An efficient bank is more robust to shocks, fosters competitiveness, and promotes stability of the financial system. This study estimates Ethiopia’s commercial banks’ level of efficiency and its determinants during the period 2014–2020. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Malmquist DEA, and Tobit regression were employed to analyze the data. The result indicated that the average efficiency score of banks in the constant returns to scale (CRS), variable returns to scale (VRS), and scale efficiency (SE) models were 95.5%, 99.85%, and 96.95% , respectively. Furthermore, in the VRS model, a state bank is more efficient than private banks. During the study period, the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of Banks improved by 1%. According to the Tobit model, the efficiency of banks grows with an increment in the number of branches, bank size, and credit risk. However, when, liquidity risk and the log of the fixed asset increase, bank efficiency will decrease. The level of capitalization, log of GDP, and inflation, on the other hand, do not influence bank efficiency. Therefore, banks should pay close attention to aspects that influence technical efficiency.

In a modern economy, good governance is considered a prominent factor for economic growth (Liu, Tang, Zhou, & Liang, 2018). However, Sub-Saharan Africa has a poor track record of good governance and economic growth (Fayissa & Nsiah, 2013). Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the impact of governance on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Panel data that covers a period from 2005 to 2019 for 34 countries and the principal component analysis (PCA) method are employed to achieve the stated objective of the study. The selected fixed- and random-effect estimations showed that among the six-governance quality indicators control of corruption, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and rule of law positively affect real GDP per capita (economic growth) while political stability and absence of violence and voice and accountability are statistically insignificant to affect real GDP per capita. The estimations result of composite governance indicators confirmed that except for the political dimension of governance both the economic and institutional dimensions of governance, as well as overall composite governance indexes, positively affect the economic growth of the region. Besides, foreign direct investment, the government fixed capital formation and gross domestic product growth affect real GDP per capita positively in all models while government consumption expenditure and age dependency ratio negatively affect real GDP per capita. Therefore, in addition to the existing support in the improvement of the political activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, concerned bodies should also focus to enhance the economic and institutional dimensions of governance in the region

In the economic growth of a country, the banking sector plays a significant role (Alam, Rabbani, Tausif, & Abey, 2021). The overall objective of the study is to investigate the financial performance of commercial banks in emerging markets. The study tried to see the impact of governance, exchange rate volatility, trade openness, and internet access on the financial performance of commercial banks in Ethiopia during the years from 2014 to 2019. The study employed a random-effects model using balanced panel data. The result indicated that composite governance index, trade openness, and internet access have a positive and statistically significant effect on the financial performance of commercial banks as measured by their return on assets. However, the exchange rate volatility has a negative and statistically significant effect on the financial performance of commercial banks. On the other hand, the result of bank-specific variables considered in the study such as profit margin, asset utilization, net interest margin, overhead efficiency, and numbers of branches have a positive and statistically significant effect on the financial performance of commercial banks. Contrarily, the equity multiplier ratio has a negative and significant effect on the financial performance of commercial banks

Different social protection programs are designed in low‐income countries to eradicate poverty and improve the food security of poor people. Currently, the Urban Productive Safety Net Program (UPSNP) is designed to support those who are living in poverty and face food insecurity with predictable and reliable support through food, cash, or vouchers. However, limited empirical evidence has been presented about the significant impact of the program on the well‐being of households who participated in the program and the factors that affect the households' decision to participate in the program. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the impact of participation in UPSNP on well‐being using household survey data gathered from three main cities of Ethiopia: Dire Dawa, Harar, and Jigjiga in 2022. This study employed both propensity score matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) models to assess the impact of the UPSNP. The result shows that the probability of a household's participation decision is determined by the age of the household head, number of children, savings, house ownership, employment status of the household head, and shock. Furthermore, we found a consistently positive impact across models, indicating that participation in UPSNP reduces poverty and increases food security of households.

The overall objective of the study is to investigate the impact of governance on financial development in Sub-Saharan African countries. To achieve the stated objective, the study employed balanced data of 43 Sub-Saharan African countries during the year 2002 to 2018. To analyze the data, the study used both the fixed and random effect estimation approaches and explored the relationship between the three dimensions of governance and three pillars of financial development in Sub-Saharan African countries. The study also applied the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to create indexes for the political, economic, and institutional dimensions of governance taking the six world governance indicators. The overall findings of the study indicate that the political, economic, and overall governance composite index has a positive and significant impact on the overall financial developments of sub-Saharan African countries. The development of financial institutions in the region is influenced significantly and positively by political, institutional, and overall governance. In addition, the economic dimension of governance has had a significant and positive impact on the development of the financial markets in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, trade openness, real interest rate, inflation, real GDP, and access to electricity are all major macroeconomic predictors of financial development, according to the study. As a result, all aspects of governance quality in the Sub-Saharan African countries must be improved. This can be achieved by policies aimed at strengthening voice and accountability, political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, corruption control, and overall macroeconomic reform.