Internet Adoption, Digital Divide, and Corruption: Evidence from ECOWAS Countries

This paper aims to extend the existing literature on Internet adoption and corruption by analyzing factors impacting digital divide assessing impact of reduction in Economic Community West African States (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo). The study uses fixed random effect panel data techniques covering 17 years (2003-2019), exploit times series nature relationship between its determinants. In addition, it assess internet along with other control variables corruption. estimation results show that per capita income, human capital, age, population density, government effectiveness, political stability, rule law significantly affect ECOWAS. findings reveal also affects positively level control; an increase users 1% implies 0.05% 0.06%.