EFFECT OF ICT ON REGIONAL GROWTH OF WEST AFRICAN STATES
Keywords:
Economic Growth, ECOWAS, ICT, Panel GMMAbstract
The study examined the effect of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) on the regional growth of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The two-step dynamic GMM method was applied for a balanced panel data of 14 countries from 2007 to 2021. The results revealed that economic activities and the use of ICT are skewed in the ECOWAS region. Further results indicated that, ICT specifically captured by internet connections and mobile phones contribute significantly to the growth of the entire ECOWAS region. A major policy implication of this finding is that an increase penetration of ICT through internet connection, especially through the use of mobile phones, will facilitate capital diffusion and trade activities among member countries, leading to the accretion of their overall economic growth.