Africa

Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi

HBS continues its efforts to build a deep understanding of and expertise in global business practice and innovation around the world, including throughout Africa, a region that is assuming an increasingly vital role in the world economy. The school opened the Africa Research Center in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2017 followed by an office in Lagos, Nigeria in 2019, and an office in Nairobi, Kenya in 2022. This center plays an important role in helping HBS develop and strengthen relationships with business and academic leaders across sub-Saharan Africa, while our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Research Center based in Istanbul, plays this same role for North African countries. Support for HBS engagement and activities across the school are enabled by these locations. The School strives to deepen faculty's understanding of and exposure to African management issues, trends, and practices, as well as develop locally relevant case studies and course materials for use in business education programs around the world. The Africa Research Center also supports alumni engagement, webinars and faculty case discussions, executive education, and admissions and outreach activities on the continent.

Locations

Africa Research Center: Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa

Africa Research Center: Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria

Africa Research Center: Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya

News & Highlights

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.

AUGUST 2024
ALUMNI EVENT

Alumni Dinner with Prof. Ebehi Iyoha in Lagos

In August 2024, the HBS Association of Nigeria (HBSAN) hosted a dinner in Lagos, Nigeria to honour Ebehi Iyoha, Assistant Professor in the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School. This dinner marked the conclusion of Professor Iyoha’s visit to Lagos, during which she conducted in-depth case study interviews with senior executives of select companies and engaged in strategic discussions regarding future case collaborations. The evening was highlighted by high-level networking and a shared commitment to advancing entrepreneurial excellence in Africa. Members of the HBSAN and ARC in attendance, expressed their gratitude for Professor Iyoha’s contributions and looked forward to the valuable case studies that would result from her visit.

New Research on the Region

March 2025
Teaching Material

Gavi and the 'Next' Pandemic

By: Tarun Khanna and Samir Junnarkar

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 725-351.

March 2025
Case

GiveDirectly: Can Direct Cash Transfers End Extreme Poverty?

By: Natalia Rigol, Benjamin N. Roth, Sarah Mehta and John Schultz

Founded in 2008, GiveDirectly was a nonprofit organization that used direct cash transfers—giving people cash via mobile money—to combat poverty worldwide. By August 2024, the organization had transferred over $800 million to poor people in targeted communities and generated evidence illustrating the impact of its giving. As the cofounders considered the organization’s future, they wondered whether direct cash transfers could eradicate extreme poverty altogether. The ambitious proposal raised several questions, including how to target and optimize transfers, how to minimize negative effects on local communities, and how best to coordinate with national governments and other nonprofits. Was this goal possible?

February 2025
Case

Doing Business in Casablanca, Morocco

By: Karen G. Mills, Ahmed Dahawy and Choetsow Tenzin

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Morocco. The case explores the various historical, cultural, and social factors that impact the business environment. It also highlights Morocco’s unique economy where cash remains a dominant player in the market despite global advancements in digitalization. This is illustrated through Chari, a Moroccan based inventory procurement app, which hopes to navigate Morocco’s fintech landscape by utilizing the country’s dense network of small mom and pop shops.

See more research

Johannesburg Staff

Pippa Tubman Armerding

Executive Director

Tafadzwa Choruma

Manager for Adminstration and Progamming

Maagatha Kalavadakken

Senior Researcher

Lagos Staff

Ope Awosan

Senior Researcher

Nairobi Staff

Agnes Wairegi-Regeru

Senior Researcher