Title: The role of human capital development in the economic growth of Togo

Authors: Somiyabalo Antoine Batcha

Addresses: School of Economics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, 430073, China

Abstract: The absolute neglect of human capital development for over five decades now has led to widespread poverty and steady decline in the economic growth of Togo. This paper identified the correlation between human capital per worker and gross domestic product (GDP) per worker and examined whether human capital accumulation or total factor productivity is the engine driving growth in Togo from 1960 to 2010. Assuming a Cobb-Douglas production function, regression has been undertaken using EViews 6 and growth accounting has been computed. The main findings are that only labour force is the engine driving growth in Togo, hence growth in Togo is not explained by factors accumulation. In addition, an increase of 100% in the human capital stock per worker will lead to 71% increase in the output per worker. Appropriate human development enhancing inclusive and sustainable growth policy should be formulated.

Keywords: gross domestic product; GDP; human capital development; sustainable growth; Togo; total factor productivity; labour force.

DOI: 10.1504/AJESD.2012.051559

African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.1 No.4, pp.297 - 315

Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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