Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries

In this study we re-examine the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in 27 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries during the period 1990-2019. Unlike some previous studies, we clustered SSA countries into two groups, namely low-income and middle-income co...

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Main Author: Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Economics, Belgrade 2022-01-01
Series:Ekonomski Anali
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0013-3264/2022/0013-32642233061O.pdf
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author Odhiambo Nicholas M.
author_facet Odhiambo Nicholas M.
author_sort Odhiambo Nicholas M.
collection DOAJ
description In this study we re-examine the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in 27 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries during the period 1990-2019. Unlike some previous studies, we clustered SSA countries into two groups, namely low-income and middle-income countries. We also employed three panel data techniques in a stepwise fashion, namely the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), and heterogeneous Granger non-causality approaches. Our results show that while the positive impact of FDI on economic growth is supported by both DOLS and FMOLS techniques in low-income countries, in middle-income countries only the DOLS technique supports this finding. This shows that the impact of FDI may be sensitive to the level of income of the recipient country. Overall, the results show that FDI inflows play a larger role in stimulating economic growth in low-income SSA countries than in middle-income SSA countries. These findings are also corroborated by heterogeneous Granger non-causality results. However, these findings are not surprising, given that many low-income countries tend to be more dependent on inward FDI inflows to stimulate their economic growth than middle- income countries. Policy recommendations are discussed.
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spelling doaj.art-404ec24f40244d6d96ef5e93389f64f62022-12-22T03:16:29ZengFaculty of Economics, BelgradeEkonomski Anali0013-32641820-73752022-01-0167233618310.2298/EKA2233061O0013-32642233061ODoes foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countriesOdhiambo Nicholas M.0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4988-0259University of South Africa (UNISA), Economics DepartmentIn this study we re-examine the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in 27 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries during the period 1990-2019. Unlike some previous studies, we clustered SSA countries into two groups, namely low-income and middle-income countries. We also employed three panel data techniques in a stepwise fashion, namely the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), and heterogeneous Granger non-causality approaches. Our results show that while the positive impact of FDI on economic growth is supported by both DOLS and FMOLS techniques in low-income countries, in middle-income countries only the DOLS technique supports this finding. This shows that the impact of FDI may be sensitive to the level of income of the recipient country. Overall, the results show that FDI inflows play a larger role in stimulating economic growth in low-income SSA countries than in middle-income SSA countries. These findings are also corroborated by heterogeneous Granger non-causality results. However, these findings are not surprising, given that many low-income countries tend to be more dependent on inward FDI inflows to stimulate their economic growth than middle- income countries. Policy recommendations are discussed.http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0013-3264/2022/0013-32642233061O.pdffdieconomic growthsub-saharan african countriespanel data analysis
spellingShingle Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries
Ekonomski Anali
fdi
economic growth
sub-saharan african countries
panel data analysis
title Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries
title_full Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries
title_fullStr Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries
title_full_unstemmed Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries
title_short Does foreign direct investment spur economic growth? New empirical evidence from sub-Saharan African countries
title_sort does foreign direct investment spur economic growth new empirical evidence from sub saharan african countries
topic fdi
economic growth
sub-saharan african countries
panel data analysis
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0013-3264/2022/0013-32642233061O.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT odhiambonicholasm doesforeigndirectinvestmentspureconomicgrowthnewempiricalevidencefromsubsaharanafricancountries