Journal of Economics and Development Studies

Effects of telecommunications investment and ICTs diffusion on economic growth in the West African Economic and Monetary Union
Moussa Coulibaly, Moussa Sigue, Lamissa Barro

Abstract
This article analyses the effects of telecommunications investment and ICTs diffusion on economic growth in the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The empirical analysis is made on the basis of an ARDL model on panel data covering the period 1996-2017. The empirical model was estimated using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG), Mean Group (MG) and Dynamic fixed effect (DFE) methods. The results show that telecommunications investment has a positive and significant impact on long-term economic growth in the WAEMU. The results also show that the combined diffusion of mobile phones and the Internet among populations in the WAEMU positively and significantly affects long-term economic growth in the Union. In view of these results, this research calls on WAEMU countries to provide greater support for telecommunications investment and the spread of ICTs use among populations in order to accelerate economic growth in the WAEMU.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jeds.v8n3a2