| Variables | Description | Source |
| Tvolume | Trade volume ECOWAS-China | Authors computation based |
| Export | Export volume of ECOWAS members | Resource trade. Earth |
| GDPi | Economic size of importing country (China) | World Bank |
| GDPj | Economic size of ECOWAS members | World Bank |
| POPi | Annual population importing country (China) | World Bank |
| POPj | Annual population ECOWAS members | World Bank |
| INFRj | The infrastructure of ECOWAS members | WGI |
| INSTQj | Institutional quality of ECOWAS members | FAO |
| NRj | Forest resources of ECOWAS members | FAO |