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How enhancing information and communication technology has affected inequality in Africa for sustainable development: An empirical investigation
Author(s) -
Asongu Simplice A.,
Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
sustainable development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.115
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1099-1719
pISSN - 0968-0802
DOI - 10.1002/sd.1929
Subject(s) - gini coefficient , mobile phone , inequality , broadband , the internet , penetration (warfare) , sustainable development , information and communications technology , mobile broadband , empirical evidence , internet access , environmental economics , index (typography) , business , computer science , telecommunications , economics , mathematics , economic inequality , wireless , operations research , world wide web , political science , mathematical analysis , law , philosophy , epistemology
This study examines if enhancing information and communication technology reduces inequality in 48 countries in Africa for the periods 2004–2014. Three inequality indictors are used, namely, the Gini coefficient, Atkinson index, and Palma ratio. The adopted information and communication technology indicators include mobile phone penetration, internet penetration, and fixed broadband subscriptions. The empirical evidence is based on the generalised method of moments. Enhancing internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions has a net effect on reducing the Gini coefficient and the Atkinson index, whereas increasing mobile phone penetration and internet penetration reduces the Palma ratio. Policy implications are discussed in the light of challenges to Sustainable Development Goals.