Researcher: Rorisang Motlogelwa, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Supervisor: Dr Ekeminiabasi Eyita-Okon, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
This study examines how the impact of foreign aid on development varies across Africa from 2013 to 2022. Drawing on Amartya Sen’s (1999) development as freedom framework, development is assessed through indicators such as primary school enrollment, prevalence of undernourishment, life expectancy, voice and accountability, and GNI per capita. Using panel data methods, the analysis finds that the effects of aid vary across regions and between sectors. Governance emerges as a key moderator: in some instances, weak governance can hinder development but interacts positively with aid, while in others good governance enhances outcomes yet may reduce aid’s effectiveness. The findings underscore the uneven influence of aid across Africa and sectors and highlight the need for sector-specific and longer-term analyses.
