INSEAD Africa Initiative

Podcast: "Creating Prosperity in Africa"

In Conversation with Lucy Quist

Listen here.

GBSN-INSEAD Africa Faculty Fellowship Program

This fellowship aims to promote continual improvements and advancing in the quality learning, research & teaching. Application has since been closed.

Details here.

"Why sharing patents for COVID-19 medicines is not enough"

listen to this Trade Talks Podcast, where INSEAD Africa Initiative's Academic Director, Professor Prashant Yadav share some insights. June 2022

New Variants Show Why the World Urgently Needs Vaccine Equity.

Published by Prashant Yadav, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management and Academic Director of the INSEAD Africa Initiative. 30 November 2021

INSEAD Africa Initiative's LinkedIn page is LIVE now.

Get connected, be notified of interesting articles, events and happenings in IAI ! FOLLOW US now. Looking forward to welcoming you.

Past Event, 17 November 2021, 12:25 EST; 18:25 CET. Building Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains.

Prashant Yadav, Affiliate Professor of Technology & Operations Management, INSEAD will share more insights in this event, hosted by GBSN.

How Africa Could Astonish the World.

Published by Prashant Yadav, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management and Dr. Vinika D.Rao, Executive Director of the INSEAD Africa Initiative. 29 June 2021

Past Event: Allyship In and Beyond the MBA

Hosted by OUTSEAD, IWIB & AFRICA CLUBS Featuring Professor Zoe Kinias 15 September 2021

Past Event: An in-dept discussion on how technology has helped Babylon Health democratise healthcare in Rwanda.

Read here for details published by Aishwarya Sridharan & Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society on 30 June 2021

Past Event: Global Leaders Series for Africa: Brookings Institution Report: "Foresight Africa: Top priorities for the continent 2020-2030"

13 February 2020

Podcast: Why business can be a force for good in SA

Research & Activities

Unjani Clinics: Meeting the Need for Scale Through Social Franchising

by Szerb A., Kivleniece I., Aggarwal V. A. (2021) Journal Article

by Gallien J., Leung N.Z., Yadav P. (2021) published: 19 July 2021 Journal

Inventory Policies for Pharmaceutical Distribution in Zambia: Improving Availability and Access Equity

by Meijer B., Van Wassenhove L. published: 23 Mar 2021

Praesens Care's Mobile Laboratories: An Innovative Service for Diagnostic Testing in Africa

by J., Rashkova I., Atun R., Yadav P. (2017). Journal article.

National Drug Stockout Risks and the Global Fund Disbursement Process for Procurement

by Kets de Vries M. F. R., Sexton J. C., Ellen III B. P. (2016). Africa Journal of Management, 2(2), pp. 166-187.

Destructive and Transformational Leadership in Africa

published on June 28, 2021. Report.

INSEAD - A Business School for the World. A report by Forbes Africa.

Podcast. Invest Africa Insights: Shaping Africa's Future Leaders with Katy Montgomery, Associate Dean, Degree Programmes, INSEAD on 10 June 2021

Invest Africa Insights: Shaping Africa's Future Leaders

Listen to the full podcast here.

Investing in Africa

INSEAD Alumni Magazine Investing in Africa by Rachel P. Farrell on 13 July 2017

JOURNAL ARTICLE by Leung N. Z., Chen A., Yadav P., Gallien J. (2016). PLOS One, 11(5), pp. 1-18.

The Impact of Inventory Management on Stock-Outs of Essential Drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa: Secondary Analysis of a Field Experiment in Zambia

Video by Phil Parker, INSEAD Professor of Marketing and the Chaired Professor of Management Science on 17 April 2015.

A Bridge for the Knowledge Gap

Watch the full Video here.

Chinese Investment in Africa: Avenues for Academic Scholarship

Working Paper. by Nartey L.J., Mezias S., (2014)

by Yelpaala K., Awase E.B., Jepchumba M., Parker P.M., Joshua T.B., Adepoju S., Bello I., Agamah A. (2012) World Policy Journal, 29(4), (pp3-7). Journal Article

The Big Question: Upwardly Mobile: What Role Should Technology Play in Africa's Development?

By Stephen E. Chick, Lisa Simone Duke, Ridhima Aggarwal | June 2024

Case Studies

Goodlife: Profit with Purpose

By Stephen E.Chick, Chengyi Lin, Hyunjin Kim, Anne-Marie Carrick, Ridhima Aggarwal | May 2024

Access Afya Scaling Services and Segments for Healthcare in Kenya

By Prashant Yadav, Luk Van Wassenhov, Lisa Simone Duke | Feb 2024

Diatropic Creating a Sustainable Rapid Diagnostic Test Manufacturing Platform in Africa

Diatropix: Creating a Sustainable Rapid Diagnostic Test Manufacturing Platform in Africa

Learn here

Should Kazuria Produce Vaccines Locally with Unizima’s Support? Vaccine Manufacturing Capacity in Africa

By Stephen E. Chick, Luk Van Wassenhove, Prashant Yadav, Abed Kayyal | Jan 2024

By Zoe Kinias, Elin Williams, Dec 2023

Turning the Tide in Mozambique: Developing Gender Inclusion at a Major Logistics Hub

Case study by Professor Prashant YadavPublished 16 Oct 2023, FT

How Sharing Risks Can Save Lives

The first in a series of teaching cases exploring business dilemmas. For a teaching note to accompany this case study, contact our INSEAD Africa Initiative's Academic Director, Professor Prashant Yadav at [email protected] published: 13 Feb 2023

MBA case study: fixing pharma in Gabon -

by Stephen E. Chick, Ridhima Aggarwal, Sugandha Kaushal, Wangari Ng'ang'a published: 08 Oct 2021

The Journey to Universal Health Coverage: Learning from Kenya's Pilot Programmes

by Sevcenko V., Heely L., Stolk D. published: 02 Feb 2021

En Classe: Aligning Incentives in the Public School System across Democratic Republic of Congo

by Zhuang X., Chen G. published: 27 Jul 2020

Transsion Mobile: Deep Blue Ocean in Africa

by Chattopadhyay A., Wee J., Dolbec P., Nanarpuzha R. published: 30 Jun 2020

The AAK Kolo Nafaso Programme: Securing an Alternative Shea Supply Chain

by Aggarwal R., Stern I., Lee M., Chick S.E. published: 24 Jan 2020

Sustaining the Mission: Strategic Options to Scale Unjani Clinics NPC by 2030

by Claudia Zeisberger, Jean Wee published: 29 Jan 2018

ACTIS' Pan-Regional Payments Platform: Private Equity Buy-and-build Strategy in Middle East & Africa

byJasjit Singh published: 21 Apr 2017

Trevor Field and the PlayPump

by Philip M. Parker, Yvan van Dam published: 26 Oct 2015

Shoe Manufacturer for Stepping into High Pace Markets

Shoe Manufacturer Stepping into High-Pace Markets: Bottom of the Pyramid Strategy for Clarks in Africa

by Claudia Zeisberger, Anindita Sharma, Michael Prah published: 24 Mar 2014

Rice from Africa for Africa: Duxton Asset Management and its Investment in Tanzanian Rice Farming

Authored by Lite Nartey, Affiliate Professor of Strategy, INSEAD. This is an adaptation of an article published in 'The Conversation' - August 2024.

INSEAD Africa Programmes

Executive Education

Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation (session in Rwanda)
Project Finance and Green Finance (session in Kigali)
Leading Across Borders and Cultures
Strategic Marketing Programme
Click here for INSEAD Executive Education programmes
Contact us for Programmes not listed in above

MBA

MIM

Click here for Master in Mangement programme page

EMFin

Click here for INSEAD Executive Master in Finance programme page

Thought Leadership

View all Testimonials

Vinika D. Rao

Executive Director, INSEAD Africa Initiative; Asia Director, INSEAD Hoffmann Institute

The distinctively unique continent of Africa, with its wealth of natural resources and human capital, makes a special contribution to global business and society. At the Africa Initiative, we look forward to learning from and about Africa as well as sharing management knowledge and best practice to enhance its continued success.

Vinika D. Rao

Executive Director, INSEAD Africa Initiative; Asia Director, INSEAD Hoffmann Institute

INSEAD Knowledge (Africa Focus)

New Pathways to Meet Africa's Challenges

How Africa Can Embrace Venture Capital

Authored by Lite Nartey, IAI's Academic Fellow and Affiliate Professor of Strategy, INSEAD. Article published in "The Conversation".June 2024

Africa doesn’t have a choice between economic growth and protecting the environment: how they can go hand in hand

Published by Prof Prashant Yadav, Academic Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative. Some ideas for African vaccine manufacturing initiatives from the trajectory and history of the Indian Vx industry, in a new piece #ThinkGlobalHealth - Feb 2024

Insights From India on Expanding Global Vaccine Production

Published by Prof Prashant Yadav, Academic Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative. Exploring the severe healthcare gap in some parts of the world resulting from the Global Pandemics. - Mar 2024

How to Boost Health Product Supplies in Developing Regions

Published by Prof Prashant Yadav, Academic Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative. Entrepreneurship is rapidly evolving in many low-and middle-income countries in Africa, where local entrepreneurs are solving social sector problems through a clever combination of business models, new technology and fast feedback loops. - Feb 2024

How Local Innovation Can Drive the Global Development Agenda

Published by A.Szerb, I.Kivleniece & V.A.Aggarwal of INSEAD. Combining for-profit entrepreneurship with a non-profit social mission through novel organisation design can achieve scale & impact. - Jan2023

Solving Grand Societal Challenges Through Creative Organisation Design

Published by Prof Prashant Yadav, Academic Director and Dr. Vinika Rao, Executive Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative Experts discuss how the climate emergency is impacting Africa – and how leaders across the continent are taking action to mitigate it. - Dec 21, 2022

Confronting Climate Change in Africa.

The Role INSEAD Alumni Are Playing To Advance The Gender Initiative in Africa.

Published "InTheKnow", an article where our team spoke to two INSEAD Global Executive MBA alumnae who are playing a key role to advance conversations around gender parity and diversity in the region. - Dec 2022

Empowering Public Health Leaders in Africa Published by Luk Van Wassenhove, INSEAD and Paul Lalvani, Empower School of Health

A unique programme to foster leadership and supply chain skills through public-private capacity-building efforts. June 27, 2022

Are Our Supply Chains Ready for the Next Global Health Crisis?

Published by Prashant Yadav, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management and Academic Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative We need resilient healthcare supply chains to prepare for the next global health emergency. Here's how to do it. May 25, 2022

Lessons in Sustainable Change Management: #deCOALonize Kenya.

Published by Wamaitha Mungai, founder of Sustainability Challenger (EMC 2021), Lee White, INSEAD Thesis Supervisor, and Zoe Kinias, INSEAD Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour The campaign to prevent the construction of a coal power plant on an idyllic island in the Indiana Ocean. February 8, 2022

New Variants Show Why the World Urgently Needs Vaccine Equity.

Published by Prashant Yadav, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management and Academic Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative Delivering more vaccines to low-and middle-income countries is vital if we want to limit the emergence of new coronavirus variants. - November 30, 2021

Improving Women's Access to Mobile Family Planning Services.

Published Luk Van Wassenhove, INSEAD Emeritus Professor of Technology and Operations Management. Cash-strapped NGOs could reach more clients in rural areas - at no extra cost - by basing their visit frequency on data instead of habits. - November 1, 2021

When the Problem Isn't the Problem.

Published by Luk Van Wassenhove, INSEAD Emeritus Professor of Technology and Operations Management, and Prashant Yadav, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management. October 6, 2021

Harnessing AI for Healthcare in Rwanda.

Published by Aishwarya Sridhavan & Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society. Digitization of Rwanda’s healthcare system through the successful adaptation of a mature market solution by Babylon Health. - June 30, 2021

How Africa Could Astonish the World.

Published by Prashant Yadav, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management and Dr. Vinika D.Rao, Executive Director of the INSEAD Africa Initiative. June 29, 2021

Harnessing Solar Energy in Rwanda.

Published by Hoffmann Global Institute of Business and Society. “Why should you become a force for good? Because it brings you a level of satisfaction that you cannot experience solely as a profit-seeking entrepreneur.” November 11, 2020

Africa's Drone Medical Delivery Service Saves Lives in Lockdown.

Published by Lee Seok Hwai, INSEAD Knowledge Senior Editor. Could airborne despatch of medical supplies also the answer to the needs of developed countries? June 12, 2020

The Powerful Leadership of African Women.

Published by Lucy Quist (INSEAD MBA'05J), INSEAD Board Director. Six women leading the way and inspiring others to realise their potential. March 6, 2020

Three Keys to Creating Prosperity in Africa.

Published by Lucy Quist (INSEAD MBA'05J), INSEAD Board Director. While each country must finds its own path, every leader working on its continent must commit to improving its brand equity. September 11, 2019

What Firms Can Learn from NGOs in Africa.

Published by Luk Van Wassenhove, INSEAD Professor of Technology and Operations Management and Harwin de Vries, INSEAD Humanitarian Research Group Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Cross-learning between the corporate world and non-profits. - February 27, 2019

Market Segmentation at the Bottom of the Pyramid

Published by I.Laporte. Serving the poorest requires using a micro-lens to fully understand their needs and challenges. - Sep2017

Published by Loic Sadoulet, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Economics, and Swaady Martin, Founder and CEO, YSWARA ...many of the strategies and tactics instrumental to its successful African expansion to launch YSWARA. - August 3, 2016

The "Africa" Framework for Start-ups in Tough Places.

How Women Are Changing the World.

Published by Hans H. Wahl, Director INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Programme (ISEP) As social entrepreneurs, women are uniquely positioned to understand and address society's unmet needs. March 8, 2016

China's Africa Policy: A Matter of Development.

Published by Jonathan Story, Emeritus Professor of International Political Economy at INSEAD. October 4, 2012

Podcasts

INSEAD Africa Initiative Podcast Series

This podcast series explores Africa and the people who are shaping its economic, societal and environmental progress.

Creating Prosperity in Africa

In Conversation with Lucy Quist

Financing for Sustainable Development in Africa

In Conversation with Nabila Aguele

Retail in Africa - Challenges & Opportunities

In Conversation with Dominique Lecossois

Africa - Opportunities and Threats in the next half century

In Conversation with Colin Coleman

ESG in Africa: The Importance of Transparent & Relevant Disclosure.

Podcast with Andrey Bogdanov on ESG in Africa

In Conversation with Andrey Bogdanov

Tune in here.

Upcoming Events

African Business Conference

Date: 12 October 2024; Time: 09:45 - 17:00 CET; Venue: Amphi Rubeli, INSEAD Europe Campus / Hybrid event

Past Events

Webcard_How Asian Businesses Can Grow on the African Continent

How African Businesses Can Grown on the African Continent

Featuring our IAI Distinguished Fellow Dominique Lecossois in this panel discussion, exploring the strategic rationale behind Asian businesses expanding into Africa and examines the direct and indirect costs of such ventures compared to emerging Asia. Is Africa competing with Asia for a similar role in the global value chain? What are the costs of doing business in Africa, and what are the biggest opportunities now and in the future?

Africa CEO Forum

Featuring INSEAD Africa Initiative Academic Director Prashant Yadav as moderator in "Pharmaceuticals: Boosting Production through Regional Hubs" in Kigali. 17 May 2024

Roundtable on "Delivering on Africa's Potential: Advancing Leadership, Sustainability, and Partnership", featuring INSEAD Africa Initiative Academic Director Prashant Yadav. - 15 May 2024

INSEAD pre-Africa CEO Summit Thought Leadership Roundtable

Stay tuned for more updates.

Building Healthcare Supply Chains to Support Regional Production on the African Continent

Panel moderated by Prof Prashant Yadav, Academic Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative. Building Healthcare Supply Chains to Support Regional Production on the African Continent. - 04 April 2024

A closed event, featuring the participation of IAI Executive Director, Dr. Vinika Rao.

ADIS24 (African Diaspora Investment Symposium)

"Harnessing The Youth Boom to Unlock Africa's Scientific Potential", featuring IAI's Academic Director Prashant Yadav.21 March 2024, Fireside chat

Africa Club: Understanding Africa Series

A fireside chat with Laurent Demey on understanding the investment landscape in Africa and unearthing investment opportunities. 13 February 2024, in-person

Global Health Supply Chain Summit in Kenya

An annual summit to discuss & deliberate key issues facing healthcare supply chains on the African continent. IAI ED, Prof Yadav is part of the organizing Commitee of GHSCS.

INSEAD Africa Initiative and Lagos Business School: Exploring Collaboration to Enhance Research & Teaching

Introduction to a group of Delegates from Lagos Business School of African leaders from various local organizations, faculty and programme members of LBS.

OECD EMnet Business Meeting on Africa: Africa as the New Investment Frontier

A closed virtual event, in partnership with INSEAD Africa Initiative, Knowledge Resources (KR) and South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).

Leading Inclusively for Sustainable Growth

New case study by Professor Prashant Yadav. Case explores attempts to make it economically viable to help tackle diseases in lower-income countries.

How Sharing Risks Can Save Lives

To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the Republic of South Africa and Singapore, the South Africa Focus week was held in Singapore.On the occasion, South African’s National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) hosted the South Africa/Singapore Youth Dialogue on 27 September 2023.

South Africa and Singapore Youth Dialogue in Singapore

South Africa/Singapore Youth Dialogue

Delved into purpose-driven leadership that goes beyond the bottom line, shine a spotlight on promising industries that hold immense potential and contribute to the continent's growth and hear how successful African companies have stayed resilient and overcome challenges to thrive. 23 September 2023

Africa Amplified: Redefining Leadership, Creativity, and Impact across Industries

In this podcast series on "ESG Matters with Risk Insights", IAI Executive Director, Dr. Vinika Rao shared on DEI perspectives.

South Africa Women Month Celebration

Listen here

East Africa Faculty Learning Trip

INSEAD Faculty visited Rwanda & Kenya, to gain on-the-ground knowledge about how business, government & social ecosystems are evolving in Africa.

Strathmore University Visit to Asia Campus

In partnership with marketing team, we hosted a special session for visiting students from Strathmore University, Kenya, in the Asia Campus.

ESG: Driving Positive Change in Africa

How Africa can accelerate development on the continent by using ESG? Our distinguished panelists focused on the current status, global perspective and lessons, and ESG disclosure as a driver of sustainability performance among other issues. Featuring IAI Executive Director, Dr. Vinika Rao as the panelists together with Mr. Andrey Bogdanov of Risk Insights; An event in collaboration with Risk Insights Inc. > Watch the webcast here. March 2023

Watch the webcast here.

How can Africa bolster its Resilience in the face of mounting Geopolitical pressures?

An interactive session and talk with Colin Coleman on how Africa can become more resilient in the face of mounting geopolitical pressures. Colin, a widely regarded expert on the economic development challenges and opportunities across the African continent, currently serves as INSEAD distinguished fellow after having served as the CEO of Sub-Saharan Africa for Goldman Sachs. Event brought to you by INSEAD Africa Initiative and Africa Business Club. February 2023

Climate Change - Impact on Africa

Climate change is having a devastating impact on the African continent. It is creating food insecurity, stressing water resources, depleting human health, causing population displacement and negatively impacting socio-economic development in Africa. Like elsewhere on the planet, its consequences are felt most by those that can afford it the least. The panel will discuss the impact of climate change on Africa and the possible solutions to reduce or counter the same. > Watch the webcast here. November 03, 2022

Watch the webcast here.

U.S-Africa Business Summit 2022 - "Health Supply Chains in Africa" on July 22, 2022

IAI's Academic Director, Professor Prashant Yadav has been invited to moderate this plenary which will bring together key players from the African Union, regulators, national level governments and private sector experts to talk through not just the current state of supply chain issues, but also suggest ways to make Africa’s health systems more self-sufficient and resilient. Details here. An event brought to you by Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco.

An interactve session with amazing African Women leaders in participation, Dr. Vinika Rao, Executive Director of INSEAD Africa Initiative, conducted this session with exciting topics dicussed on (1) what does #leadingwithauthenticity mean to you? (2) what kind of #authenticleaders would you want to be? (3) what challenges have you faced when bringing your #wholeselftowork? (4) has #covid-19 increased the importance of Leading with Authenticity? 24 May 2022, virtual workshop with participants from 12 different industry sectors & 10 countires in Africa, held by GBSN & Ecobank, in collaboration with IAI and EMI.

Ellevate Leadership Program: "Leading with Authenticity"