Digital Access Indicators and GDP per Capita Growth in Arab Countries: Panel Data Evidence, 2000–2023

This study examines the short-run association between digital access—measured by mobile subscriptions and Internet use—and GDP per capita growth across 21 Arab countries over the period 2000–2023. Utilizing World Development Indicators (WDI) data and a two-way fixed-effects panel model covering 428 complete-case observations, the empirical findings reveal that neither digital indicator nor aggregate investment exhibits a statistically significant contemporaneous relationship with economic growth. These results remain robust across various sensitivity checks, including alternative inference procedures and outlier controls. The study suggests that connectivity prevalence measures do not necessarily capture network quality, digital skills, or productive enterprise adoption. Consequently, policymakers should complement infrastructure expansion with targeted investments in digital skills and productive digital public and financial services.