Does Total Factor Productivity Tilt the Nexus between Human Capital Development and Economic Growth in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries?

The study investigated the interactive effects of human capital development and selected total factor productivity components (technology and infrastructure) on economic growth in selected Sub-Saharan African Countries (SSA) during the period 1981-2020. The study made used of panel data of the selected SSA countries using Pooled OLS Model, Fixed Effects and Random Effects Models, subjecting them to Hausman test. The augmented Solow growth model was employed and the study variables were economic growth rate; human capital development - proxied by Human Development Index (HDI), physical infrastructure – proxied by Physical Infrastructure Index (PII), technology – proxied by Research and Development (R&D), growth of labour force, share of private investment in GDP, trade openness, financial openness and share of total government expenditure. The result showed that the joint effect of human capital development and technology on economic growth was positive and statistically significant. The joint effect of human capital development and physical infrastructure was positive on economic growth. The study recommended government spending and massive investment on education, health, physical infrastructure and technology