ECOWAS Reports Progress in Human Capital Development, Calls for Urgent Education Reforms
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has published its 2024 Human Capital Development (HCD) report, revealing a 12% overall improvement in key development indicators across member states.
The report, which tracks progress in health, education, financial inclusion, and digital infrastructure, aims to position ECOWAS as Africa’s top-performing regional bloc by 2030.
Key achievements include a 10% boost in health and nutrition, driven by reduced maternal mortality and child marriage rates, as well as a remarkable 50% surge in financial inclusion and the digital economy.
However, education, skills development, and labour participation saw a worrying 7% decline due to reduced government spending.
To this end, ECOWAS urges immediate investment in education and workforce development to sustain progress.
The full report is available at www.ecowas.int.
