Banner for the Africa Futures Symposium hosted by the Lauder Institute in 2023. Features a network graphic over Africa''s map, with event details at the University of Pennsylvania.

AFRICA FUTURES SYMPOSIUM 2023

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!

The Lauder Institute’s 2023 Africa Futures Symposium was a huge success thanks to your participation and support. This year’s theme, “Shifting Narratives,” was inspired by the work of many to recast how the story of Africa is told. The Symposium’s interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral panels allowed us renewed exploration and inquiry into factors long deemed critical to the story of Africa and the future of the continent, including such topics as the Digital Economy in Africa, the Demographic Dividend of Youth, and New Spaces for Investment.

We are grateful to our keynote speakers, featured speakers, and amplification partners.  Special thanks to Dr. Regina Abrami, Sydney Wilson-Roberts, and Lisa Chang for their coordination and organization of this amazing event.

Stay tuned for Africa Futures-focused thought leadership content. Coming soon!

Quick Links:
Keynote Speaker
Ambassadors Roundtable
Featured Speakers
Panels
Schedule

Keynote Speaker: Chinelo Anohu

We are thrilled to host Chinelo Anohu as the 2023 Africa Futures Symposium Keynote Speaker!

Chinelo Anohu runs the Africa Investment Forum (AIF), the preeminent investment platform on the continent. A flagship initiative of the African Development Bank (AfDB), in concert with key founding partners, the AIF is charged with enhancing the quality of deals, raising capital, and accelerating financial closure of impactful transactions in critical sectors of Africa.

Prior to joining the AfDB, Chinelo served as Director-General of Nigeria’s National Pension Commission where she played a pivotal role in reforming the Pension system and mobilizing domestic resources with the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Chinelo led the first ever AIF double boardrooms within a calendar year, the virtual boardrooms in March, and the physical boardrooms in November 2022, showcasing 92 projects with a total deal value of $102 billion, generated across 24 countries on the continent, and cutting across critical sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing, and creative industries, with a focus on women-led projects.

Chinelo executed the first ever World Pension Summit Africa, held in Abuja for three years in a row, convening global financial experts to deliberate on the opportunities in the African pension industry and was named one of New African magazine’s ‘Most Influential Africans’ in 2014 and 2022. She is a member of the London Stock Exchange Africa Advisory Group and sits on the International Advisory Board, Edinburgh Business School, Scotland. Chinelo was recently appointed as a member of United States EXIM Advisory Committee Council on Advancing Women in Business.

Chinelo earned an LLB from the University of Nigeria, a B.L from the Nigerian Law School and an LLM in Telecommunications and Computer Law from the London School of Economics.

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Logo of the Africa Investment Forum featuring the word "Africa" with a stylized map and sun rays in gold, accompanied by the text "Investment Forum."

AMBASSADORS ROUNDTABLE

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H.E. ELSIE SIA KANZA

Ambassador of Tanzania
to the United States and México
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H.E. MARGARET MENSAH-WILLIAMS

Ambassador of Namibia
to the United States
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H.E. HILDA SUKA-MAFUDZE

African Union Ambassador
to the United States

FEATURED SPEAKERS

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ABDOULKADRE ADO

Associate Professor
International Business and Management, University of Ottawa
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TAYO AKINYEMI 

Learning & Community Manager
UNDP Accelerator Labs
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SONIA NNADOZIE ALIYU

Programme Management
UN Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD)
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ROMI BHATIA

Senior Investment & Finance Advisor
USAID
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AKUNNA COOK

Founder & CEO
Next Narrative Africa
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CHUX DANIELS

Professor & Director
Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) Africa Hub
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TAYIB FALL

Co-Founder
Baobab Consulting
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BULELANI JILI

Meta Research Fellow
Harvard University
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ELISABETH KING

Professor
International Education & Politics, New York University
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GWERA KIWANA

Founder in Residence: Crypto
MFS Africa
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DENIECE LAURENT-MANTEY

Special Advisor on U.S.- Africa Leaders Summit Implementation
U.S. Department of State
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OKENDO LEWIS-GAYLE

Founder and Chairman
Harambeans
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ALMAZ NEGASH

Founder & Executive Director
African Diaspora Network
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STEPHEN SAMMUT

Senior Fellow
The Wharton School
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 EYERUSALEM SIBA

Economist & Consultant
Unbounded Associates
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 GUEVERA YAO

Executive Director for Africa
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

MODERATORS

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REGINA ABRAMI

Chang Sun Term Professor
The Lauder Institute
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WALE ADEBANWI

Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies
University of Pennsylvania
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DANIEL CASH

Associate Professor
Aston University
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KANYINSOLA OBAYAN ARIGI

Faculty Lead, Africa General Program
The Lauder Institute

FEATURED PANELS

Digital Economies: Closing the Equity Gap?

Investment 2.0: What are the New Spaces for Growth & Governance?

African Youth: What Builds the Demographic Dividend?

Modes & Models of Future Economic Development: Aid, Trade, Debt, or Diaspora?

SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE

All in-person sessions take place at: Jon M. Huntsman Hall, 3730 Walnut St, 8th Floor  |  University of Pennsylvania  |  Philadelphia, PA 19104

DAY 1: THURSDAY, APRIL 27

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM    REGISTRATION OPENS

2:00 PM – 2:20 PM    WELCOME REMARKS

Dr. Regina Abrami., Chang Sun Term Professor & Faculty Director, Global Program, The Lauder Institute                         
Dr. Martine Haas, Director of The Lauder Institute, Lauder Chair Professor, & Professor of Management, The Wharton School
Hon. Ronald S. Lauder, Chairman, The Lauder Institute Board of Governors

2:20 PM – 3:15 PM    KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Mrs. Chinelo Anohu, Senior Director, Africa Investment Forum (African Development Bank)

3:30 PM – 4:45 PM    AMBASSADOR ROUNDTABLE

H.E. Dr. Elsie S. Kanza, Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United States and Mexico
H.E. Margaret Mensah Williams, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to the United States                                                               
H.E. Hilda Suka-Mafudze, African Union Ambassador to the United States of America

Moderated by: Mr. Okendo Lewis Gayle, Founder & Chairman, Harambeans

4:45 PM – 4:55 PM    CLOSING REMARKS

5:00 PM – 6:15 PM    COCKTAIL RECEPTION

DAY 2: FRIDAY, APRIL 28

7:15 AM – 9:00 AM    REGISTRATION OPENS

8:15 AM – 9:00 AM    CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST & NETWORKING

9:00 AM – 9:10 AM    OPENING REMARKS

Regina Abrami, Ph.D., Chang Sun Term Professor & Faculty Director, Global Program, The Lauder Institute

9:10 AM – 10:25 AM    AFRICAN YOUTH: WHAT BUILDS THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND?

Elisabeth King, Ph.D., Professor, International Education & Politics, New York University
Tayib Fall, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, Baobab Consulting
Okendo Lewis Gayle, Founder & Chairman, Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance
Eyerusalem Siba, Ph.D., Economist & Consultant, Unbounded Associates

Moderated By: Wale Adebanwi, Ph.D., Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies, Department of Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania

10:40 AM – 11:55 AM    DIGITAL ECONOMIES: CLOSING THE EQUITY GAP?

Tayo Akinyemi, Learning & Community Manager, UNDP Accelerator Labs
Chux Daniels, Ph.D., Professor, University of Sussex Business School, UK
Sonia Nnadozie Aliyu, Programme Management, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Stephen Sammut, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Moderated by: Kanyinsola Obayan Arigi, Ph.D., Faculty Lead, Africa General Program, The Lauder Institute

11:55 AM – 1:00 PM    LUNCH BREAK – Lunch will be provided

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM    INVESTMENT 2.0:  WHAT ARE THE NEW SPACES FOR GROWTH & GOVERNANCE?

Akunna Cook, Founder & CEO, Next Narrative Africa
Bulelani Jili, Meta Research Fellow, Harvard University
Gwera Kiwana, Founder in Residence: Crypto, MFS Africa

Moderated by: Regina Abrami, Ph.D., Chang Sun Term Professor & Faculty Director, Global Program, The Lauder Institute

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM    DIALOGUE:  U.S. ENGAGEMENT WITH THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: WHAT’S NEXT?

Deniece Laurent-Mantey, Special Advisor on U.S.- Africa Leaders Summit Implementation, U.S. Department of State

3:45 PM – 5:00 PM    MODES & MODELS OF FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: AID, TRADE, DEBT OR DIASPORA? 

Abdoulkadre Ado, Associate Professor, International Business and Management, University of Ottawa
Romi Bhatia, Senior Finance and Investment Advisor, USAID
Almaz Negash, Founder & Executive Director, African Diaspora Network
Guevera Yao, Ph.D., Executive Director for Africa, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Moderated By: Daniel Cash, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Aston University & Fulbright Scholar, New York University

5:00 PM – 5:10 PM    Closing Remarks

Regina Abrami, Ph.D., Chang Sun Term Professor & Faculty Director, Global Program, The Lauder Institute

5:15 PM – 6:15 PM    Closing Reception