An Empirical Analysis of the Structure of Imports in Sub-Sahara Africa

The economy of most developing countries, especially those in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been subjected to periodic fluctuations in the world market since the implementation of structural adjustment program (SAP) due to the impact of trade liberalization. This has no doubt affected the structure of imports in this sub region since then. This paper provides an empirical study of the structure of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1995 to 2012. In its methodology, trend analysis is used to profile the structure of imports in SSA. Evidence from the analysis showed that the description of the trend of imports and its determinants in the Sub-Saharan Africa has particularly enabled policy makers to be conversant with the structure of imports for better policy decision that will drive domestic production and trade efficiency. The study among others thus recommends a stabilization policy that will reduce the dependence on imports and reduce import demand in SSA.