Can Corruption and Organized Crime Affect Economic Growth in the ECOWAS Region?

This study examined organized crime, and corruption, and determined if they can affect growth in the regional integration known as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Organized crime and corruption can have a grossly negative impact on the economic growth process of every system, but the extent of damage they have needs to be measured to determine the policy implications for the region. Paired with a sizeable and well-connected diaspora community, traffickers have established themselves in most parts of the world and provide networks farther afield. Organized criminal groups infiltrate governments, businesses, and political and economic systems. They undermine the effectiveness of these systems, sometimes through corruption and violence. Enough effort must be given to understanding the impact of organized crime on governance in West Africa. The research is a panel study of 11 countries in the ECOWAS region. A number of corruption, organized crimes and, growth theories were reviewed in the process. The study employs the random-effects model with the pooled OLS to control (FGLS) known also as the random-effects model with the pooled OLS as a control on the defined objectives. Results show among others that organized crime and corruption have a significant impact on economic growth, whereas, corruption significantly reduces economic growth. The study concludes that organized crime has significantly impacted economic development. Part of the policy implications and recommendations is that Domestic investment significantly contributes to economic growth and should be greatly encouraged as it increases production, and job creation and reduces dependency ratio and poverty.