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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the relationship between foreign capital inflows, human capital development (HCD) and economic growth in ECOWAS countries. Design/methodology/approach In line with the augmented Solow model, the relationship between foreign capital inflows, human capital development and gross domestic product in the ECOWAS member countries is investigated using the pool mean group method. Findings The authors find overwhelming evidence that foreign capital inflows and human development have a significant effect on economic growth in ECOWAS member countries. However, foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistant, HCD and gross domestic investment are positively related to economic growth in sub-regions economies. Conversely, migrate official remittance, portfolio investments and external debts are negatively related to economic growth. Research limitations/implications The authors recommend that sound economic policies should be targeted in encouraging foreign capital accumulation and HCD, especially on FDI, official development assistance that exerts a positive impact on the economic growth of the sub-region. Therefore, training is required to prepare the labor force to work with new technologies and promote efficient enterprise for ECOWAS economies to compete with developed countries and emerging economies. Social implications This study argued that the development of human capital is a pathway that may lead countries away from sustained growth. In the context of any economy which lack well-developed capital and education markets, many otherwise qualified citizens may be denied the basic skills they need in order to contribute fully to the nation’s economic development. HCD would encourage foreign investments, resulting in reduction in poverty in ECOWAS countries. Originality/value Several studies have been done on foreign capital inflow and economic growth nexus such as Orji et al. (2014), Ajide and Raheem (2016), Musibau et al. (2017), etc.; however, none of the research studies has actually examined the effect of the relationship between foreign capital inflows and HCD on economic growth in ECOWAS countries. This study is designed to fill the vacuum.

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This paper presents the energy security, energy poverty, and mediating role of environmental tax policy. The environmental tax policy affects energy consumption and energy poverty. The research applied multiple, comprehensive, and relevant sets of indicators to measure energy security, energy poverty, and environmental consideration of energy poverty through environmental tax. The study used a mathematical composite indicator and an econometric estimation to conduct an empirical estimation. The study used annual data from 1990 to 2018 and concluded that long-run associations between energy security, energy poverty, and environmental tax have been characterized by the linear and asymmetric association to specify hidden cointegration behavior among the trilemma. The results show how policymakers have clouded the decision to implement appropriate energy security to mitigate energy poverty in Vietnam through environmental tax.Results show that from 2001 to 2016 in Vietnam, energy security was low and energy poverty was high, but after 2016, it can be seen that there is a dramatic change in energy security and energy poverty. The year 2018 shows the highest energy security index score (0.92) and the lowest energy poverty index score (0.12). Since 2017, Vietnam’s rural electrification plan has provided electricity to 100% of Vietnam’s population. The plan provides electricity access to 82 million people who traditionally have no grid access.

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