Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being

Abstract In this empirical study, we investigated the impact of the COVID- 19 lockdown on the economic well-being of individuals in urban Ghana, using cross-sectional survey data. The outcome variables representing economic well-being are proxied by individuals’ income, savings, and investments in t...

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Main Authors: Benjamin Amoah, Anthony Amoah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-04-01
Series:Discover Cities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00080-4
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author Benjamin Amoah
Anthony Amoah
author_facet Benjamin Amoah
Anthony Amoah
author_sort Benjamin Amoah
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In this empirical study, we investigated the impact of the COVID- 19 lockdown on the economic well-being of individuals in urban Ghana, using cross-sectional survey data. The outcome variables representing economic well-being are proxied by individuals’ income, savings, and investments in the three quarantined cities of Accra, Kumasi, and Tema. Using ordinary least squares and quantile regression techniques, we provide evidence that relative to non-quarantined cities, individuals in all three cities, on average, spent a higher proportion of their income during the lockdown period. Additionally, we show that Accra residents experienced relatively greater depletion in their savings. Robustness checks confirmed these findings, suggesting that the economic well-being measures in quarantined cities were significantly affected by the lockdown. This study, using micro-level data from a developing economy, demonstrates that the COVID- 19 lockdown had a notable impact on economic well-being measures, such as income and savings, albeit not investment.
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spelling doaj-art-8566a14fce1748efb265b1a3151dfbbb2025-08-20T02:19:57ZengSpringerDiscover Cities3004-83112025-04-012111410.1007/s44327-025-00080-4Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-beingBenjamin Amoah0Anthony Amoah1Department of Finance, University of Ghana Business School and Center for Economics, Financial and Inequality Students (CEFIS)School of Sustainable Development, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya & Center for Economics, Finance and Inequality Studies (CEFIS)Abstract In this empirical study, we investigated the impact of the COVID- 19 lockdown on the economic well-being of individuals in urban Ghana, using cross-sectional survey data. The outcome variables representing economic well-being are proxied by individuals’ income, savings, and investments in the three quarantined cities of Accra, Kumasi, and Tema. Using ordinary least squares and quantile regression techniques, we provide evidence that relative to non-quarantined cities, individuals in all three cities, on average, spent a higher proportion of their income during the lockdown period. Additionally, we show that Accra residents experienced relatively greater depletion in their savings. Robustness checks confirmed these findings, suggesting that the economic well-being measures in quarantined cities were significantly affected by the lockdown. This study, using micro-level data from a developing economy, demonstrates that the COVID- 19 lockdown had a notable impact on economic well-being measures, such as income and savings, albeit not investment.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00080-4COVID- 19LockdownEconomic well-beingIncomeSavingsInvestment
spellingShingle Benjamin Amoah
Anthony Amoah
Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being
Discover Cities
COVID- 19
Lockdown
Economic well-being
Income
Savings
Investment
title Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being
title_full Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being
title_fullStr Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being
title_short Assessing the micro-level impact of COVID- 19 lockdowns on urban households’ economic well-being
title_sort assessing the micro level impact of covid 19 lockdowns on urban households economic well being
topic COVID- 19
Lockdown
Economic well-being
Income
Savings
Investment
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00080-4
work_keys_str_mv AT benjaminamoah assessingthemicrolevelimpactofcovid19lockdownsonurbanhouseholdseconomicwellbeing
AT anthonyamoah assessingthemicrolevelimpactofcovid19lockdownsonurbanhouseholdseconomicwellbeing