Dr. Joseph Phiri is a distinguished economist, consultant, researcher, educator, and analyst with a deep commitment to advising policymakers and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. As a Development Economist, he holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Management in the field of Sector Economics and the Economics of Enterprise from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. He did his Masters of Arts Economics in Development Economics and Economic Growth at Marmara University and his first Degree in Economics at the University of Namibia. His career has been shaped by a passion for addressing the paradox of plenty, a phenomenon where resource-rich low-income economies struggle to translate their wealth into sustainable economic growth. This challenge has been central to his research and professional endeavours in development economics and economic policy.
With over a decade of experience spanning academia, finance, research, and consultancy across eight countries and four continents, Dr. Phiri has established himself as a leading expert in economic sustainability, environmental impact, energy, agriculture, macroeconomics, public economics, and governance structures in African economies. His tenure as Lecturer and Research Unit Coordinator at the University of Lusaka’s School of Postgraduate Studies saw him teaching courses such as Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Applied Econometrics, International Political Economy, Development Economics, and Managerial Economics. Beyond academia, he has played a critical role in shaping economic policy by advising policymakers on data-driven, evidence-based solutions to pressing economic challenges. As a prolific researcher, Dr. Phiri has led significant studies and secured research grants addressing key economic issues. His work is widely recognised , with publications appearing in top-tier journals indexed in SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. His research has made substantial contributions to the understanding of economic development, sustainability, and macroeconomic policy, earning him an H-index of over 10 within five years, with hundreds of citations reflecting the impact of his work.
In addition to his research, Dr. Phiri is deeply committed to mentoring and supervising postgraduate students, guiding them through complex economic research topics and preparing them for careers in academia, policymaking, and industry. He firmly believes in the transformative power of education to equip individuals with the skills needed to drive meaningful economic and social change. His consulting expertise extends to international organisations, governments, and businesses, where he applies his economic acumen to develop practical, high-impact solutions that foster economic growth and resilience. His work has had a tangible influence on economic policymaking and implementation, reinforcing his reputation as a sought-after expert in Zambia and across the African continent. Dr. Phiri’s academic and research experience spans renowned institutions, including the University of Namibia, Covenant University, Marmara University, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, and the University of the People. He has also gained corporate and professional experience from AB Bank, Turkish Airlines, MSD, and ExxonMobil, further enriching his understanding of economic systems from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Currently, he serves as an Advisor to the Zambian Government through the Zambia Institute of Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ZIPAR), where he leads the Macroeconomics Research Unit as a Research Fellow I. Additionally, he contributes to the academic community as an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE, specialising in Economics.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr. Phiri is passionate about writing, a drive that has led him to co-author a Development Economics textbook. His hobbies include soccer, performing arts, music, and travelling
Neema Kumburu is an Associate Professor at the Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU), working under the Department of Management, specialising in Administration and Policy. She holds a PhD in Business Management from the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania, and a Bachelor of Public Administration, specialising in Public Service Management, as well as a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, specialising in Human Resource Management, from Mzumbe University, Morogoro, Tanzania. She was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Fredskorpset [FK] Business Experience Exchange Programme (BEEP), Bunda College of Agriculture, University of Malawi, from February to December 2007, and a visiting lecturer for the SWAN Project at University of Applied Sciences in Finland in 2014. She was also a visiting lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda in 2022 and undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Helsinki in 2023–2024.
Her research interests include leadership, governance, public sector reforms, human resource management, strategic management, rural development, rural land reform, rural livelihoods and cooperatives, farmers' organisations, entrepreneurship, and organisational development.
Prof. Kumburu has experience in training for short, long, and tailor-made programmes. She also has expertise in strategic planning and curriculum development, including the Master of Business Management and Human Resource Management curricula. Some of her current research projects include: Building Socio-Hydrological Resilience for Inclusion: The Experience of Co-operatives in Tanzania, Disaster Economic Vulnerability and Recovery Programmes: Experience from Tanzania, Women Roadside Vegetable Selling in Kilimanjaro: The Relationship Between Demography, Income Generation, and Employment Creation, Women Entrepreneurs in Emerging Economies: A Case Study of Growth-Oriented Women Entrepreneurs in Moshi, Tanzania, Does Social Feminism and the Dynamic Capability Perspective Explain Attributes of Growth-Oriented Women Entrepreneurs in Moshi Municipality?, Agency Theory and the Performance of Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS) in Kilimanjaro Region, and Co-operatives as a Tool for Poverty Reduction and Business Promotion in Tanzania.
Some of her other research projects include: Do Personal Values Influence Research Self-Efficacy Among Academics in Public Universities in Tanzania? She was also engaged in the Sustainable Business and Employability through HEIs’ Innovative Pedagogy project, supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. In this capacity, she successfully developed gender and special needs policies to address existing imbalances by considering the different needs of both males and females and ensuring appropriate opportunities for people with special needs, thereby creating an environment that enables their full participation in academic life. She was also involved in the evaluation of the Confidence and Competence Project in Meru District, Arusha Region, as well as in the evaluation of the Promoting the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Cocoa, Coffee, and Palm Oil Value Chains (CCP) project in Tanzania. Prof. Kumburu has published more than thirty (30) papers in internationally recognised, peer-reviewed journals. She served as Coordinator of the Centre for Co-operative Entrepreneurship and Innovation for three years, Head of the Department of Management for ten years, Deputy Faculty Dean for three years, Acting Dean for two years, and Director of the Bureau of Consultancy Services.
Prof Evans Osabuohien is a Professor of Economics at Covenant University, Ota and Founding Chair of DIaDeRC (DePECOS Institutions and Development Research Centre), Nigeria. He has over two decades of experience and has executed numerous funded projects as an individual and team lead. He is astute in research, resulting in the publication of five books and over 212 scholarly articles. He has participated in conferences/workshops/short courses across the world. He has consulted on many projects for international agencies such as the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), United Nations Agencies (e.g., UNCTAD & UNU-WIDER), African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Council for the Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA), German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), among others. He was appointed the Head of Department (HOD) in 2016, emerging as the Youngest HOD in the University. He received a double promotion to the rank of full professor of economics in December 2017, making him the youngest professor at the university . In May 2020, he was recognised as ‘One of the 6 Youngest Professors in Nigeria’. He was the Founding Chair of the Centre for Economic Policy and Development Research (CEPDeR, 2018-2021) and the Founding Chair of the Regional Centre of Expertise, Ogun State (RCE Ogun, 2018-2021). He is a member of many International Learned Societies/Professional Associations.
He is a Visiting Professor at Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique (2020-Date) and the University of Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia (2023-Date). He was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (June- December 2020) and an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) Visiting Professor at Witten/Herdecke University, Germany (2018-2023). Also, he is an external examiner to many universities within and outside Africa. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of companies such as: Covenant Microfinance Bank Ltd (2018-Date); Canadian Centre for Raw Materials Display Inc (CaCeRMDI), Canada (2021-2024); Seasoned Researchers and Business Advisors Ltd (2021-Date); and OpenBinacle Group (Multinational Technology Company, Bonn, 2022-Date). He is the Founding Chair and Lead Economist at DePECOS Institutions and Development Research Centre (DIaDeRC, 2023-Date), where he coordinates the African Scholars Mentorship Network (ASMN) with over 1,000 members across many African countries and beyond. He is one of the Global Authors for Global Environmental Outlook 7th Edition (GEO-7), the flagship report of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). He is a Council member of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES, founded 1957), where he serves as an Associate Editor and 2024 Conference Editor. He served as an Associate Editor for Elsevier (Heliyon-Economics, 2022-2024) and Managing Editor for Springer Nature Group (Sustainable Development,2023-Date). He is a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (since 2012) and the Swedish Institute (since 2009), among many others. He is married with children.