The foreign aid–foreign direct investment relationship in Africa: The mediating role of institutional quality and financial development

The interaction of foreign aid and foreign direct investment is an important issue for developing countries in Africa. I probe into the mediating role of institutional quality and financial development using a panel data set of 47 countries over the period 1996–2016. I find that the effectiveness of foreign aid in attracting foreign direct investment is greater in countries with better institutional quality and sound financial development. The implications for policy are outlined.