A transnational perspective on real sector performance in sub-Saharan Africa

  • Godwin E. Uddin Babcock University http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3055-770X
  • Late Joseph O. Ajibola Babcock University
  • Rowland T. Obiakor Babcock University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2310-9513-2026-23-09
Keywords: Access to electricity, Adult literacy rate, Agricultural Gross Domestic Product, International trade, Manufacturing Gross Domestic Product, Social indicators, sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The consistent growth of the real sector is usually an important requirement for achieving economic development. However, the challenge of growing the real sector is still a source of concern in many sub-Sahara African (SSA) countries. Despite the evidence on the effect of international trade on real sector performance, few studies have considered the effect of social indicators on real sector performance. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of international trade and social indicators on real sector performance in 24 SSA countries for years 1990 to 2023 and panel corrected standard errors estimation was employed. The results showed that manufacturing exports, agricultural raw materials imports, adult literacy rate, and access to electricity had positive significant effect on manufacturing Gross Domestic Product (MGDP). However, government effectiveness index had a negative significant effect on MGDP, and regulatory quality index had a positive insignificant effect. For agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP), agricultural exports and secondary school enrollment ratio had positive significant effects, while political stability index, and urbanization rate had negative significant effects. On the other hand, agricultural machinery imports had positive insignificant effect on AGDP, and level of technology adoption had negative insignificant effect. This study concluded that international trade and social indicators determine real sector performance in SSA. The study recommended growth in exports, greater provision of educational empowerment opportunities, and improved access to electricity in order to enhance real sector performance in the selected SSA countries.

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Published
2026-05-30
Cited
How to Cite
Godwin E. Uddin, Late Joseph O. Ajibola, & Rowland T. Obiakor. (2026). A transnational perspective on real sector performance in sub-Saharan Africa. The Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series: International Relations. Economics. Country Studies. Tourism, (23), 97-118. https://doi.org/10.26565/2310-9513-2026-23-09
Issue
No. 23 (2026): The Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Series «International Relations. Economics. Country Studies. Tourism»
Section
The world economy and international economic relations

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