Educational investment as a lever for longevity: An econometric analysis of life expectancy at birth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

INTRODUCTION: Education is a major determinant of human development and may influence health through improved knowledge, income, access to care and preventive behaviors. This study examines the long-term association between public education expenditure and life expectancy at birth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). METHOD: The analysis uses annual data covering the period 1996–2022. The variables are drawn from the World Development Indicators, the Worldwide Governance Indicators, the KOF Globalisation Index, and annual reports of the Central Bank of Congo. After unit-root and cointegration tests, long-run relationships are estimated using FMOLS and CCR methods, distinguishing total, female and male life expectancy at birth. RESULTS: The results show a positive and statistically significant association between public education expenditure and life expectancy at birth. A 1% increase in public education expenditure is associated with a 0.0038% increase in total life expectancy, with gender-differentiated effects: 0.0006% for women and 0.0051% for men. Political stability and urbanization also show positive coefficients, whereas infant mortality, CO2 emissions, and unemployment are negatively associated with life expectancy. DISCUSSION: The observed association confirms the importance of educational investment as a social determinant of health, but it should be interpreted with caution. The estimates indicate a long-run correlation rather than a strict causal effect. The smaller estimated coefficient for women may reflect structural constraints limiting the translation of education into health gains. CONCLUSION: Public investment in education appears to be a complementary lever for improving longevity in the DRC. Its potential effects could be strengthened through integrated policies addressing infant mortality, employment, infrastructure, institutional stability, and gender equity.