A gender-based analysis of employment, workforce productivity, and economic growth in West Africa

The study examined a gender-based investigation of employment, workforce productivity and economic growth in West African countries. The empirical analysis is centred on panel consisting of 16 West African countries over the period 2007-2019 using Esteve-Volarts model. The method of estimation employed are panel system generalised method of moments. The major findings suggest that there exists a positive and major relationship between male and female wage and salaried workers to economic growth although male wage contribution to growth supersedes female contribution. Also, male and female labour force participation rate are directly linked to economic growth. Likewise, female workforce productivity contributed significantly to economic growth of the selected countries. This study recommends that programmes should be put in place to facilitate more female participation in well paid jobs which will help enhance productivity as well as increase the growth in the countries. These recommendations will help to narrow the inequality of gender inequality in employment and productivity of workforce amongst West African countries.