The International Trade Centre (ITC) hosted a five-day workshop on Agri-Trade Data Analysis for Policy Decision Making from March 24–28, 2025, at The Envoy Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. CSEA researchers Dr. Oluwatosin Edafe (Research Fellow), Anthony Okon, and Anthony Bisong (Research Associates) participated in the event.
The workshop provided participants with insights into the tools and methodologies developed by the International Trade Centre (ITC) for analyzing the export potential of agricultural products under the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) Programme. The EAT Programme aims to strengthen the organizational capacity, technical expertise, service offerings, and analytical tools of regional and national organizations, thereby improving their ability to understand and manage agri-food policies and services throughout the ECOWAS region.
Key discussions during the workshop focused on the application of ITC tools for policy decision-making, the presentation of the Analytical Report on the Informal Cross-Border Agri-Trade Database in West Africa (ECO-ICBT), a demonstration of ITC’s dashboard for visualizing informal cross-border trade data, and a training session on the significance and implications of using ECO-ICBT data.
CSEA's participation demonstrates its commitment to research-driven policy engagement and regional economic development.
Club de Madrid hosted the 2025 Annual Policy Dialogue (APD25) on Financing for Sustainable Development, from April 3–4, 2025 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena, Executive Director, CSEA joined global leaders and policy experts to discuss strategies for advancing sustainable development.
The discussions focused on key issues such as debt relief for developing countries, reforms to global financial institutions and the credit system, and mobilizing resources through multilateral cooperation and development banks. The dialogue emphasized the need for a fairer and more effective global financial architecture.
CSEA's participation reaffirms its commitment to advancing inclusive financial reform and ensuring Africa's development priorities are represented in global policy conversations.
The Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) represented by its Executive Director, Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena, participated in the official launch of the Trans-Africa Bond Alliance (TABA), held on March 28, 2025, at the Movenpick Hotel & Residences, Nairobi, Kenya. The event was hosted by The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company).
The launch marked the commencement of a collaborative venture aimed at strengthening Africa's transit trade infrastructure, which aligns with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It brought together key stakeholders, including policymakers, financial institutions, insurers, reinsurers, contractors, trade experts, logistics companies, and private sector leaders who play a crucial role in African trade.
CSEA's participation indicates its commitment to innovative solutions that promote sustainable development and regional collaboration.
The Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget on March 13, 2025, launched the 2025 Lagos Economic Development Update, an annual publication by the Economic Intelligence Department (EID) of the state's ministry.
The report led by Dr. Abdulfatai Adedeji, a Senior Public Sector Economist and Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) provides an in-depth analysis of Lagos’ macroeconomic performance, fiscal sustainability, revenue mobilization, labor market trends, and emerging risks.
Lagos State ranks as Africa’s second-largest city economy, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reaching $259.75 billion, based on purchasing power parity, making it the second-largest city economy in Africa after Cairo. The report also highlights the steady economic growth of the state, with its GDP rising from ₦19.65 trillion in 2023 to ₦27.38 trillion in the first half of 2024.
However, despite its status as Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos has a low tax-to-GDP ratio of 2.8%, significantly below the national average of 7.9%. This underscores the state’s untapped revenue potential and the need for improved tax mobilization.
As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration under the research initiative Advancing Educational Solutions: Research for Scaling Education Innovations in Emergencies and Fragile, Conflict, and Violence (FCV)-Affected Areas of Nigeria, the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) engaged in a high-level stakeholder meeting with the Federal Ministry of Education (FMoE) on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The CSEA delegation, led by Dr. Adedeji Adeniran, Director of Research, alongside Research Fellows Dr. Edafe Oluwatosin and Dr. Adamu Ahmed Wudil, met with officials from the ministry’s Colleges of Education Department. Discussions centered on scaling evidence-based educational innovations to ensure access to quality education in Nigeria’s FCV-affected regions, particularly in the Northeast. This engagement marks a critical step toward resilient, inclusive education systems that support Nigeria’s most vulnerable communities.
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