The Advocate Publication Lecture Series Board of Council (ALSBC) has officially announced renowned development economist, Professor Abanum Innocent Ifelunini of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, as the keynote speaker for the Second Edition of the Advocate Publication Ltd Annual Lecture Series.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Mr. Shedrack Onitsha, Secretary General of ALSBC, confirming the event is scheduled for April 25, 2025, at Wetland Hotel, Ughelli.
Themed “Between Governance and Politics: The Delicate Balancing to Ensure Growth and Development,” this year’s lecture aims to stimulate critical conversations on the intersection of governance and politics and how this relationship can be managed to foster sustainable national development.
Chairman of the ALSBC, Mr Abraham Ogbodo, a veteran journalist and former Editor of The Guardian, expressed confidence in the choice of Professor Ifelunini, describing him as “a leading voice in development economics with extensive academic and practical experience in governance, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.”
Professor Ifelunini brings with him an impressive academic and professional pedigree. An alumnus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he holds a B.Sc (Ed) degree in Economics, alongside a Postgraduate Diploma, M.Sc, and PhD degrees in Development Economics. Currently a Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Nigeria, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Resource & Environmental Policy Research Centre, Environment for Development Initiative (EfD), Nigeria, he has been an influential figure in the fields of economic policy, governance, and environmental economics since 2013.
His research and professional engagements span collaborations with international and national institutions such as the World Bank, the African Economic Research Consortium, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Geographic Society, and the Swedish International Development Agency. He is currently leading a research grant on Agro Feminization, Climate Smart Agriculture Technology Adoption and Food Security: Evidence from Nigeria Panel Data funded by Akademiya 2063.
In addition to his rich academic background, Professor Ifelunini has served in various capacities, including as a Programme Specialist at the Central Bank of Nigeria Entrepreneurship Development Centre (South East Nigeria), coordinator of the postgraduate program at UNN’s Department of Economics, and Director of the University of Nigeria Transport Route (UNTransroute). He is also an external examiner and professorial assessor for several universities within and outside Nigeria.
Known for his commitment to capacity building and knowledge sharing, Professor Ifelunini has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles, many of which are indexed in Thomson Reuters (Clarivate Analytics) and SCOPUS. He has presented over 30 papers at both local and international conferences, including in Nairobi, Dakar, Johannesburg, and Abidjan.
The ALSBC said this year’s lecture promises to offer invaluable insights into how governance and politics can be harmonized for national growth. The session is expected to attract scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, students, and members of the public interested in Nigeria’s development agenda.
