{"title":"Financial liberalisation and illicit financial outflows in African countries: does institutional quality and macroeconomic stability matter?","authors":"Leward Jeke, Clement Zibusiso Moyo, Richard Apau","doi":"10.1108/jfrc-06-2023-0078","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\n<p>Although the consequences of illicit financial outflows on the economies of the world continue to exert adverse impacts on many economies of the world, explanations regarding specific drivers of the illicit outflows remain divergent in the literature. This study aims to investigate the effect of financial liberalisation on illicit financial outflows in Africa. Furthermore, the study also examines the effect of macroeconomic stability and institutional quality on illicit outflows.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\n<p>To achieve the objectives, the study uses a dynamic panel system generalised method of moments technique to analyse annual data from the period 1995 to 2015 of 22 African countries.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Findings</h3>\n<p>The results show that financial liberalisation helps to reduce illicit capital outflows. Furthermore, improved institutional quality is associated with lower levels of capital outflows, thus affirming the theoretical expectations that stable political environment boost investor confidence. Overall, the study show that financial liberalisation reduces illicit outflows. However, liberalisation without sound macroeconomic stability and institutional quality may avail opportunities for illicit outflows.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\n<p>The main limitation of the study was lack of data that spans periods beyond 2015 for most of the variables on financial illicit flows. The available data sources could not test the objectives beyond 2015.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Originality/value</h3>\n<p>Current literature on the relationship between financial liberalisation and illicit fund outflows are generally conducted in the context implications on economic growth. However, beyond economic growth, financial liberalisation may impact on illicit financial outflows. Furthermore, other institutional and macroeconomic dynamics may influence illicit financial outflow, especially for developing economies in Africa.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":44814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfrc-06-2023-0078","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BUSINESS, FINANCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
Although the consequences of illicit financial outflows on the economies of the world continue to exert adverse impacts on many economies of the world, explanations regarding specific drivers of the illicit outflows remain divergent in the literature. This study aims to investigate the effect of financial liberalisation on illicit financial outflows in Africa. Furthermore, the study also examines the effect of macroeconomic stability and institutional quality on illicit outflows.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the objectives, the study uses a dynamic panel system generalised method of moments technique to analyse annual data from the period 1995 to 2015 of 22 African countries.
Findings
The results show that financial liberalisation helps to reduce illicit capital outflows. Furthermore, improved institutional quality is associated with lower levels of capital outflows, thus affirming the theoretical expectations that stable political environment boost investor confidence. Overall, the study show that financial liberalisation reduces illicit outflows. However, liberalisation without sound macroeconomic stability and institutional quality may avail opportunities for illicit outflows.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of the study was lack of data that spans periods beyond 2015 for most of the variables on financial illicit flows. The available data sources could not test the objectives beyond 2015.
Originality/value
Current literature on the relationship between financial liberalisation and illicit fund outflows are generally conducted in the context implications on economic growth. However, beyond economic growth, financial liberalisation may impact on illicit financial outflows. Furthermore, other institutional and macroeconomic dynamics may influence illicit financial outflow, especially for developing economies in Africa.
期刊介绍:
Since its inception in 1992, the Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance has provided an authoritative and scholarly platform for international research in financial regulation and compliance. The journal is at the intersection between academic research and the practice of financial regulation, with distinguished past authors including senior regulators, central bankers and even a Prime Minister. Financial crises, predatory practices, internationalization and integration, the increased use of technology and financial innovation are just some of the changes and issues that contemporary financial regulators are grappling with. These challenges and changes hold profound implications for regulation and compliance, ranging from macro-prudential to consumer protection policies. The journal seeks to illuminate these issues, is pluralistic in approach and invites scholarly papers using any appropriate methodology. Accordingly, the journal welcomes submissions from finance, law, economics and interdisciplinary perspectives. A broad spectrum of research styles, sources of information and topics (e.g. banking laws and regulations, stock market and cross border regulation, risk assessment and management, training and competence, competition law, case law, compliance and regulatory updates and guidelines) are appropriate. All submissions are double-blind refereed and judged on academic rigour, originality, quality of exposition and relevance to policy and practice. Once accepted, individual articles are typeset, proofed and published online as the Version of Record within an average of 32 days, so that articles can be downloaded and cited earlier.