Energy-Poverty Problems in Central African Nations with Government Effectiveness, Technology, Natural Resources and Sustainable Economic Growth

Central African nations, just like other African nations, have serious energy poverty problems, both in the rural and urban settings. With increased energy-accessibility problems, citizens have resorted to the use of conventional fuels, causing severe environmental degradation and affecting the health systems due to pollution. In this study, we address how energy poverty is alleviated with technology, natural resources and improved institutional quality. The interplay between these factors in improving energy accessibility is not widely understood; hence, key policies are lacking in the field. The data of Central African nations for the time period from 2004 to 2021 are utilized. The data are also analyzed with the ‘Methods of Moments Quantile Regression’ technique, ensuring the correction of ‘cross-sectional dependence’ and ‘heterogeneity’ that exists. The key findings depict that natural resource rent, government effectiveness and technology help in lowering energy poverty in Central African nations. Economic growth increases energy poverty, while green finance and foreign direct investment do not present a significant effect on energy poverty. Therefore, natural resources are a blessing in improving the accessibility of energy in this region, and this is also made possible with advancements in sustainable technology and proper institutional quality.

Information communication and technology, and environmental degradation in Africa: a new approach via moments

ABSTRACT This study contributes to the ICT-environment literature by examining the impact of ICT on the environmental degradation of 29 African nations from 2000 to 2018. The study builds its approach on the Stochastic Impacts Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) framework, while the novel method of moments quantile regression and Dumitrescu and Hurlin Granger causality test are used as estimation techniques. The study's findings suggest that fixed telephone and mobile cellular subscriptions increase both carbon and ecological footprint across all the quantiles. However, internet penetration negatively impacts carbon and ecological footprint in all quantiles. Furthermore, a bidirectional causality between ecological footprint and ICT was found. The study concludes that the region's policymakers can leverage the benefit of internet penetration to achieve sustainable development. Besides, the consumption and production associated with fixed telephone and mobile cellular subscriptions should be re-examined.

Balancing socioeconomic progress, renewable energy transition, and long-term environmental sustainability in fast-developing African nations

Balancing socioeconomic progress, renewable energy transition, and long-term environmental sustainability in fast-developing African nations

Climate change and food security nexus in Ghana: The role of renewable energy.

Climate change is aggravating hunger, which is miserable in Sub-Saharan African nations like Ghana. Yet evidence of the effect of climatic variables on hunger, particularly multidimensional food security, is less illuminated in Ghana. Moreover, the decoupling effect of renewable energy on emissions and food security is rare in the Ghanaian context. Therefore, we fill this gap using time series data from 1990 to 2022. The autoregressive distributed lag model was used to analyse the data, while the dynamic ordinary least squares and fully modified ordinary least squares were employed for robustness. Additionally, the seemingly unrelated regression was used to evaluate the effect of climate change on tomatoes, rice, cocoa, cashews, maize, cassava, and yam output. We discovered a long-run co-integration between climatic factors and food security. Moreover, rising temperatures worsen food security in the short run but eventually improve in the long run. Again, temperature improves the production of the studied crops. In the short term, precipitation disturbs food security but suddenly improves in the future. Similarly, rainfall increases the production of the studied crops. Moreover, CO2 stifles long-term food security and reduces rice production. However, renewable energy counteract the deleterious consequence of CO2 on food security in the future. Theoretically, the effect of climate change on food security follows the assumption of the Environmental Kuznets Curve to some extent in Ghana. Therefore, adopting irrigation, greenhouses, agricultural insurance, and improved crop varieties will help farmers manage the wrath of climate change. Also, policies like carbon credits, tax incentives for renewable energy, investment funds, and solar panel subsidies can further promote sustainability and climate change mitigation.

Food Pathways of Salmonella and Its Ability to Cause Gastroenteritis in North Africa.

Infections caused by human pathogenic bacteria in food sources pose significant and widespread concerns, leading to substantial economic losses and adverse impacts on public health. This review seeks to shed light on the recent literature addressing the prevalence of Salmonella in the food supply chains of North African countries. Additionally, it aims to provide an overview of the available information regarding health-related concerns, such as virulence genes, and the presence of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella. This review highlights a gap in our comprehensive understanding of Salmonella prevalence in the food supply chains of North African nations, with limited molecular characterization efforts to identify its sources. Studies at the molecular level across the region have shown the diversity of Salmonella strains and their virulence profiles, thus, these results show the difficulty of controlling Salmonella infections in the region. In addition, the discussion of antibiotic resistance makes it clear that there is a need for the development of comprehensive strategies to fight the potential threat of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella strains. Despite common reports on animal-derived foods in this region, this review underscores the persistent challenges that Salmonella may pose to food safety and public health in North African countries.

Global burden of cardiovascular diseases attributable to diet low in vegetables from 1990 to 2021 and forecasting the future trends: a population-based study

BackgroundThis investigation examines the worldwide impact of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) resulting from inadequate vegetable consumption, based on the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study data.MethodThe study assessed the global, regional, and national repercussions of low vegetable intake on CVD, with a focus on variations among different age and gender demographics. It further analyzed the correlation between disease burden and the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI), and employed an ARIMA model to predict future trends in CVD associated with insufficient vegetable consumption up to 2050.ResultIn 2021, a diet lacking in vegetables was responsible for roughly 682,400 deaths and 16 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributed to CVD, indicating a declining pattern over recent year. Individuals aged 75 and older were predominantly affected. Future projections indicate an expected rise in CVD incidence in lower-middle SDI regions, with African nations potentially experiencing increased challenges related to low vegetable consumption by 2030 and 2050.ConclusionThe findings underscore the critical necessity for preventive measures against CVD and emphasize the significance of improving dietary habits, particularly vegetable intake.

Talent development environments in sport in selected African countries as perceived by young elite football players

ABSTRACT Most African football nations need to strengthen their talent development environments (TDEs) in sport in order to nurture young elite players at the level of global competitiveness. However, despite the established importance of the environment to the striving and thriving of athletes, studies on TDEs in African football academies are scarce. This study’s objectives were twofold: (a) to test the reliability of the French version of the TDEQ-5 across three representative French-speaking African countries: Morocco (North Africa), Cameroon (Central Africa) and Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa), and (b) to assess and compare the quality of their TDEs in football. A sample from the three African countries selected consisted of 504 male academy footballers aged between 10 and 23, who completed the French version of the TDEQ-5. Confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis revealed a fair model fit of the TDEQ-5, therefore allowing its use in this context. However, the TDEQ-5’s factor of social support network was omitted in the comparisons because of low internal consistency. For the remaining four TDEQ-5 features, Moroccan players had the most favourable perception, while Cameroonian and Ivoirian players shared similar and less favorable perceptions of their TDEs. Across the selected countries, long-term development focus and holistic quality preparation were a strength and an area of improvement respectively. These findings suggest that the TDEQ-5 tends to validate differences and similarities in TDEs in sport between North, Central, and West African countries. It thus emerges as a reliable instrument to monitor and support the talent development journey of African academy footballers.

Using ESPEN data for evidence-based control of neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: A comprehensive model-based geostatistical analysis of soil-transmitted helminths.

The Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) was launched in 2019 by the World Health Organization and African nations to combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), including Soil-transmitted helminths (STH), which still affect over 1.5 billion people globally. In this study, we present a comprehensive geostatistical analysis of publicly available STH survey data from ESPEN to delineate inter-country disparities in STH prevalence and its environmental drivers while highlighting the strengths and limitations that arise from the use of the ESPEN data. To achieve this, we also propose the use of calibration validation methods to assess the suitability of geostatistical models for disease mapping at the national scale. We analysed the most recent survey data with at least 50 geo-referenced observations, and modelled each STH species data (hookworm, roundworm, whipworm) separately. Binomial geostatistical models were developed for each country, exploring associations between STH and environmental covariates, and were validated using the non-randomized probability integral transform. We produced pixel-, subnational-, and country-level prevalence maps for successfully calibrated countries. All the results were made publicly available through an R Shiny application. Among 35 countries with STH data that met our inclusion criteria, the reported data years ranged from 2004 to 2018. Models from 25 countries were found to be well-calibrated. Spatial patterns exhibited significant variation in STH species distribution and heterogeneity in spatial correlation scale (1.14 km to 3,027.44 km) and residual spatial variation variance across countries. This study highlights the utility of ESPEN data in assessing spatial variations in STH prevalence across countries using model-based geostatistics. Despite the challenges posed by data sparsity which limit the application of geostatistical models, the insights gained remain crucial for directing focused interventions and shaping future STH assessment strategies within national control programs.

Intégration économique et qualité de l’environnement en Afrique : Une approche en termes de Panel ARDL

African countries are committed to the creation of free trade areas as a means of consolidating trade links between African nations. Intra-African trade is expected to boost economic growth and improve macroeconomic performance and living standards in Africa. However, theoretical insights and empirical evidence suggest that these efforts risk being undermined by the adverse environmental consequences of trade, which are likely to undermine the continent's achievements in terms of sustainable development and poverty reduction. This paper aims to examine the environmental impact of intra-African trade while integrating FDI, economic growth, urbanization, and energy consumption. The study used a panel data set for 32 African countries over the period 1990-2020. The empirical analysis was based on the latest panel estimation techniques. More specifically, we used the Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality test, the second generation of unit root tests on panel data, and the PMG estimator to estimate an ARDL panel. The error correction term reveals the existence of a cointegrating relationship between CO2 and trade, FDI, and the other control variables. The results suggest that intra-African trade worsens environmental quality in Africa in the long term. Similarly, FDI has a similar ecological impact, corroborating the ‘pollution heaven’ hypothesis. The results also refute the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Energy consumption plays a key role in the long-term deterioration of the environment. Finally, urbanization degrades the environment in line with the intuition of urban environmental transition theory.

Parametric modeling of under-5 children survival among 30 African countries: Lognormal accelerated failure time gamma shared frailty model.

Under-five mortality continues to be a serious public health concern in low-and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa. This study investigates the probability of under-five survival and its predictors of mortality in the African continent using a recent demographic health survey from 2014-2022. This study utilized recent Demographic and Health Survey data from 30 African countries, encompassing 226,862 live births. This study employed a multivariable lognormal accelerated failure time gamma shared frailty parametric survival regression analysis to identify the predictors of time-to-death among under-five children in these African nations. The overall under-five child mortality rate in Africa was 37.55 per 1,000 live births (95% CI: 37.35, 37.74. In this study, children born in Western Africa; children born in Eastern Africa; children born to mothers aged 15-19 years; maternal educational status; maternal decision autonomy; being female; place of delivery; number of ANC visits; children born among mothers who delivered by Cesarean section; mothers who have multiple birth outcome; children who were second birth order; and third birth order and third birth order; children who were small in size at birth; children who were born from a community with a low women education; having poor wealth index; respondents working; mothers delivered at the age between 20-35 were significant predictors of survival time to event of under-five children in Africa. This study found that the overall under-five mortality rates remain high across Africa. In this study country region, maternal age, maternal education status, maternal age at first birth, respondent's employment status, birth outcome, wealth index, birth order, place of delivery, mode of delivery, women's autonomy in healthcare decision-making, number of antenatal care visits, child's size at birth, sex of the neonate, and community-level women's education were found to be significant predictors of survival time to death of under-five children. Addressing these multilevel factors is crucial for developing targeted interventions to reduce under-five mortality further and improve child survival in African countries.

Revisiting the drivers of electricity consumption in designated Sub-Saharan African regions: Unraveling the role of education.

It has been established that steady supply of energy to various sectors of the economy is critical for societal growth and development. According to recent figures, barely one-third of the whole population in Sub-Saharan Africa has access to electricity, making the region the poorest in the world in terms of access to electrical power today. This stands in stark contrast to the vast energy resources that could be utilized to provide the necessary energy. In this context, various researches have attempted to identify various factors that influence electricity use. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is relatively limited empirical study carried out to quantify the influence of latent drivers of electricity consumption, particularly taking into account the important role of education. Thus, this existing study effectively investigates the potential factors influencing electricity consumption by taking into account the impact of education in ten selected Sub-Saharan African nations between 1990 and 2020. In addition to education, the study included population, urbanization, and economic growth as relevant variables to mitigate concerns about variable bias resulting from omission. Bearing in mind the potential occurrence of residual cross-sectional connectedness and slope heterogeneity issues, the augmented mean group and the common correlated effect mean group techniques were utilized as the prime estimation methods. Key findings revealed that education has an enormous and palpable effect on the consumption of electricity in the panel scenario, whereas country-specific results yielded a mixed bag of meaningful outcomes. Such cutting-edge approaches and results suggest that education is important in terms of Sub-Saharan Africa's electricity consumption. Based on the empirical findings, additional practical policy recommendations are presented.

Does regulatory convergence shape banking resilience in Africa?

This study examines the effects of Basel III regulatory harmonization on banking stability across 21 African nations from 2011 to 2022, using a system-GMM estimation to address endogeneity and enhance causal interpretation. Stability is operationalized through Z-scores, non-performing loan ratios, and weighted composite indices, offering a robust, multi-dimensional perspective on systemic resilience. Findings suggest that Basel III compliance enhances stability across key metrics, yet reveal a trade-off wherein liquidity buffers may detract from operational efficiency unless optimally rectified to local conditions. Furthermore, institutional quality, particularly governance and property rights protections, amplifies regulatory impact, supporting transparency and resilience within the banking system. It is, thus, imperative to fortify regulatory and governance structures, optimizing financial resilience to underpin sustainable economic growth across the region. By integrating risk-weighted Tier 1 capital convergence within stability models, this research makes a substantial contribution to banking literature, refining stability frameworks and paving the way for deeper exploration of Basel III elements to provide robust, evidence-based insights into regulatory impacts on banking resilience.

Towards a more inclusive diaspora policy orientation in Africa

Since the declaration of the Diaspora as Africa’s sixth region, a process that began with the adoption of the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union (3q) in 2003, several African nations have responded by making similar declarations, leading to the formulation, adoption and implementation of individual national diaspora policies. The original declaration by the African Union (AU) appears clear in its definition of the categories of people that constitute the African Diaspora. The apparently all-encompassing definition is meant to serve as a model for the states that make up the African Union. However, interaction with some of the national diaspora policies so far drafted and published, indicates that there is a disjunction between the affirmation of the African Union and the selective orientation of the individual African states. This paper, therefore, critically examines the various contradictions between the AU declaration and the diaspora policy orientation of selected African states. The scrutiny is done with a view to highlighting, analysing and recommending new strategies for diaspora policy formulation and revision towards the full realisation of the mutual developmental potential that the initiative of integrating the Diaspora into the institutional frameworks of African states holds.

Impact of Financial Inclusion on Firms’ Growth in African Nations

Impact of Financial Inclusion on Firms’ Growth in African Nations

Microscopic Evaluation and Qualitative Phytochemical Screening of Corchorus olitorius L. (Molokhia) Leaves

Corchrous is a genus which belongs to Tiliaceae family distributed across Asia and Africa. In the world, the Corchorus genus encompasses 75 taxa. Widely distributed across the tropics, Corchorus olitorius L. (Molokhia) is most likely found in every tropical African nation. Its use as a wild or farmed vegetable has been reported by numerous countries in tropical Africa. In Cyprus, this plant is used to prepare a dish after drying in the summer. The aim of this study was to investigate microscopic evaluation and phytochemical profile of the leaf extracts of C. olitorius. In microscopic evaluation experiments, powdered leaf part of the plant was examined under the microscope. For determination of phytochemical profile, some of secondary metabolites were determined qualitatively by chemical reactions. Microscopic analysis revealed that molokhia leaves displayed epidermis, stoma, calcium oxalate crystals, spongy parenchyma, glandular hair, trichome, midrib. The phytochemical profile identification of the leaf extracts of C. olitorius, revealed the presence of some active ingredients such as carbohydrates, cardioactives, and flavonoids.

Clean Energy Consumption and Human Welfare in Nigeria: Implication for the Sustainable Development Goal 7

Over the time, in driving human welfare in Nigeria, the country has been consuming little clean energy relative to other sub-Saharan African nations. This has raised a critical concern for the policymakers and scholars in the recent times. As such, this study estimated the relationship between clean energy consumption and human welfare in Nigeria from the period of 2000 to 2020, this study employed a Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares, with the following conclusions emanated from the study. Clean energy consumption and human welfare had an insignificant negative relationship in Nigeria. Health expenditure and human welfare had a significant negative relationship. Population growth and human welfare had a significant inverse relationship in Nigeria. However, standard of living contributed a positive and significant contribution to human welfare in Nigeria. By and large, clean energy consumption did not contribute to an improvement in human welfare in Nigeria. In the light of the above, this study recommends that whenever the policymakers in Nigeria wish to achieve some substantial level of human welfare in the country, policies that will drive affordable clean energy SDG-7 in the country should be embarked upon.

Welcome to PASJ: A New Frontier in Pan-African Scientific Studies

Dear PASJ Readers, On behalf of the editorial board of Pan African Science Journal (PASJ), I take this opportunity to introduce to you Pan African Science Journal (PASJ) which is a new journal with focus on physical and life sciences. The PASJ publishes on a bi-monthly basis. We publish editorial notes, review articles, full research articles, letters to and case studies on all aspects of physical and life sciences under the topics of Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Public Health, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Botany, Zoology, Environmental Ecology and Fisheries & Aquatic Ecology. PASJ editorial team consists of young and vibrant scientists and academicians from various parts of the world whose scientific specializations covers all the designated journal topics. The highly qualified and dedicated expert editorial team will endeavor to professionally guide the entire PASJ publication process. PASJ comes as a unique international journal whose major focus is to promote African scientific works and publication standards through contribution to the dissemination of scientific knowledge and opinion that emanate from Africa and beyond. PASJ’s main aim is to upscale the quality of scientific output, specifically by Africans/within Africa, through playing a pivotal role in affordably, effectively and efficiently publishing of high- quality scientific work, while adhering to and upholding all the internationally binding scientific publication ethics and standards. It aims at bridging the wide gap that exists in scientific publication output between the researchers/academicians from developed and developing countries such as African nations. The inauguration of PASJ comes at a time when the contribution of science to solving major global problems such as climate change, food insecurity, environmental pollution and emerging infectious diseases such as the COVID 19 is key. I hope that we will support each other in this journey to progress and ensure that the PASJ professionally drives its mandate and continue to achieve the purpose for its formation to ensure that it becomes a reputable Journal of choice in Africa and beyond. Thank you, and we welcome you as we engage and corporate in this new and exciting journey.