Remittance and bribery in Africa

in: Maty Konte / Linguère Mously Mbaye (Eds.), Migration, Remittances, and Sustainable Development in Africa, London: Routledge

ISBN: 978-0-429-28881-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429288814
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This chapter examines the effects of remittances on bribe payments to public officials to access public goods and services in Africa. Using Afrobarometer surveys administered in 36 African countries between 2008 and 2016, we find that remittance receivers are more prone to bribe payment than non-receivers. More importantly, we find that individuals who live in countries with higher levels of remittances as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) are more likely to pay bribes than individuals from countries with lower remittances as a share of GDP, which supports the income channel. However, the positive link between remittances and bribery diminishes in countries with a high level of control over corruption. Overall, the main findings of this chapter suggest that policies for an increase in remittances should be coupled with anti-corruption policies. Otherwise, the positive effects of remittances on the economic conditions of the recipients may result in increased corruption. This chapter is linked to the SDG 17.3 that, in one of its indicators, calls for an increase in remittances, and SGD 16.5 on anti-corruption policies.