COVID-19 Containment Measures and Loan Default in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi

This dataset accompanies the empirical study examining how COVID-19 containment measures affected banking sector stability and loan default dynamics across four Sub-Saharan African countries—South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi—from 2018 to 2022. The data integrate macroeconomic indicators, financial stability variables, and COVID-19 policy indices to analyze the link between pandemic stringency and changes in non-performing loans (NPLs). Using panel regression and instrumental variable techniques, the dataset captures country-level annual observations combining publicly available macro-financial statistics with COVID-19 response indicators. The variables include the Change in NPL Ratios (ΔNPL), COVID-19 Stringency Index, GDP Growth Rate, and Inflation Rate. The dataset supports cross-country and temporal analysis of credit risk transmission under pandemic-related shocks. This dataset serves as a unique contribution to pandemic-finance research in Africa, providing an integrated resource for analyzing credit risk, financial stability, and policy responses during systemic crises.