Effets de l’économie informelle sur la croissance économique en Afrique sub-saharienne : le rôle de la qualité des institutions

Informal economy has been fought because it is supposed to impede the economic development, especially in developing countries. Using data of a sample of 26 sub-Saharan African countries during the period spanning from 1995 to 2015, this research aims at evaluating the influence that informal economy exerts over economic growth on one hand, and how does the quality of institutions act in this relationship, at the other hand. Following preliminary tests, the Error Correction Model is specified to conduct econometric analysis in order to bring out both the short-run and long-run coefficients. The Pooled Mean Group results show that, in the short like in the long term; informal economy negatively affects economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. This influence is alleviated with the quality of institutions. The study also underlines the importance of quality institutions in improving economic performances in these countries. Thus, in order to reduce the negative influence of informal economy on economic growth and improve the latter, these countries ought to reduce the procedures, the costs and the duration of formalisation. Moreover, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms must be implemented in addition to effective application of punishments’ laws at the top of state apparatus; to improve the quality of institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa.