Addressing the severity and intensity of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: how relevant is the ICT and financial development pathway?

Heliyon

Francis Taale¹  Mark Kojo Armah²  Pamela Efua Ofori³  Isaac Kwesi Ofori³ 

[1] Corresponding author.;Department of Economics, University of Insubria, Via Monte Generoso, 71, 21100, Varese, Italy;Department of Data Science and Economic Policy, School of Economics, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana;

关键词: Africa;    Financial access;    Financial development;    ICTs;    ICT access;    Inequality;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The study examines the effectiveness of ICT diffusion and financial development in reducing the severity and intensity of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using data from the World Development Indicators and the Global Consumption and Income Project (1980–2019), we provide evidence, robust to several specifications from the dynamic system GMM and the panel corrected standard errors estimation techniques, to show that, compared to financial access, ICT usage, and ICT access, ICT skills is remarkable in reducing both the severity and intensity of poverty. The results further revealed that, though ICT skills reduce poverty, the effect is more pronounced in the presence of enhanced financial development. Policy recommendations are provided in line with the region's green growth agenda and technological progress.

【 授权许可】

Unknown