The Oxford Martin Programme on

African Governance

The Challenge

The Oxford Martin programme on African Governance is dedicated to researching and analysing major shifts in African political economies and their wider relationship with the world economy. The programme focuses on key themes such as the politics of finance, extractive industries, state capacity, attempts at economic diversification and relations with emerging powers. It provides a unique context for sustained engagement between academics and practitioners with the goal of generating innovative insights into some of the continent’s most pressing challenges.

featured video

On hippos, tigers, pancakes and soufflés: trends and challenges for African governance

Professor Stefan Dercon, Co-Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on African Governance, discusses some of the recent and likely demographic, economics and political trends across Africa, as well as how across countries challenges are being handled.

By no means conclusive, the talk aims to give a flavour of the risks and opportunities for change across the continent, exploring some of the key research and policy questions at stake.


news & blogs

Oxford Martin researchers recognised for outstanding economic and societal impact

The government's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has shortlisted two Oxford Martin School researchers for its Celebrating Impact Prize 2023. The prize recognises researchers for 'outstanding economic or societal impact' from their research.

News -

Professor Ricardo Soares de Oliveira awarded Senior Research Fellowship by The British Academy

The Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on African Governance is one of 11 British Academy/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowship recipients for 2023

News -

African Governance: economic, social and political governance challenges explored in new event series.

The economic, social and political governance challenges for sub-Saharan Africa remain immense. In 2018 40% of the population were living below the US$1.90-a-day poverty line, a situation which will have only become worse due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the area is expecting to experience a youth bulge, in the face of growing economic uncertainties.

News -

Pandora Papers: Four lessons Africa can draw from the leak

The Pandora Papers, the most ambitious investigative effort to unravel the secrets of the offshore world yet, is an awe-inspiring feat by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The numbers are staggering: 11.9 million files from 14 leading offshore services firms, pored over by more than 600 journalists from 150 publications.

Blog -

forthcoming events