The Efficiency of Government Expenditure: Experiences from Africa

60 Pages Posted: 15 Feb 2006

See all articles by Sanjeev Gupta

Sanjeev Gupta

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Fiscal Affairs Department

Keiko Honjo

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Marijn Verhoeven

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Fiscal Affairs Department

Date Written: November 1997

Abstract

This paper assesses the efficiency of government expenditure on education and health in 38 countries in Africa in 1984-95, both in relation to each other and compared with countries in Asia and the Western Hemisphere. The results show that, on average, countries in Africa are less efficient than countries in Asia and the Western Hemisphere; however, education and health spending in Africa became more efficient during that period. The assessment further suggests that improvements in educational attainment and health output in African countries require more than just higher budgetary allocations.

Keywords: Africa, government expenditure, efficiency, education, health, social indicators, production possibility frontier

JEL Classification: H51, H52, I18, I28

Suggested Citation

Gupta, Sanjeev and Honjo, Keiko and Verhoeven, Marijn, The Efficiency of Government Expenditure: Experiences from Africa (November 1997). IMF Working Paper No. 97/153, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=882730

Sanjeev Gupta (Contact Author)

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Fiscal Affairs Department ( email )

700 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20431
United States

Keiko Honjo

International Monetary Fund (IMF) ( email )

700 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20431
United States

Marijn Verhoeven

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Fiscal Affairs Department ( email )

700 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20431
United States

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