Researcher in Residence • Prof Njunguna Ndung’u • Digital Technology and State Capacity in Kenya
Join us for the Researcher in Residence event, hosted by Stellenbosch Business School as part of the MPhil Development Finance programme.
This in-person session will focus on Digital Technology and State Capacity in Kenya, and will include a keynote presentation by Prof Njunguna Ndung’u, followed by an interactive audience discussion and Q&A.
The event is designed for development finance faculty and MPhil students, and is open to the broader public. We look forward to hosting you.
SPEAKER
Prof Njunguna Ndung’u
Chair Advisory Committee: East and Southern African Trade and Development Bank Academy
Njuguna S. Ndung’u, PhD, CBS, is a distinguished Kenyan economist, public servant, and academic with extensive experience in economic policy, central banking, and development finance across Africa. He currently serves as Chair of the Advisory Committee of the TDB (Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank) Academy. Previously, he was Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning (2022–2024), following his tenure as Executive Director of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC). He is widely recognised for his leadership as Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya from 2007 to 2015, where he chaired the Monetary Policy Committee and played a pivotal role in financial sector reform, monetary stability, and the advancement of digital financial services. His career also includes senior advisory roles with global and regional institutions such as the World Economic Forum, Brookings Institution, Alliance for Financial Inclusion, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund.
An Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Nairobi, Dr Ndung’u has dedicated much of his career to research, teaching, and capacity building in macroeconomics and applied econometrics. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Gothenburg, with earlier degrees from the University of Nairobi. His scholarly work spans inflation, exchange rate management, public debt, monetary policy, and financial inclusion, with a particular focus on Africa’s digital transformation, including the globally acclaimed M-Pesa case study. A recipient of multiple international and national honours, including Central Bank Governor of the Year awards and the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), he continues to contribute actively to policy advisory, research, and leadership development initiatives shaping Africa’s economic future.
FACILITATOR
Prof Ashenafi Fanta
Head: MPhil Development Finance at Stellenbosch Business School
Ashenafi Beyene Fanta is a professor and head of development finance programmes at Stellenbosch Business School, where he leads teaching and research in infrastructure finance, SME finance, and financial inclusion. Prof Ashenafi has been published widely in high-impact journals and books, earned best-paper awards, and supervised numerous master's and PhD students.
He has led a PhD programme, secured research funding, and engaged in high-profile consultancy for government and development banks. He is actively involved in editorial boards and peer-review across leading journals, and collaborates internationally on projects addressing financial development, infrastructure finance, and financial inclusion in Africa.