Resource Curse and Resource Rents in ECOWAS: A Systematic Review of Institutional and Governance Dynamics

Abstract

This study provides the first systematic and bibliometric synthesis of nearly five decades of research on the resource curse and resource rents within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). By combining PRISMA-guided screening with network analysis using VOSviewer, it offers a novel empirical mapping of thematic evolution, a perspective largely missing from prior regional reviews. This study systematically reviews existing scholarship on the resource curse and resource rents within the ECOWAS. Using PRISMA-guided screening and bibliometric analysis, 129 peer-reviewed studies published between 1979 and 2025 were analyzed to trace thematic and chronological trends. Results reveal three major research phases: an early period dominated by theoretical debates on resource dependency (1979–2000), an expansion phase linking natural resources with governance and conflict (2001–2011), and a maturity stage emphasizing institutional quality, rule of law, and social cohesion (2012–2025). The review identifies persistent gaps in understanding how legal enforcement, social trust, and regional spillovers mediate the relationship between resources and development. By integrating economic, institutional, and social dimensions, this study contributes a comprehensive framework for addressing the resource curse in ECOWAS. It highlights policy priorities for converting resource wealth into inclusive and sustainable growth.

Received: 18 August 2025 | Revised: 27 November 2025 | Accepted: 13 February 2026

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Author Contribution Statement

Lawal Olamilekan Abdulwahab: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Pang Wei Loon: Validation, Supervision, Project administration. Roslee Bin Hj Baha: Validation, Supervision, Project administration. Ahmed M. Khalid: Validation, Supervision, Project administration.