Information And Communication Technology Adoption And Inclusive Growth In West Africa

ABSTRACT

West African countries experience economic growth in terms of financial figures but the issue of

non -inclusiveness of this growth in terms of human development is becoming worrisome. This

study empirically examines the role of information and communication technology adoption on

human development and the direction of causality between them using data for 15 West African

countries (2004 – 2014) estimated with the system Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) and

Granger causality test. The GMM results showed that internet usage and investment in

telecommunications have a statistically significant relationship, while mobile cell subscription

has a statistically insignificant relationship with human development. The Granger causality test

result showed that ICT adoption does not granger cause inclusive growth at the immediate and

next annual time period. The study concludes by recommending the increase in investment in the

telecommunications industry, the rendering of tax holidays to domestic firms in the IT industry,

the creation of awareness of the productive use of ICT in all sectors of the economy for human

development and inclusive growth to be achieved overtime.

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