POPULATION DYNAMICS AND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA
- Rasaki Stephen Dauda
- ( paper pages. 1 - 34 )
Abstract
The global population, which stood at 7.7 billion in 2019, is projectedto reach 9.7 billion in 2050; and thereafter peak at about 11 billion in2100. West Africa, the fastest growing (2.69%) sub-region in sub-Saharan Africa and the second largest in the region after East Africa,constitutes 5.07% of the global population figure. By 2050, the thirdlargest country in the world – Nigeria – will emerge from West Africa.All these have far-reaching implications for economic outcomes,sustainable development activities and human capital development inthe sub-region. Currently, the progress achieved in human capitaldevelopment in West Africa appears very low compared to other partsof the world. This study investigated the role of population dynamicsin human capital development in West Africa over the period1990–2017, covering 15 countries. Three human capital measures —life expectancy, primary school completion and secondary schoolenrolment rates — were employed as regressands with the static paneldata modelling approach, using fixed effects (FE) and random effects(RE) estimators. However, the Hausman test result was significant,implying the appropriateness and consistency of FE. The findingsoverwhelmingly revealed that population dynamics is a drag onhuman capital development in West Africa. This is evident in thenegative and statistical significance reported for most of thecoefficients of demographic variables. In view of this, policyenactment and implementation should focus on measures to reduceadolescent fertility, population ages 0–14, and the death rate.Specifically, education, particularly for girls, is a powerful weaponthat can reduce adolescent and total fertility, and also contribute to declining population ages 0–14. Investment in health facilities andinfrastructure, the provision of free/affordable medical care forchildren and women will improve their health status and reducemortalities.
Citation
Rasaki Stephen Dauda.
2020.
"POPULATION DYNAMICS AND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA"
The Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies,
62 (2): 1 - 34.
JEL Classification
J11, J13, J24, O15
