Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka

Professor of Development Economics, Industrialisation and Technological Change & Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation
 
is a development Economist and currently the Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and has received the National Productivity Order of Merit Award, 2021.

Prior to this role with the AfDB President, Professor Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka had retired as the most Senior Director with the United Nations, HABITAT headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. He has previous experience in the Steel and Oil industry.

He is a former professor at the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, the first professor of Innovation and Industrialisation Policy in Nigeria, a professorial fellow with the United Nations-MERIT, and a professor of Innovation and Development at the Open University, UK.

He is a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering with several books to his credit including his most recent book, Rich Country Poor People: Reversing Nigeria’s story of inequality and poverty amid plenty to a story of shared prosperityIndustrialization and Economic Diversification: Post Crisis Agenda in Asia and Africa (2022, Routledge, UK), and Latecomer Development (Routledge, UK) amongst others.

Professor of Development Economics, Industrialisation and Technological Change & Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation
rich country poor people

Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka

Rich Country
Poor People

Reversing Nigeria’s Story of Inequality and Poverty Amid Plenty to a Story of Shared Prosperity.

This book advocates a return to the path of sustainable development that puts people at the heart of growth with development.

Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka

From Consumption
To Production

The Whys and Ways Out of Failed Industrialization in Nigeria


This book is both a detailed systematic historical and analytical narrative of Nigeria’s imperfect past as much as it is a pointer to a better future. It outlines the nation’s historical errors in the attempts and evident failure to industrialise. It provides a roadmap for attaining better outcomes in the future.

Most recent articles

Read the latest:

Nigeria in big trouble if Tinubu fails – Prof Oyelaran-Oyeyinka
"Once there is a change in commodity price over which we have little control, the economy gets hit. Most upper-middle-income countries have developed productive capabilities for high-value-added and technologically complex goods. They have market structures with significant innovation capacity that enable them to produce for domestic and export to earn foreign exchange."
AfDB chief tells govt to focus on industrial growth
The Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of the African Development Bank, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, has proposed solutions to boost Nigeria's industrial sector.
Tech innovation vital to Africa’s global relevance, say dons
Senior Special Adviser to the President on Industrialisation at the African Development Bank Group, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, said Nigeria and Africa must develop robust technological capabilities to effectively engage in global markets.