Analysis of the accounting effect of the demographic dividend in Cameroon

The demographic dividend has an accounting effect on the economy through the impact of the age structure of the population on labour supply. Lower fertility progressively reduces the number of young dependents, resulting in an increase in the potentially active population. The integration of the latter into the labour market could be a source of economic growth, thanks to the increase in the quantity of factors used for production. The objective of this article is to analyse the accounting effect of the demographic dividend in Cameroon. The article specifically examines the relationship between changes in the working population and economic growth. The results of the estimation, based on a autoregressive staggered lag model, show that a one percentage point increase in the economic support ratio translates into a 13.39% and 0.61% increase in per capita income in the short and long term, respectively. The demographic dividend is therefore a source of growth for Cameroon. This source can be augmented through investments in employment, health, education, and governance.