Internet and Happiness in West Africa: The Next Billion Users are Not a Single Entity

Abstract

The development of the internet has often been a key goal for least developed countries. However, little research has been done to measure the impact of internet penetration on such societies. This paper seeks to do that, by specifically analyzing the relationship between internet penetration rates and happiness levels in West Africa, a region which has been enjoying strong growth in internet penetration. We find that the relationship between the two, thought by many who advocate for greater internet penetration rates to always generate positive returns, may instead be compromised by the many confounding factors that affect citizen happiness in West Africa. With our findings, this paper seeks to emphasize the importance of incorporating the local context into future analyses of the impact of internet access on societies.