What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate the production, accuracy, and systemic limitations of economic development statistics in sub-Saharan Africa and assess their impact on evidence-based policy.

July 23, 2013Choice Reviews Online

Poor numbers: how we are misled by African development statistics and what to do about it

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Authors

MJMorten JervenNorwegian University of Life Sciences

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Implication

Economic analysis reveals severe inaccuracies in national development statistics across sub-Saharan Africa, indicating that unreliable metrics misdirect aid and policy.

Key Points

To investigate the production, accuracy, and systemic limitations of economic development statistics in sub-Saharan Africa and assess their impact on evidence-based policy.
Examined national statistical capacity and the institutional processes used to produce economic data across sub-Saharan African economies.
Evaluated the reliability of foundational metrics, such as gross domestic product, economic growth rates, and per-capita income, used by international financial institutions.
Statistical capacities in sub-Saharan Africa have deteriorated significantly, resulting in official development numbers that substantially misrepresent economic reality.
Flawed baseline figures systematically mislead international donors and policymakers, resulting in misallocated financial aid and unfulfilled development goals.
Sophisticated econometric methods fail to correct for incomplete or fundamentally unreliable underlying data.

Cite This Study

Morten Jerven (2013) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0daa8488250cfcc2a51018 https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.50-6877

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Implication

Economic analysis reveals severe inaccuracies in national development statistics across sub-Saharan Africa, indicating that unreliable metrics misdirect aid and policy.

Poor numbers: how we are misled by African development statistics and what to do about it

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Poor numbers: how we are misled by African development statistics and what to do about it

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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