Integrating Culture in Africa’s Economic Development

Abstract

The importance of culture as panacea of development can fully be appreciated by considering its role in regenerating world economies. In the last few decades, interest by nations in culture as an economic force of its own has been manifested in their development blueprints. In this paper we argue that although there is evidence from early civilizations and economic manifestos of African countries that culture drives economic growth, there is a dearth of explicit literature on how this happens. This is a library-based qualitative study in which we argue that culture fosters economic growth. The study draws on post-structuralism, modernism and post-colonial approaches to find that institutions and practices reveal particular cultural pretensions, ethics and meanings; and gives recommendations on integrating culture with economic growth on the continent.