Income Inequality and Inclusive Growth: Evidence from West African Economies

Abstract

Income inequality remains one of the most persistent development challenges confronting West African Economies. Despite periods of sustained economic growth, the benefits of development have often been unevenly distributed, limiting progress toward inclusive growth and shared prosperity. Therefore, this study examines the impact of income inequality on inclusive growth in West African countries over the period 2000-2023. Employing a quantitative ex post facto research design, the the analysis models the Gini Index as a function of real GDP per capita, employment, government education expenditure, public health expenditure, trade openness, and remittance inflows. The study applied the Panel Autoregressive