News & Highlights

  • MAY 2025
  • FIELD Global Capstone

CEM/FIELD Global Capstone in Accra, Kigali, and Nairobi

In May 2025, the ARC concluded the Creating Emerging Markets and FIELD Global Capstone project by engaging with four visionary African business leaders across Accra, Kigali, and Nairobi. These conversations offered a chance to hear firsthand from industry-transforming leaders whose insights are helping shape the future of business in Africa. Three of the interviews were conducted in person by HBS Professors Archie Jones, Martin Sinozich, and Hakeem Belo-Osagie, while the fourth - led by Professor Ramon Casadesus-Masanell - was held in a hybrid format, yet every bit as compelling, insightful, and energizing.
  • February 2025
  • ALUMNI EVENT

Discussion on Climate Adaptation with Prof. John Macomber in Kampala

On 25 February 2025, Pippa Armerding, Executive Director of the Africa Research Center, joined Professor John Macomber in Kampala, Uganda at an event for alumni and other stakeholders where Prof. Macomber discussed his work on climate adaptation. Prof. Macomber’s research focuses on how companies and governments can integrate climate resilience into real estate and infrastructure projects to manage risks from flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, drought, and sea level rise. The event attracted over 65 attendees.
  • October 2024
  • ADMISSIONS EVENT

MBA Admissions Events in Africa

In October 2024, the Africa Research Center supported the MBA Admissions outreach trips and information sessions with Rupal Gadhia and Jay Katatumba in Abidjan, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali Lagos and Nairobi. Over 160 participants attended.
  • AUGUST 2024
  • ALUMNI EVENT

Alumni Event with Prof. John Macomber in Dakar

In August 2024, the ARC Executive Director joined Professor John Macomber on an Africa immersion to Dakar, Senegal. During the visit, Prof. Macomber engaged with business leaders, corporates, Harvard alumni and other stakeholders to gain insights into the local business environment. The HBS Africa Research Center in collaboration with the HBS Business and Environment Initiative hosted an in-person Alumni event on Climate Adaptation and Urban Economic Development led by Prof. Macomber. The event saw over 20 attendees engage in a lively discussion.

New Research on the Region

  • August 2025
  • Teaching Material

LifeBank Nigeria (B)

By: Brian Trelstad, Pippa Tubman Amerding and Ope Awosan

  • August 2025
  • Teaching Material

Social Enterprise in Sub-Saharan Africa

By: Brian Trelstad, Pippa Tubman Armerding and Maagatha Kalavadakken

  • August 2025 (Revised August 2025)
  • Case

Bridging Trust and Tech: Digitizing Morocco’s Financial System

By: Lauren Cohen and Sophia Pan

Fadwa Jouali, Senior Expert of Payment Development and FinTechs at Bank Al-Maghrib (Central Bank of Morocco), wondered how she could fast-track adoption of the country’s mobile payments system. Historically, many Moroccans had never held a bank account, perhaps due to cultural preferences towards cash. The Central Bank of Morocco succeeded in creating a National Payment System, which would allow consumers and merchants alike to facilitate transactions through a mobile device. However, adoption faltered behind expectations. Comparing progress to that of Pix, the payment scheme led by Brazil, Morocco’s mobile payments adoption was underwhelming. Jouali recognized that Morocco had unique characteristics, such as lower costs and a lingering presence of consumer distrust. Taking this into account, how would she help nurture the FinTech industry in Morocco to ensure broad stakeholder engagement and create the right incentives for the adoption of mobile payments?

See more research

Johannesburg Staff

Pippa Tubman Armerding
Executive Director
→ Biography
Tafadzwa Choruma
Manager for Adminstration and Progamming
Maagatha Kalavadakken
Senior Researcher

Lagos Staff

Ope Awosan
Senior Researcher

Nairobi Staff

Agnes Wairegi-Regeru
Senior Researcher