Towards a better understanding of growth corridors in Africa: A scientometric approach

The study of corridors has substantially increased in the past decade. Concomitant with this increase, these corridors have been labeled growth corridors, agricultural corridors, economic development corridors, spatial development corridors and, spatial development initiatives, among other terms. This meteoric rise of corridors warrants an in-depth study of their emergence and evidential foundations. To achieve this task, the present paper focuses on unraveling more knowledge of our understanding of corridors. Resultantly, the study focuses on how corridors have evolved, what we know about corridors in Africa, how we know about them, and what blind spots the present knowledge of corridors obscures. The scientometric and content analysis approaches, evidence reveals numerous dynamics about the conceptualization, life cycle, operations, knowledge sharing, and generation of knowledge on growth corridors in Africa. For instance, findings reveal that authors have in the past decade prioritized themes like the ecological dimensions of corridors. In addition, there are asymmetries in knowledge on corridors in Africa. Furthermore, despite rigorous policy support for growth corridors, African governments’ funding of scientific research on corridors is nonexistent. • -study of growth corridors obscures some key features such as dominant actors, institutions • themes such as environmentalism, green energy and green development often not highlighted in studies but they are slowly gaining prominence • corridor key development levers for African states • knowledge production on growth corridors dominated by certain countries, same with the funding • African states/ government play minimum role in knowledge production on growth corridors.