New IJF now accepts submissions exclusively via the Editorial Scholar portal — a dedicated submission & review system.
Go to Editorial Scholar →
Associated Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd. | COPE Member
Scopus Q2 UGC-CARE |
Indian Journal of Finance logo

Indian Journal of Finance

ISSN: 0973-8711 Frequency: Monthly Peer Review: Double-blind Published since: 2007 Language: English
A publication of AMCPL
amcon.co.in
New Delhi, India
Indexed in: Scopus Q2 UGC-CARE Group II Google Scholar J-Gate NISCAIR Crossref

Original Article

Open Access Original Article

Remittances, Financial Sector Development, Efficiency, and Growth in Africa

Raheem Ibrahim Dolapo1

1 Student, Department of Economics, University of Ibadan

Volume 9
Issue 2
Pages 25–34
Year 2015
Received: June 6, 2014 Accepted: Dec. 3, 2014 Published: Feb. 1, 2015
Abstract

The study modelled the relationship between remittances and economic growth and its interaction with financial development and efficiency. Using dataset for 44 countries in Africa for the period from 1998 to 2012, the results obtained showed that remittances are positively related to growth. Remittances impact more in recipients' economies with a less-developed financial sector. Quantity-based indicators of financial development impacted mildly on economic growth as compared to the quality-based indicators. The interaction between remittances and the quality-based indicators was more important to growth than the interaction between remittances and quantity based indicators. These results are robust to the threshold estimation. The study recommended the design of policies that would facilitate improvements in the quality-based indicators, a situation that has previously been ignored.

Keywords Remittance Financial Sector Development Indicators Developing Countries
How to Cite

Raheem Ibrahim Dolapo (2015). Remittances, Financial Sector Development, Efficiency, and Growth in Africa. Indian Journal of Finance, 9(2), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijf/2015/v9i2/71522

References
  1. Aggarwal, R., Demirguc-Kunt, A., & Martinez-Peria, M. S. (2006). Do workers' remittances promote financial development? (World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3957), Washington. Retrieved from <a href=https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/8418/wps3957.pdf?sequence=1 target="_blank">https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/8418/wps3957.pdf?sequence=1</a>
  2. Arellano, M., & Bover, O. (1995). Another look at the instrumental variables estimation of error - components models. Journal of Econometrics, 68 (1), 29-51.
  3. Bank Scope Database. Fitch-IBCA. Retrieved from <a href=www.bankscope.bvdinfo.com target="_blank">www.bankscope.bvdinfo.com</a>
  4. Beck, T., Demirguc-Kunt, A., & Levine, R. (1999). A new database on financial development and structure (World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 2146). Washington : World Bank.
  5. Bettin, G., & Zazzaro, A. (2011). Remittances and financial development: Substitutes or complements in economic growth ? Bulletin of Economic Growth, 64 (4),509 - 536. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8586.2011.00398.x
  6. Blundell, R., & Bond, S. (1998). Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models. Journal of Econometrics, 87 (1), 115-143.
  7. Chami, R., Fullenkamp, C., & Jahjah, S. (2005). Are immigrant remittance flows a source of capital for development. International Monetary Fund Staff Papers, 52 (1), 55-81.
  8. Cooray, A. (2012). Migrant remittances, financial sector development and the government ownership of banks: Evidence from a group of Non-OECD economies. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 22 (4), 936-957.
  9. Driffield, N., & Jones, C. (2013). Impact of FDI, ODA and migrant remittances on economic growth in developing countries: A systems approach. European Journal of Development Research, 25, 173-196. DOI:10.1057/ejdr.2013.1
  10. Fayissa, B., & Nsiah, C. (2010). Can remittances spur economic growth and development? Evidence from Latin American Countries (LACs) (Working Paper Series March 2010). Department of Economics & Finance, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro.
  11. Giuliano P., & Ruiz-Arranz, M. (2009). Remittances, financial development, and growth. Journal of Development Economics, 90, 144 - 152.
  12. Gupta, S., Pattillo, C. A., & Wagh, S. (2009). Effect of remittances on poverty and financial development in sub-Saharan Africa. World Development, 37(1), 104-115. DOI : <a href=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2008.05.007 target="_blank">http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2008.05.007</a>
  13. Hansen, B. E. (2000). Sample splitting and threshold estimation. Econometrica, 68 (3), 575-603.
  14. Liao H., & Huang, B. (2009). Does financial openness spur economic growth? A panel regression approach , pp. 1-28.
  15. Orozco, M., & Fedewa, R. (2005). Leveraging efforts on remittances and financial intermediation. Report Commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank.
  16. Portes, L.S.V. (2009). Remittances, poverty and inequality. Journal of Economic Development, 34 (1), 127-140.
  17. Ratha, D, (2004). Workers' remittances: An important and stable source of external development finance. Global Development Finance 2003 Striving for Stability in Development Finance Chapter. 7 (pp. 157 - 175). Washington DC : World Bank. Retrieved from <a href=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRGDF/Resources/GDF2003-Chapter7.pdf target="_blank">http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRGDF/Resources/GDF2003-Chapter7.pdf</a>
  18. Serino, M.N.V., & Kim, D. (2011). How do international remittances affect poverty in developing countries? A quantile regression analysis. Journal of Economic Development, 36 (4), 17- 40.
  19. The World Bank. (2012). World development indicators. Retrieved from <a href=data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators target="_blank">data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators</a>
  20. Yang, D. (2008). International migration, remittances and household investment: Evidence from Philippine migrants' and exchange rate shocks. The Economic Journal, 118 (528), 591 - 630.
Editorial Scholar

Submit your Research to IJF

Submit your Manuscript → Author Guidelines