News & Events

On March 5, 2026, the CSEA delegation led by Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena, Executive Director, alongside Anthony Bisong, (Research Fellow), Princess Ewa (Research Assistant), and Gift Ejeh Ojima (Communication Officer), met with  His Excellency Pieter Leenknegt,Ambassador of Belgium to Nigeria. The visit aimed to introduce the Centre’s institutional mission and research portfolio, with a focus on how CSEA’s evidence-based policy work can support Europe-Africa development priorities, particularly in sustainable economic growth, trade, and institutional strengthening.
A major  highlight of the meeting was the Ambassador’s announcement that Enabel, the Belgian development agency, is currently establishing its official presence in Nigeria. He  noted that its  forthcoming operations could create valuable  opportunities for collaboration, particularly on programmes that require rigorous socio-economic analysis and data-driven insights that CSEA offers.
The Ambassador noted the importance of active  engagement with the Embassy to enable a formal introduction to the Enabel team once fully operational. Consequently, CSEA will monitor the agency’s transition into Nigeria and prepare a targeted capability profile demonstrating how its  research can support Enabel’s project design and impact evaluation
 

A CSEA delegation led by the Executive Director, Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena, and accompanied by Anthony Bisong (Research Associate), Princess Ewa (Research Assistant) and Gift Ejeh Ojima(Communication Officer), attended a high-level meeting with the Ambassador of Thailand, H.E. Thirapath Mongkolnavin, and the Counsellor, Ms. Laksanavadee Kaewkramol at the Royal Thai Embassy on March 5, 2026. 
The meeting focused on presenting CSEA’s research portfolio and exploring opportunities for institutional collaboration in trade policy and bilateral economic development. The meeting focused on presenting CSEA’s research portfolio and exploring opportunities for institutional collaboration in trade policy and bilateral economic development.
The discussions focused on the feasibility of a barter trade framework between Nigeria and Thailand as a potential response to foreign exchange constraints, which could facilitate the direct exchange of commodities such as rice and agricultural machinery for Nigerian energy and mineral resources. Following these discussions, the Ambassador invited CSEA to engage with the high level delegation accompanying the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs during his upcoming official visit to Nigeria.
 

The Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena attended the ECOWAS Thematic Consultation in Lagos (February 24–27, 2026), convened by the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). The consultation aimed to redefine the bloc’s strategic partnerships amid rising geostrategic rivalry. 
The discussions focused on adapting to an increasingly complex global landscape, including addressing security threats related to autonomous weapons,  disinformation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The consultation also examined ways to redefine and strengthen  ECOWAS’ partnerships with international alliances and financial institutions, such as  the Bretton Woods institutions, to better support regional integration, particularly as West Africa becomes a focal point of intensifying global competition.
This consultation builds on other 2026 strategic updates, including the extension of the regional integration strategy with the  African Development Bank (AfDB) and the addition of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

BudgIT, in collaboration with the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE), hosted a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Workshop and Stakeholder Engagement under the PACE project titled “Fiscal Sustainability and Stakeholder Action for Climate Finance.” The event was held on  February 25, 2026, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.
The Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) was represented by Munachiso Victor Ifechukwu, Researcher. The workshop convened civil society organisations, researchers, and climate advocates to examine climate-related line items within the federal budget. 
Discussions focused on restoring a unified federal budget calendar, improving budget performance and transparency, and strengthening access to and accountability in climate finance. While initial conversations centered on climate-related allocations, deliberations quickly shifted to the implementation challenges surrounding climate projects and financing. The session concluded with a strong call to action, urging policymakers to prioritize effective implementation of climate financing initiatives.

CSEA’s Director of Research, Dr. Adedeji Adeniran, and Research Fellow, Dr. Oluwatosin Edafe, participated in a two-day Co-Creation Session held on February 11–12, 2026, in Kigali focused on the Assessment of the Mastercard Foundation’s contributions to Education and Training (E&T). The session brought together key stakeholders to collaboratively refine the assessment’s purpose, scope, key evaluation questions, and methodological approach for the assessment. It featured presentations and discussions on the overview, key indicator considerations, and the Foundation’s Program Outcome Assessment framework. 
Discussions also covered the assessment objectives, proposed theory of change, data sources, stakeholder engagement strategies, timelines, and deliverables. The agenda included working sessions to review the assessment framework, clarify roles and expectations, align on reporting milestones, and identify risks and mitigation strategies. 
The co-creation process ensured shared understanding and alignment among partners on the assessment design, implementation plan, and expected outputs.