Revisiting the resource curse hypothesis from the viewpoint of green growth: The role of Fintech as the de-cursing agent

Conventionally, the resource curse hypothesis highlights the economic growth-inhibiting impacts that are often associated with the expansion of natural resource-based industries. However, not much focus has been given to assessing whether natural resource consumption hinders green growth establishment, as well. Hence, this study makes a novel attempt at evaluating the validity of the resource curse hypothesis from the viewpoint of green growth in the context of selected Sub-Saharan African countries. Notably, this study focuses on whether natural resource abundance upholds green growth in the concerned Sub-Saharan African nations, especially by reducing their annual carbon emission-adjusted economic growth levels. More importantly, this study ascertains whether Fintech development, via the channel of Fintech-based startup financing, can promote green growth in these countries and thereby act as a de-cursing agent for tackling the possible economic and environmental curses imposed by their natural resource sectors. Accordingly, by employing a recently developed two-stage instrumental variable regression method, the resource curse hypothesis is verified from the perspective of green growth establishment. On the other hand, Fintech development is found to not only promote green growth on its own but also act as a de-cursing agent that partially offsets the green growth-impeding effects associated with natural resource consumption. Furthermore, capital accumulation is identified as a green growth-restricting factor while institutional quality improvement is observed to stimulate green growth across the selected Sub-Saharan African countries. Therefore, considering these major findings, a couple of green growth-promoting policy suggestions are put forward.