International Development LSE 263d ago

From reversal of fortune to economic resurgence: A comparative study of industrialization and leadership Tuesday 13 May 2025 2.00pm to 4.00pm, MAR.1.10, Marshall Building LSE This event will be a book launch for a newly published book titled From Reversal of Fortune to Economic Resurgence: Industrialization and Leadership in Asia’s Prosperity and Nigeria’s regress. The book explores the longstanding but urgent question why Africa fell behind and experienced development reversal by looking closely at Nigeria’s journey from projected boom to relative stagnation, and contrasts it with four Asian countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh. Suported by extensive data, the book’s analysis highlights the startling disparities, between Nigeria and these four Asian countries in institutional capacity, expanded educational possibilities and improved economic performance, and the nuanced impact of resource dependency on the failings of leadership and state institutions that catalyse innovation. The authors puts knowledge and technological acquisition at the centre of their analysis and showcase the central issues in Africa’s development conundrum while using Nigeria as a case study. The book argues persuasively that strong economies attain their success by implementing solid economic policies that not ony promote macroeconomic stability but support domestically suited growth paradigms that are robust, balanced, and inclusive. It ends with suggestions on how Nigeria, and by extension, Africa can cultivate and benefit from such leadership and vision to reverse its fortunes. The book launch will discuss the key issues raised by the book for economic development in Africa, namely: the impact of resource dependency and how it undermines the process of technology acquisition (and innovation), the differentiated impact of the resource curse in Africa’s underdevelopment, and the critical role of leadership in fostering development and causing economic reversals. Speakers: Professor Banji Oyelaran Oyeyinka, Senior Special Advisor to the President on Industrialization, African Development Bank and Professorial Fellow, United Nations University-MERIT | Professor Padmashree Gehl Sampath, Visiting Professor in Practice, LSE and CEO, African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation | Professor David Luke, Professor in Practice and Strategic Director at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa Chair: Professor Ken Shadlen, Professor of Development Studies in the International Development Department