Threshold cointegration and causality relationship between energy use and growth in seven African countries

► Threshold cointegration between energy use and real GDP in Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. ► Economic growth has a significant positive long-run impact on energy use in these countries before 1988 and this effect becomes negative after 1988 in Ghana and South Africa. ► Bi-directional causality between energy consumption and real GDP in Cote d'Ivoire. ► Unidirectional causality running from real GDP to energy use in Congo and Ghana.