The importance of Information andCommunications Technology in AchievingAfrican Economic Integration

The present study investigated and tested the influences of Informationand Communications Technology (ICT) development on intra-Africantrade using a panel dataset for 41 African countries during the period 2002–2016. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical studyin the Africa continent that investigates the impact of ICT development onIntra-African trade using the Information and Communications TechnologyDevelopment Index as a comprehensive measurement tool. The Pedronicointegration tests verified a long-run relationship between the mentionedvariables. The results of the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares(FMOLS) technique suggested that ICT development plays a marginalimpact on intra-African trade, an impact that is significant at 1%. Overall,the results implied that one of the key channels through which the goaltowards Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) is through promoting andinvesting more in the ICT sector. Thus, governments and developmentpartners should work with other stakeholders progressively to build ICTenabledtrade facilitation in Africa