Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/149950 
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
AGDI Working Paper No. WP/16/026
Publisher: 
African Governance and Development Institute (AGDI), Yaoundé
Abstract: 
Using data for 49 African countries over the years spanning 2000-2012, and controlling for a wide range of factors, this study empirically assesses the effects of formal institutions on ICT adoption in developing countries. It deploys 2SLS and FE regression models, (a) to estimate what determines ICT adoption and (b) to trace how ICT adoption affects inclusive development. The results show that formal institutions affect ICT adoption in this group of countries, with government effectiveness having the largest positive effect and regulations the largest negative effect. Generally, formal institutions appear more important to ICT adoption in low income countries than middle income countries, whereas population and economic growth tend to constrain ICT adoption with low income countries more negatively affected than middle income countries. The results further demonstrate that ICT adoption affects development strongly, and that such effects are comparable to those of domestic credit and foreign direct investment. Ceteris paribus, external factors like foreign aid are more limiting to inclusive development than internal factors. This suggests that developing countries can enhance their ICT adoption for development by improving formal institutions and by strengthening domestic determinants of ICT adoption. Both represent opportunities for further research.
Subjects: 
Formal institutions
ICT adoption
panel data models
cross-country analysis
JEL: 
G20
I10
I32
O40
O55
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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