Infrastructure and the Path to Sustainability
How Governance Shapes Development Outcomes in Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12308911 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Germain Stephane Ketchoua (0000-0001-7369-1760, South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Industrial Development Johannesburg South Africa, corresponding author), Sodiq Arogundade (0000-0001-6913-6756, School of Economics College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg Johannesburg South Africa), Santos Bila (0000-0002-8921-9732, South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Industrial Development Johannesburg South Africa), Nomsa Phindile Nkosi (School of Economics College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg Johannesburg South Africa) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1020-1042 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sustainable Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0968-0802 • E-ISSN: 1099-1719 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/sd.70283 |
| OpenAlex | W4415028705 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 59 |
Infrastructure development, as an SDGs objective, foster inclusive growth by improving access to transport, energy, and digital systems, enhancing productivity, connectivity, resilience, and sustainability while reducing inequalities and supporting environmental goals. This study examines the impact of infrastructure development on sustainable development, focusing on the mediating role of governance across 42 African nations. The insightful findings are obtained using the fixed effect with Driscoll/Kraay, System GMM, and smoothed instrumental‐variables quantile regression (SIVQR) methods. The analysis reveals that while infrastructure development initially enhances sustainable development, diminishing returns emerge as overinvestment leads to inefficiencies and resource misallocation, ultimately reversing this trend. This finding suggests an inverted U‐shaped relationship between infrastructure development and sustainable development, a result that remains robust even after accounting for income differences. Interestingly, robust governance in Africa not only strengthens sustainable development outcomes but also amplifies the impact of infrastructure development, enhancing both its linear and squared effect on sustainable development. These findings underscore the need for a comprehensive policy approach that balances infrastructure investment with sustainability. This entails integrating renewable energy, smart grids, and low‐carbon transport systems while ensuring governance reforms that enhance transparency and accountability. Additionally, policymakers must prioritize equitable investment distribution to prevent regional disparities and maximize inclusive growth
Corporate governance · Distribution (mathematics · Equity (law · Inequality · Investment (military · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Transparency (behavior · Economic Growth and Development · Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth · International Development and Aid
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |