2015
“Making Sense of China’s Rush Into Africa”
Howard French, Columbia University
April 21
“Social Conflict and Cattle Rustling in Africa: Understanding the New Pastoral Economy”
Mike Jobbins, Director, Global Affairs and Partnership, Search for Common Ground
October 7
“Democracy and the Challenge of Political Change in Nigeria”
Dr. Usman Bugaje, Convener of Arewa Research and Development Project
November 4
“From Claimed Victories to a Long War: French Security Policy in the Sahel”
Dr. Roland Marchal, Senior Research Fellow, National Center for Scientific Research
December 2
2014
“Political Marginality in Nigeria: Exclusion, Dissent, and Election”
Adam Higazi, lecturer in African politics and history at the Centre of African Studies at the University of Cambridge.
March 5
“The 2015 Nigerian General Elections: Understanding Hopes and Fears”
Usman Bugaje, founding chairman of Network for Justice
April 11
“Constitutional Amendment in an Emerging Democracy: The Nigerian Experience”
Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate of Nigeria
April 14
“Voices Unheard? Rising Demand for Democracy in Africa”
Carolyn Logan, Michigan State University
September 18
“The Role of Political Parties in an Emerging Democracy: A Nigerian Perspective”
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila
September 24
“Emerging Africa: How the Global Economy’s Last Frontier can Prosper and Matter”
Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
December 4
2013
“Security Challenges in the Niger Delta: A Governor’s Approach”
Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan
Governor of Delta State, Nigeria
February 6
“Political Prospects Democratic Challenges in Nigeria”
General Ike Nwachukwu
Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
March 11
“The Role of Governors in Nigeria’s Federal Democracy: Meeting the Challenges”
Governor TA Orji, Abia State, Nigeria
March 12
“Lagos: No Longer a Dream Deferred”
Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, Lagos State, Nigeria
April 26
“Regional Security Issues and Nigeria’s Future”
Honorable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
September 10
“The African Growth Story: The GE Perspective”
Todd Johnson, SAIS Alum
General Electric Africa
November 7
“’I am Here Until Development Comes’: Displacement, Demolitions and Property Rights in Urbanizing Abuja”
Carl LeVan, American University
Josiah Olubowale, University of the West Indies
November 18
2012
“Corruption, Democratic Institutions, and Accountability in Nigeria”
Yahaya Baba, Usman dan Fodio University, Sokoto
Joseph Oleyinka Fashagba, Landmark University, Kwara
September 5
Film screening: “Into the Niger Delta”
October 1
“Rethinking Conflict Resolution and Reforms in Northern Nigeria”
Prof. Tijjani M. Bande
Director-General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Nigeria
October 19
2011
“Do-Not-Die: The Nigerian Voter Restored”
Okey Ndibe, Trinity College
Von Kemedi, Senior Government official in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
February 23
“Nigeria: The April 2011 Elections and Beyond”
Dr. Attahiru Jega, Chairman (Click here for PowerPoint) of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria
Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, NDI Senior Associate for Africa
Dr. Peter M. Lewis, Director of the SAIS African Studies Program
Carlo Binda, NDI Nigeria Senior Resident Director
Dr. Gwendolyn Mikell, Georgetown University Professor of Anthropology and Foreign Service
Richard L. Klein, NDI Senior Advisor for Election Processes
Eric Guttschuss, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch
Jennifer Cooke, Director of the CSIS Africa Program
Dr. Pauline Baker, President Emeritus at The Fund for Peace
May 10
“I Assure You of Fresh Air: Incumbency, Choice & Cynicism in the Nigerian Elections of April 2011”
Dr Abdul Raufu Mustapha, University of Oxford
November 30
2010
“Addressing Corruption in Africa”
Nuhu Ribadu, Visiting Fellow, Center for Global Development, Former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria
March 24
“Pulling Nigeria From The Brink”
Pastor Tunde Bakare, Convener; Save Nigeria Group
November 3
“The Nigeria Petroleum Industry Bill: Industry Perspectives and Regulatory Challenges”
Paul Arinze, British Gas Nigeria
Basil Omoyi, Former Country Chair, Shell Nigeria, and Senior Advisor to Shell
Alexandra Gillies, Revenue Watch Institute
Charles McPherson, Independent Consultant
Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), CISLAC
Uche Igwe, Public Policy Scholar Woodrow Wilson International Scholars Center
November 3
“Accender Africa Launch”
Cinnamon Dornsife, Acting Director, International Development Program, SAIS JHU
Peter Lewis, Director, African Studies Program, SAIS JHU
Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice President, Africa Region, World Bank Group, Founding Member of Transparency International
Matthias Chika Mordi, Founer and CEO of Accender Africa
November 29
2009
“Addressing Instability in the Niger Delta”
Nnamdi Obasi, International Crisis Group
February 25
Conference: “The Politics of Development and Security in Africa’s Oil States”
April 2-3
“Where Angels Fear to Tread: Religion and Informal Enterprise in Nigeria”
Kate Meagher, Lecturer, Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics
October 28
“Flawed Vision: Nigerian Development Policy in the Indonesian Mirror”
David Henley, Senior Researcher, KITLV, Leiden
November 11
“Islam, Islamism, and Post-Islamism in Africa”
Benjamin Soares, Researcher, Center for African Studies, University of Leiden
December 2
2008
“Toward Police Reform in Nigeria”
Okechukwu Nwanguma, Project Officer for campaign operations and periodic reports at the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) in Lagos
April 2
“Oil and Politics in the Gulf of Guinea”
Ricardo M. S. Soares de Oliveira, Austin Robinson Research Fellow, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
April 9
“Anatomy of a Major Debt Deal: The Paris Club and Nigeria in 2005”
Thomas M. Callaghy, Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania
September 17
“Militants of the Niger Delta: Who, What, and Why?”
Dr. Judith Asuni, Visiting Scholar of African Studies, Johns Hopkins University-SAIS
September 24
Senate Foreign Relations Staff Report: “The Petroleum and Poverty Paradox: Assessing U.S. and International Community Efforts to Fight the Resource Curse”
Reception and Photo Exhibit with Ed Kashi, Photographer
Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta
November 20
2007
“Federalism, Ethnic Conflict and the Prospects for Democracy in Nigeria”
Rotimi T. Suberu, Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, and Professor of Political Science at Nigeria’s University of Ibadan
February 28
“Globalization and Muslim Reform Movements in Nigeria: Strategic Implications for US Energy Security Policy”
Paul M. Lubeck, Professor of Sociology and Director, Global Information Internship Program College Eight at the University of California, Santa Cruz
March 7
“Nigeria’s Political Outlook: The 2007 Elections and Beyond”
Participants include:
Reuben Abati, Guardian Newspapers
Innocent Chukwuma, CLEEN Foundation and Transition Monitoring Group
Jibrin Ibrahim, Center for Democratic Development
Rotimi Suberu, University of Ibadan and USIP
Peter Lewis, Director, African Studies Program and Associate Professor
Keynote Speaker:
Honorable Nasir El-Rufai, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
March 9
“Nigeria: 2007 Elections Debriefing”
Peter Lewis, Director, African Studies Program and Associate Professor
Christopher Albin-Lackey, Human Rights Watch
Joshua Marks, SAIS student and Nigeria elections observer
Jennifer Bussey, SAIS student and Nigeria elections observer
April 30
“Growing Apart: Oil, Politics and Economic Change in Indonesia and Nigeria” book launch
Peter M. Lewis, Director, African Studies Program
September 17
“Policy Framework for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy”
Ojo Maduekwe, Foreign Minister of Nigeria
October 1
“A Conversation with Dan Hoyle: Hearing the Niger Delta”
Dan Hoyle, Writer, actor, and former Fulbright Scholar
November 12
“The Culture of Corruption in Nigeria”
Daniel Smith, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Brown University
November 16
2006
“Nigeria: The Road to the 2007 Elections”
Jibrin Ibrahim, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (Nigeria)
Rebecca Sako-John, Executive Director, League of Democratic Women (Nigeria)
October 4
“Nigeria: Restoration or a Road to Somalia?”
Pat Utomi, Director of Centre for Applied Economics, Lagos Business School
October 30
“Conflict in the Niger Delta: A Tipping Point?”
Dimieari Von Kemedi, Managing Director of Alpha Strategy
December 4