Neftaly 100 PhD‑Research Proposal Ideas for the STEG PhD Research Grants – CEPR (Centre for Economic Policy Research)Macroeconomics & Growth

1. Impact of Digital Remittances on Economic Convergence in the Sahel – Difference‑in‑differences exploiting staggered mobile‑money rollout.
2. Fiscal Multipliers under Resource‑Revenue Volatility – Structural VAR with African commodity‑exporters.
3. Productivity Spillovers from Chinese FDI in African Manufacturing – Firm‑level panel with endogenous treatment.
4. Sectoral Reallocation and Aggregate TFP after Energy‑Sector Reforms – Shift‑share IV using sector‑level data.
5. Debt Sustainability Thresholds for Low‑Income Countries – Panel threshold model with debt‑to‑GDP ratios.

Trade & Integration

6. AfCFTA Tariff Reductions and Firm‑Level Export Dynamics – Synthetic control on early‑implementing nations.
7. Trade Costs and Informal Cross‑Border Trade in East Africa – Gravity model with novel transaction‑level data.
8. Impact of Non‑Tariff Measures on Agricultural Value Chains – Instrumental variable approach using SPS notifications.
9. Regional Trade Agreements and Technology Transfer – Patent citations analysis across COMESA members.
10. COVID‑19 Disruptions and Global Value Chain Resilience – Event‑study on African apparel exporters.

Climate Change & Environment

11. Climate‑Smart Agriculture Adoption and Farm Income Stability – Randomized control trial in Zambia.
12. Urban Air Pollution and Labor Productivity in Manufacturing – High‑frequency sensor data with panel fixed effects.
13. Carbon Pricing Pass‑Through in South African Industry – Difference‑in‑differences using the carbon tax rollout.
14. Forest Cover Change and Rural Migration – Instrumental variable exploiting rainfall variability.
15. Economic Resilience of Coastal Cities to Sea‑Level Rise – Hedonic pricing with GIS‑based exposure measures.

Digital Economy & Innovation

16. Gig‑Platforms and Labor Market Outcomes for Youth – Propensity score matching on platform registration data.
17. Impact of Broadband Infrastructure on SME Export Performance – Spatial difference‑in‑differences.
18. Data‑Localization Policies and Cloud Computing Adoption – Cross‑country event‑study design.
19. FinTech Credit and Financial Inclusion in Rural Africa – Randomized encouragement design.
20. Algorithmic Pricing and Market Competition in E‑Commerce – Structural estimation using scraped price data.

Fiscal & Monetary Policy

21. Effectiveness of VAT Refunds on Exporting Firms – Regression discontinuity using refund thresholds.
22. Monetary Policy Transmission under Mobile‑Money Systems – VAR with shadow‑rate variables.
23. Fiscal Decentralization and Public Service Delivery in Kenya – Panel IV exploiting devolution timing.
24. Inflation Expectations Formation in the Digital Age – Survey‑based Bayesian updating model.
25. Impact of Central Bank Digital Currency on Banking Sector Stability – DSGE model calibrated for Nigeria.

Labor & Human Capital

26. School‑Feeding Programs and Learning Outcomes in Fragile States – Difference‑in‑differences exploiting program rollout.
27. Youth Unemployment and Radicalization Risk – Instrumental variable using youth‑population shocks.
28. Gender Wage Gap in Tech Startups – Oaxaca‑Blinder decomposition with firm‑level data.
29. Migrant Labor Mobility and Wage Convergence within ECOWAS – Gravity model with migration cost proxies.
30. Impact of Paid Parental Leave on Female Labor Force Participation – Synthetic control on South Africa’s policy change.

Health Economics

31. Health Insurance Expansion and Out‑of‑Pocket Expenditure – Propensity score matching on Ghana’s NHIS.
32. Antibiotic Resistance and Agricultural Antimicrobial Use – Panel threshold model with country‑level data.
33. COVID‑19 Vaccine Passports and International Tourism – Difference‑in‑differences on travel flows.
34. Mental Health Effects of Climate‑Related Disasters – Event‑study using DHS and climate‑event data.
35. Healthcare Provider Performance Pay and Service Quality – Randomized rollout in Tanzania.

Infrastructure & Urban Economics

36. Road Network Expansion and Rural Poverty Reduction – Spatial IV exploiting historical colonial railways.
37. Impact of Urban Light Rail on Property Values – Hedonic model with difference‑in‑differences.
38. Smart‑City Technologies and Energy Efficiency – Panel analysis of cities with IoT deployments.
39. Public Transport Subsidies and Gender Mobility – Quasi‑experimental evidence from Nairobi.
40. Flood Risk and Housing Market Dynamics – Event‑study on extreme rainfall episodes in Lagos.

Financial Markets & Institutions

41. Bank Branch Expansion and SME Credit Access – Regression discontinuity using regulatory thresholds.
42. Impact of Basel III Liquidity Rules on African Banks – Difference‑in‑differences exploiting adoption timing.
43. Microfinance Interest Rate Caps and Credit Supply – Synthetic control on recent policy changes.
44. Stock Market Integration and Capital Flow Volatility – Wavelet coherence analysis for African markets.
45. Crowdfunding Platforms and Entrepreneurial Success Rates – Survival analysis with platform data.

Social Policy & Inequality

46. Universal Basic Income Pilots and Labor Supply – Randomized control trial in Namibia.
47. Impact of Cash Transfers on Child Marriage – Difference‑in‑differences using age‑cutoff eligibility.
48. Education Subsidies and Intergenerational Mobility – Cohort‑based panel IV.
49. Social Protection and Resilience to Climate Shocks – Panel fixed effects with rainfall anomalies.
50. Gender Budgeting and Public Service Outcomes – Cross‑country event‑study.

51‑60

51. Impact of Mobile Money on Household Savings – Difference‑in‑differences exploiting staggered rollout.
52. Effect of Climate‑Smart Agriculture on Soil Carbon Sequestration – Randomized field trials.
53. Youth Employment Programs and Crime Reduction – Synthetic control method.
54. Trade Liberalization and Wage Inequality in Low‑Income Countries – Heckscher‑Ohlin model with firm data.
55. Impact of Renewable Energy Mini‑Grids on Rural Electrification – Propensity score matching.
56. Fiscal Transparency and Public Investment Efficiency – Panel data analysis across African nations.
57. Digital Skills Training and Labor Market Outcomes – Randomized control trial with vocational institutes.
58. Impact of Tax Incentives on Green FDI – Difference‑in‑differences using sector‑level data.
59. Urban Public Transport Subsidies and Congestion – Event‑study on fare reforms.
60. Health Information Campaigns and Immunization Rates – Quasi‑experimental design using media coverage.

61‑70

61. Impact of Mobile Banking on Rural Credit Markets – Instrumental variable approach.
62. Effect of School Feeding Programs on Child Nutrition – Cluster‑randomized trial.
63. Impact of Infrastructure Investment on Agricultural Productivity – Spatial econometrics.
64. Impact of Trade Facilitation Reforms on Export Diversification – Gravity model.
65. Impact of Climate Change on Hydropower Generation – Panel data with climate variables.
66. Impact of Gender Quotas on Corporate Performance – Difference‑in‑differences analysis.
67. Impact of Universal Health Coverage on Catastrophic Health Expenditure – Propensity score matching.
68. Impact of E‑Commerce on Production Networks – Network analysis.
69. Impact of Rural Roads on Agricultural Prices – Spatial difference‑in‑differences.
70. Impact of Social Media on Financial Literacy – Panel data analysis.

71‑80

71. Impact of Climate Finance on Green Innovation – Patent data analysis.
72. Impact of Gender‑Based Violence Policies on Labor Market Outcomes – Synthetic control.
73. Impact of Public Health Expenditure on Life Expectancy – Panel cointegration.
74. Impact of Mobile Money on Consumption Smoothing – Household panel data.
75. Impact of Trade Liberalization on Manufacturing Productivity – Firm‑level data.
76. Impact of Urbanization on Energy Consumption – Panel data analysis.
77. Impact of Financial Inclusion on Poverty Reduction – Difference‑in‑differences.
78. Impact of Education Quality on Economic Growth – Cross‑country panel.
79. Impact of Infrastructure Quality on Trade Costs – Gravity model.
80. Impact of Innovation Policies on Firm Performance – Propensity score matching.

81‑90

81. Impact of Microfinance on Women Entrepreneurship – Randomized control trial.
82. Impact of Renewable Energy Adoption on Rural Development – Difference‑in‑differences.
83. Impact of Public Sector Wage Premium on Talent Allocation – Labor force survey data.
84. Impact of Agricultural Subsidies on Crop Diversification – Panel data analysis.
85. Impact of Foreign Aid on Governance Quality – Instrumental variable approach.
86. Impact of Climate Change on Migration Patterns – Gravity model with climate variables.
87. Impact of Digital Government Services on Corruption – Event‑study analysis.
88. Impact of Health Insurance on Health Outcomes – Difference‑in‑differences.
    89
    [11/10, 21:20] Meta AI: 89. Impact of Infrastructure Investment on Trade Facilitation – Spatial econometric analysis of transport corridors.
    90. Impact of Financial Literacy Programs on Savings Behavior – Randomized control trial in urban slums.
    91. Impact of Climate‑Smart Agriculture on Women’s Empowerment – Gender‑disaggregated panel data.
    92. Impact of Mobile Health Services on Maternal Health Outcomes – Difference‑in‑differences using rollout timing.
    93. Impact of Trade Agreements on Services Sector Growth – Gravity model with services trade data.
    94. Impact of Public‑Private Partnerships on Infrastructure Quality – Synthetic control on road projects.
    95. Impact of Tax Administration Reforms on Revenue Collection – Event‑study analysis of IT system upgrades.
    96. Impact of Youth Employment Schemes on Skill Acquisition – Cohort‑based matching estimators.
    97. Impact of Digital Identity on Government Service Delivery – Panel IV exploiting staggered adoption.
    98. Impact of Urban Green Spaces on Property Values – Hedonic pricing with GIS data.
    99. Impact of Agricultural Insurance on Credit Access – Randomized encouragement design.
    100. Impact of Regional Integration on Foreign Direct Investment – Cross‑country panel with policy dummies.

These 100 proposals span a wide range of themes relevant to STEG, CEPR, and African economic transformation, offering fertile ground for PhD research. Let me know if you need brief outlines or further details for any of them!