Investigating the relationship between non-bank financial sector development and economic growth in Namibia
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Date
2022
Authors
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
This study aims to empirically investigate whether a long-run relationship exists between the development of the non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) sector and economic growth in Namibia and to further determine the direction of causality thereof. The study uses time series quarterly data over the period 2001:Q1 to 2019:Q4 and utilizes the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to examine the long-run relationship between the variables after having carried out the unit root test employing Kwiatkowski-Phillips-Schmidt-Shin (KPSS).
The empirical results of the study show a positive significant relationship between NBFIs development and per capita growth standing for Namibia economic growth both in the long run and short run. This implies that the development of NBFIs can serve as an important locomotive for fostering economic growth in the Namibian context. Surprisingly, unlike majority of the finance-growth studies that support either the supply-leading or demand-following hypothesis, the Granger causality test of this study indicate that there exists no causal linkage between the two variables of interest, which is the development of NBFIs and economic growth. The study however found a bidirectional causal relationship between GDP and labour. The Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) and Cumulative Sum of Squares (CUSUMQ) test results confirmed the structural stability of the ARDL model. Policy makers are thus advised to consider promulgating laws aimed at developing the NBFI sector and those that encourages pension funds and other institutional investors to invest more in the domestic economy.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science (Development Finance)
Keywords
NBFIs, Economic growth, Namibian, ARDL model, NAMFISA