The Impact of Human Capital Development and Manufacturing Sector Output in West African Sub-Region

The manufacturing sector in West Africa plays a limited role in the region's GDP and employment despite the importance of this sector for economic growth. This study investigated the influence of human capital development on manufacturing sector output in the short and long term in the West African region. Employing an ex post facto research design and using data from 1989 to 2022 from the World Bank's World Development Indicators and the International Labour Organization, the analysis employed a Panel ARDL estimation technique. The results showed that, while factors like primary school enrolment, average years of schooling, and industrial labour force had a significant positive relationship with manufacturing sector output in the long-run, gross secondary school enrolment, and gross tertiary school enrolment had no significant negative impact in the long-run. However, in the short run, it was revealed that the gross primary school enrolment, gross secondary school enrolment, gross tertiary school enrolment, average years of schooling, and industrial labour force were not significant. As a result, the study recommends that there should be more investments in all levels of education to enhance access and teaching quality, along with policies to support ongoing skill development and training programs for a more efficient labour force in West Africa, while there is an urgent need to review the tertiary enrolment curriculum.