Human Capital Development in Africa

Dear Colleagues,

Introduction

Human capital development is critical for fostering sustainable economic growth and enhancing social welfare in the developing world, particularly in the context of African countries where the quality of education, health services, and skill development has been a major challenge. This Special Issue of Economies aims to bring together rigorous empirical analyses and innovative theoretical frameworks that focus on the complex and diverse aspects of human capital development. Anchored in relevant theories, the papers included in this Issue will utilize relevant econometric techniques and computable general equilibrium models to address the critical challenges and opportunities facing human capital in Africa.

Rationale for the Special Issue

The African continent is experiencing a unique confluence of demographic, economic, and social changes. With a fast-growing youth population and rapid urbanization, the need for strategic investment in human capital has never been more urgent. There are some critical decisions that need to be made in the sphere of human capital development. Some suggest a paradigm shift, for instance, in education from ‘spending in schooling’ to ‘invest in learning’ as most young graduates’ skills do not fit with the requirements of the labor market (Prichett, 2024). The themes covered in this Special Issue reflect the complex interplay between various factors that influence human capital development and economic growth. The demographic dividends of a youthful population and social stability cannot be achieved if policy makers do not give priority to human capital development.

Investments in human capital (e.g., in education and health) have been shown to yield significant returns in the form of improved productivity (e.g., due to improved health), higher incomes (e.g., due to a higher number of people returning to schooling), and an enhanced quality of life. This Special Issue also covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on labor markets, household food security, and individual income levels. However, disparities in access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities pose substantial barriers to realizing these benefits. By examining these themes, this Special Issue will provide valuable insights into the policies and practices that can facilitate human capital development in an African context.

More than 20 research papers were submitted to this Special Issue which used micro-level data from several African countries. These papers are the outcome of a large collaborative project from the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)—a premier economic think tank established in 1988. The authors of these studies received research grants to complete the papers included in this Special Issue. All of the projects and case studies presented in this Special Issue were supported by the generous financial support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The studies seek to inform policy makers and development practitioners on human capital development in Africa from the viewpoint of individual countries (or groups of countries) and/or sub-regions.

The Themes of the Special Issue

1. Foreign direct investment and human capital development;
2. Human capital development and household income growth;
3. Public investment in education;
4. Primary education policy;
5. Teacher qualifications and experience and student attainment;
6. Social assistance and school enrolment;
7. School feeding programs and student performance;
8. Healthcare-seeking behavior during COVID-19;
9. The impact of COVID-19 on household income, employment, and food security;
10. Health insurance (e.g., universal health coverage);
11. Migration;
12. Women’s participation in the labor force;
13. Returnee female migrants from the Middle East and vocational training for them;
14. Maternal education and child mortality;
15. The role of traditional and religious education.

In addition, this Special Issue showcases evidence from six papers developed by early-career researchers supported by the Kenya Analytical Programme for Forced Displacement (KAP-FD). The project was funded by the World Bank. The KAP-FD project is an initiative that aims to generate detailed socioeconomic panel data, evaluate interventions, and provide recommendations to enhance the livelihoods of refugee and host communities. It comprises three main components: (i) filling data and evidence gaps to inform solutions; (ii) impact evaluation; and (iii) capacity building and collaboration. The insights gained from these six KAP-FD research papers contribute to filling the gaps in the evidence required for policymaking and programs, including guiding private sector investment through targeted interventions for those people experiencing forced displacement. The area of this topic that the papers have focused on is the economic impact of forced displacement, assessing labor market outcomes, drivers of resilience among female- and male-headed households, poverty and vulnerability affecting forcibly displaced households and their coping mechanisms, women's empowerment, and household welfare through a gendered lens. The AERC acknowledges the generous support of the World Bank in facilitating the authors’ capacity to construct their research and gather the evidence used in this forced displacement project.

Methodological Rigor

Papers submitted to this Special Issue adopted econometric techniques and computable general equilibrium models. The methodological rigor they employed ensures that the findings are robust, replicable, and applicable to policy formulation. With evidence gathered from data sets for several countries, we aim to provide a comprehensive explanation of the challenges and opportunities facing human capital development across various African contexts.

Target Audience

This Special Issue targets policymakers, academics, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in education, healthcare, labor markets, and economic development. The research findings, insights, and recommendations derived from the research will be valuable for designing effective interventions and policies that promote human capital development in Africa.

Conclusion

Arising from contexts where economic growth failed to be inclusive since the turn of the 21st century, this Special Issue seeks to highlight the critical importance of human capital development in achieving sustainable economic growth and social progress in African countries. By addressing the themes outlined above, we will provide a platform for shedding context-specific insights that will then inform social sector policymaking. We believe that the findings from these papers will significantly contribute to the ongoing discourse on economic development and human capital in Africa, thereby influencing both academic research, policy and practical applications.

We look forward to receiving positive responses to this Special Issue and express our gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the esteemed journal Economies.

Dr. Abbi M. Kedir
Prof. Dr. Lant Pritchett
Prof. Dr. Tomson Ogwang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Economies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• human capital development
• foreign direct investment
• household income growth
• public investment
• migration