Economy Of West Africa Research Articles

Potential changes in cooling degree day under different global warming levels and shared socioeconomic pathways in West Africa

Increasing levels of climatic warming are expected to affect the global development of energy consumption. The cooling degree day (CDD) is one of the climate-driven indices that captures the impact of climate on energy demand. However, little is known about the spatiotemporal trends of CDD in relation to a changing climate and economy in West Africa and its main implications. Hence, in order to analyze how energy demand could evolve, this study aims to assess the changes in CDD under 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 °C global warming levels (GWLs), with and without population exposure and trends under the two representative concentration pathways (RCPs) of RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 for West Africa. A climate-reflective base temperature (T-base) is used and was determined using a piecewise linear regression method. Seasonal electricity consumption was derived using a decomposition feature. An ensemble of seven Global Climate Models (GCMs) were used for the future temperature projections. The future population was based on shared socioeconomic pathway outputs. Based on the analysis, the reported average T-base for the West African region is 24 °C. An increasing CDD trend was identified in all of the RCP scenarios, but is more pronounced in RCP8.5. RCP8.5 departs from the mean historical period of approximately 20% by 2100 with the standardized value. The same trend is observed under different GWLs as the warming level increased and was most striking in the Sahelian zone. Population exposure to CDD (labelled CDDP) increases with warming levels, but is more pronounced in highly agglomerated areas. The CDDP index best captures the spatial representation of areas with high cooling demand potential with respect to the demographic distribution. This study can serve to inform better energy demand assessment scenarios and supply planning against the backdrop of changing climate conditions in West Africa.

An econometric analysis of economic policy uncertainty and exchange market pressure of the three largest economies in West Africa

An econometric analysis of economic policy uncertainty and exchange market pressure of the three largest economies in West Africa

The impact of ICT on shadow economy in West Africa

AbstractIn accordance with the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goal 9, this study probes the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on shadow economy in West Africa. The study is based on 12 countries in the period of 1996–2017. We augment the least‐squares dummy variables with Driscoll and Kraay's (1998) panel spatial correlation consistent (PSCC‐LSDV) to estimate the model, while the instrumental variables based on fixed effects (IV/FE) estimation technique and the novel method of moments quantile regression (MM‐QR) are used for robustness checks. Dumitrescu and Hurlin's (2012) panel causality test is employed to examine the causal direction. The results show that ICT reduces shadow economy in the West African region. In addition, the results of panel causality show that there is a bidirectional relationship between shadow economy and ICT variables in the West African region. This implies the two variables can be used to predict each other. The study concludes ICT can be used to reduce the level of shadow economy in West African countries and the magnitude impact differs across quantiles.

The dynamics of the informal economy in West Africa: Case of Mali

The dynamics of the informal economy in West Africa: Case of Mali

Title: The Impact of Food Self-Sufficiency on National Economy in West Africa: Case of the Republic of Guinea

This study examines in the impact of food selficiency on national economy in West Africa particular case Guinea, the major problems of populations needs is food selficiency in Africa. However ; to achieve the self-sufficiency the authorities encourage its production to provide income for Producer, for domestic consumption and for a net exporting country. Local food production remains highly competitive with imported food. In addition, food insecurity across the country is a major development issue that threatens health, productivity and often the survival of the population. This study helps overcome developmental problems due to food selficiency, therefore, the main objective of this study is to analyze the impact of food production in the country and to examine more closely the relationship between food production and national economy on the domestic market. The study used a linear logarithmic model with the exchange rate output as a dependent variable and the food import, inflation rate, umemployment rate, interest rate and population growth. The current results found that imported food is positive sign, supporting the argument that imports products as viable income-generating activity. The self-sufficiency rate is 94%, with strong imports from imports countries, any exports. However, in order to control an national economic income and till increase agriculture production, the government should be able to purchase the food crops production from populations employment to the farmers and then sell them to projects in place for reduce food importation between international, regional and national domestic production along the markets. The development of the national economy Sectors and reduction of poverty and hunger, in particulary growing selficiency of food Security in Guinea.

Factors affecting non-performing loans in commercial banks of selected West African countries

This paper examines the macro-economic and bank-specific factors affecting non-performing loans in commercial banks. Using 47 listed commercial banks from six countries, namely 19 banks from Nigeria, 14 banks from Benin, 3 banks from Burkina Faso, 3 banks from Gambia, 3 banks from Guinea, and 5 banks from Liberia for the period 2008 to 2019, fixed and random effect model was used. The Hausman test favored the selection of fixed effect model, and it was found from the estimation that the liquidity ratio, capital adequacy ratio and inflation rate significantly affect non-performing loans. As a result, it is advised that banks depend not only on their ability to achieve the capital adequacy ratio, but also guarantee that loans are thoroughly scrutinized before being issued to beneficiaries. Bank managers should guarantee that banking staff is not simply awarding loans to secure their jobs by accumulating deposits from consumers at the price of the bank’s long-term stake. In addition, the economies of West Africa should keep their inflation rates low so that repayment of loans on time is cheap and realistic. AcknowledgmentI would like to appreciate Fezile Nonjabulo Gcwabaza for love and support throughout this research project.

Making Dance Work in West Africa: Women Artists in a Shifting Landscape of Institutional Patronage

This article considers the stakes articulated by French-speaking West African women who claim dance as work opens up critical perspectives on the global political economy of concert dance. African states encouraged creative dance work following independence, but in the era of structural adjustment, French state-affiliated institutions took the lead as foreign patrons for African contemporary dance. Juxtaposing these women’s reflections on their trajectories as dance artists with an account of the institutional politics surrounding patronage in the region, I argue that these women reenvision the value of cultural labor as a substantive contribution to their societies and economies in West Africa.

Performance analysis of Reverse and Frugal Innovations in Nigeria A Case Study of IVM automobile company

Nigeria which is considered as the ‘giant’ of Africa and is currently the largest economy in West Africa is also fast becoming the largest economy in the entire Africa. The country is in the process of developing a broader base for her economy which for many years has been reliant on oil and gas and non-renewable fossil fuels which are already saturated. However, the country has many other natural resources, and one of the major companies in the “non-oil” economy is the Innoson Vehicles and Motors (IVM) in Nigeria. In recent decades, many West African companies, including IVM, have begun to accept the need for innovation if they are to sell their products to a wider market and to increase exports. Noteworthy to companies in West Africa are Reverse Innovation and Frugal Innovation. This research observes the interaction these two forms of innovation adopts, innovation, and the ways in which they have been accepted by the IVM and their supply chain. There are three stages of management considered in this research (Macro; Directors and Educational Advisors Managers, members of this level precipitate policies that advance the economy and business inside the company. Meso; Senior Management at the production unit in the IVM, and Micro; The Organizational Supervisors of manufacturing and distribution). To achieve the purpose of this research, several personnel’s at the three different levels of management were interviewed about their understanding of the terms and the application of Reverse and Frugal innovations in their experience. A total of 20 interviews (each lasting 15-20 minutes) were carried out, 8 at the Macro level, 5 Meso level and 7 at the Micro level. This led to a discovery that West African businesses found Reverse Innovation and Frugal very satisfactory, and inherent, should it be that the economic proliferation designed is continued. The study, by analyzing their opinions concerning the drivers and limitations of Reverse Innovation and Frugal Innovation, has successfully generated a framework for R&F innovations which establishments in other developing economies seeking to proliferate their exports back to the developed countries might find beneficial. Finally, sustainability is also seen as an underlying influencing factor throughout the research.

Influence of the Independence of Directors and the Combination of CEOs with Chairperson on Firm Value: Evidence from Cote d’Ivoire

Many empirical studies have been conducted to test the impact of the characteristics of board of directors on the performance of stock exchange listed companies in developed countries and emerging countries. There are no abundant literature on the impact of independence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) duality on corporate performance in Cote d'Ivoire. Cote d'Ivoire is a developing country and according the International Monetary Fund (IFM), one of the three biggest economies in West Africa. Analyzes of developed economies are an example for developing economies countries and more a road map for poor countries to the development. However analyzes of the economies of developing or poor countries constitute a diagnostic and motivation to better lead these countries’ economies to the development. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of the board of directors’ characteristics on the performance of non-financial companies in Cote d'Ivoire. In particular, we focused on the analysis of three characteristics: board size, board independence and the duality of the CEO. Our empirical study has been conducted on a sample of 25 non-financial listing companies for a period from 2002 to 2016 using multiple regression analysis. The modeling was carried out after controlling multi-colinearity and correlation test by using the Hausman specific test, heteroskedasticity test. By controlling variables such as firm size, board meeting and leverage, our empirical results show a positive impact of board size on firm’s performance. It is also found that board independence has a negative effect, while CEO duality has a positive effect on financial performance proxied by ROA. However, when performance is measure by ROE, board independence has a positive effect, while CEO duality has a negative effect. Keywords : Board of Directors, Corporate Performance, Board Size, Board Independence, CEO Duality. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-12-04 Publication date: June 30 th 2021

Degree of sustainability of current account: evidence from Côte d’Ivoire using a non-linear approach

The current account deficit is a macroeconomic indicator that provides information on the health of an economy. Its sustainability is particularly crucial for developing countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, one of the largest economies in West Africa. Given the country's exposure to external vulnerability, this paper analysed the degree of sustainability of its current account. Beyond this, the study looked at the resilience of the economy to external shocks by examining how exports behave following an asymmetric shock on imports plus interest on external borrowing. To this end, the model developed by Shin et al. (2014) was applied to the intertemporal approach to current account sustainability using quarterly macroeconomic data from 1985q1 to 2017q4. The study found that Côte d'Ivoire's current account balance is sustainable. However, this sustainability is weak in the sense of Hakkio and Rush (1991), thus leading to a high risk of government failure in this respect. Also, the study shows that exports react differently to asymmetric shocks on increased imports, with a return to equilibrium often very slow. Therefore, the strengthening and stability of the socio-political environment is to be encouraged, as well as the implementation of policies aimed at sound public finance management and minimising the economy's vulnerability to external shocks.

Pandemic recovery in Africa: A case for strengthening insolvency laws for rescuing small and medium enterprises

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the economy of developing countries. Although SMEs contribute to economic growth, they still struggle with access to finance and cash flow constraints. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic worsened this situation, making it necessary for countries to develop rescue regimes suitable for financially distressed SMEs. Focusing on Nigeria and Kenya – which represent the largest economies in West Africa and East Africa respectively – this paper critically sheds light on the socio-legal challenges posed by extant insolvency law regimes in both countries and their unsuitability for driving SME rescue. As a conversation starter in the African context, the authors identify transplanted concepts and structures which make SME rescue a futility, in the light of local circumstances, while proposing solutions tailored to the social milieu of both countries.

The Law of Marine Fishing: Challenges and Coping Strategies for Sustainable Marine Fishing in Ghana

Waters off the coasts of West Africa are very rich with many different types of fish and marine life. Some species like sardines, tuna, mackerel, tilapia and shrimps are important to many local communities and economies in West Africa. However, the current overfishing of these fish affects the sustainability of fishery industry. Despite Ghana ratifying to a number of international marine laws to ensure a sustainable marine fishing, there seem to be some challenges that are associated with marine fishing in Ghana. This paper further examines the strategies that have been employed by the fishing community and the fisheries ministry in Ghana as a response to restrictive measures for the challenges identified and discussed in literature. This paper is fundamentally an extensive review of marine fisheries literature. In general terms, it was found that, Ghana has ratified to a number of international marine laws including the UNCLOS.

Commercial channels vs free distribution and screening of agricultural learning videos: A case study from Benin and Mali

AbstractFarmers’ access to reliable information is crucial to improving rural livelihoods, food security, and national economies in West Africa. This paper discusses the dynamics of accessing and using agricultural learning videos from commercial channels, vs project and non-project channels in Benin and Mali. Using combinations of different models to assess the effectiveness of agricultural extension programs, the findings showed that farmers were motivated to pay for videos and watch them by themselves, without facilitation. Farmers who watched the videos through project support have also continued to watch on their own if the videos are of interest to them. Nevertheless, farmers were less motivated in the learning process when they received the Digital Video Disc (DVD) free and without support to watch them. We also found that the distribution of learning videos through commercial channels reaches more serious users and increases farmers’ self-determination for learning, and farmers are more motivated to provide feedback than viewers who receive DVDs for free or via project support, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), or farmer organizations. Although buying a DVD is an individual action, they like to watch the videos in groups. After buying the DVD, about 43% of respondent borrowed DVD players and one person in five bought a DVD player to watch the videos. Efforts to promote improved technologies need to expand beyond the conventional focus on research and extension services. Support to agricultural technology dissemination must go beyond assistance to smallholder farmers and NGOs (practical implication). As the private sector has a role to play, both in making technologies available and in teaching farmers how to use them, their contribution would create space for innovation (theoretical implication). Our findings suggest that successful development intervention programs can be sell audiovisual material to farmers, who will use it proactively.

Women and trade in the Nupe–Borgu region during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

ABSTRACT Women played a pivotal role in the economies of the Nupe–Borgu region (today, Nigeria and the Republic of Benin), a major slave supply area and transit hub for caravans and traders connecting to both the trans-Saharan and the transatlantic trade during the nineteenth century. Many not only managed households but also operated as local and long-distance traders, porters, foodstuff suppliers and financial brokers. Both contemporaneous narratives, written by men and with a male gaze, and scholarship about the region relegate women and their histories to the very margins of society. The article is based on travelers’ accounts stemming from the nineteenth century and on ethnographic studies and archival documents from the early British colonial period of the twentieth century. It brings women back into the social history of this region and demonstrates that female merchants and businesswomen were the major agents in local and long-distance trade, playing an important part in the economies of West Africa.

Conservation servitudes in South Africa

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the economy of developing countries. Although SMEs contribute to economic growth, they still struggle with access to finance and cash flow constraints. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic worsened this situation, making it necessary for countries to develop rescue regimes suitable for financially distressed SMEs. Focusing on Nigeria and Kenya – which represent the largest economies in West Africa and East Africa respectively – this paper critically sheds light on the socio-legal challenges posed by extant insolvency law regimes in both countries and their unsuitability for driving SME rescue. As a conversation starter in the African context, the authors identify transplanted concepts and structures which make SME rescue a futility, in the light of local circumstances, while proposing solutions tailored to the social milieu of both countries.

Long-Run Money Demand Function and Stability among Sixteen (16) West Africa Countries

This study employs annual time series data from 1982 to 2019 for sixteen (16) West Africa countries to investigate the stability of money demand in these countries and the feasibility of the proposed West African Monetary Zone. From a standard money demand function to a bounds test method, co-integration and error correction model, we found significant heterogeneity and divergence across the sixteen (16) countries. The highlight of the findings is that co-integration of the money demand function is only recorded in Ghana but exhibited partial stability from the CUSUMSQ (cumulative sum squared) test. In Nigeria, the biggest economy in West Africa has no co-integration and is only partially stable from the results of the CUSUM test. The significant divergence across these countries as indicated by the test of co-integration, CUSUM (cumulative sum) test, CUSUMSQ (cumulative sum squared) test, the short and long-run factors and error correction in the event of a shock, makes it crucial for the need to include country specific idiosyncratic monetary policy features in the event of a monetary zone in West Africa, and crucial to ensure convergence in their money demand function.

Potencjał gospodarczy Afryki Zachodniej: wybrane implikacje z analizy taksonomicznej dla ekspansji gospodarczej

The article attempts to assess the economic potential of West Africa, using the taxonomic methods, formulate policy recommendations, and identify potential geographic directions of cooperation with the West African countries. It consists of four sections. The first part of the article characterizes the economies of West Africa in terms of their economic potential. The second section presents research methods and data applied in taxonomic analysis. Part three of the article discusses the results of taxonomic analysis. In the last part of the article we attempted to formulate recommendations for the economic policy of European countries and the strategies of European enterprises in stimulating expansion in the West African countries.

Profile of admissions into the intensive care unit in a country with emerging economy in West Africa

Profile of admissions into the intensive care unit in a country with emerging economy in West Africa

State of Renal Replacement Therapy Services in Ghana

Introduction: Renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the form of dialysis and kidney transplantation is a life-saving intervention for patients with kidney disease in failure for both acute and chronic cases. Ghana is an emerging economy in West Africa with close to 27 million people. The limited data that is available indicates a significant burden of kidney disease in Ghana. I analyzed the state of RRT in Ghana in this report. Method: A situational analysis report conducted to establish the availability and type of renal replacement therapy services across the country. Information was obtained from records at dialysis centers and also by interview of staff at these centers. Results: Haemodialysis services are available in 3 public and 3 private health institutions for adults in kidney failure both acute and chronic. These centers are located in the southern half of the country leaving the northern two-thirds uncovered. National Health Insurance Scheme pays for the cost of acute dialysis for up to GHC 850 (∼USD 265). However, there is no insurance cover for any aspect of chronic RRT putting huge financial constraints on families, which sometimes plunge entire extended families into serious financial crisis. Kidney transplantation is available on a limited scale at the national capital. Children only benefit from peritoneal dialysis for acute kidney injury, thanks to the partnership with Sustainable Kidney Care Foundation. There is no rescue intervention as of now for children with end stage renal failure. Conclusion: The current state of RRT services in Ghana is inadequate and calls for serious national consideration.

The Effects of Ebola Virus on the Economy of West Africa through the Trade Channel

This study investigates the impact of Ebola on West African Economies through the trade channel, articles from relevant journals and trade data of West African countries were gathered from National Bureau of Statistics, and other relevant organizations’, previous literatures on the relationship between health, trade and growth were also discussed. It was discovered that Ebola virus will affect the GDPs of West African economies of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea more than Nigeria