INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY, BOND MARKET AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Abstract Economic growth remains a universal aspiration of nations as it creates jobs, raises incomes, fosters innovation, and supports industrial and infrastructural advancement. This study examines the nexus between institutional quality, bond markets, and economic growth in 55 SSA countries from 1998 to 2023, while controlling for exchange rate volatility. Using annual panel data from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators, the analysis employed panel regression techniques supplemented with fully modified ordinary least squares (FM-OLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) for robustness. Institutional quality was measured through a composite index incorporating government effectiveness, corruption control, political stability, and regulatory quality, alongside bond market indicators of yield and value. The findings reveal that government effectiveness and bond value significantly enhance growth, while regulatory quality and political stability exert negative effects. Control of corruption is positively but insignificantly related to growth, and bond yield has a negative, insignificant impact. Crucially, the interaction between institutional quality and bond market development is positive and significant. The study underscores the importance of strong governance and deepened bond markets in advancing sustainable economic growth in SSA.