Bridging borders: The role of economic infrastructure in enhancing intra-SADC trade
Mulatu Fekadu Zerihun · Harris Maduku ORCID ↗
International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science · 2026 · Vol. 15 / Issue 1 · 121-127
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Abstract
The study aims to examine the key drivers and financing mechanisms of infrastructure development in Africa and their impact on trade facilitation and regional economic integration. It focuses on understanding the political, economic, and institutional factors shaping sustainable infrastructure growth and trade expansion across the continent. The African continent engages in relatively limited intra-continental trade, with intra-African trade consistently averaging between 12% and 15%. At a broader level, trade growth is widely regarded as a key driver of economic development, employment generation, and poverty reduction. However, the persistent low levels of trade among African countries coupled with high unemployment and widespread poverty have sparked discussions around the urgent need to strengthen both intra-regional and continental trade. In pursuit of regional integration, various regional economic communities were established, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Despite these efforts, concerns persist regarding weak economic infrastructure across several regions of the continent, including within the SADC bloc. Inadequate infrastructure has been identified as a major impediment to enhancing intra-African trade. Against this backdrop, the present study aims to empirically examine the relationship between economic infrastructure and intra-regional trade within the SADC region. The analysis employs panel data covering all 15 SADC member states, utilizing datasets from the SADC Secretariat and the World Bank. Applying the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation technique, the findings indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between infrastructure development and intra-SADC exports.
Keywords: {'name': 'Infrastructure'}, {'name': 'Intra-Trade'}, {'name': 'Economic growth'}, {'name': 'Poverty'}, {'name': 'Regional Integration'}, {'name': 'Trade Facilitation'}
Authors & affiliations
Mulatu Fekadu Zerihun
Tshwane University of Technology
Harris Maduku
University of Zululand
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