Investing in the Future: A Conversation on Africa’s Promise in Support of BU’s African Studies Center
On March 26, 2026, Boston University alumni, financial leaders, and friends of the Pardee School of Global Studies gathered at the University Club in New York City for an evening focused on the Prospects for the African Future. Organized as a tribute to and celebration of Pardee’s African Studies Center (ASC), the event highlighted the center’s long-standing role, spanning more than 70 years, as a national leader in Africa-focused research, teaching, language instruction, and cultural programming. The gathering resonated with the ASC’s mission to deepen understanding of the continent while supporting the next generation of scholars and practitioners engaged with Africa.
The evening’s main event, a panel moderated by Pardee School Dean Scott Taylor, brought together a collection of distinguished leaders from diplomacy, global finance, investment, and academia, which included Will Stevens, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa; Tidjane Thiam, Chairman of Freedom Acquisition Corporation; Seun Salami, Chief Financial Officer, Nuveen Asset Management; Tom Ceusters, Chief Investment Officer, World Bank Group; and Professor Nimi Wariboko, Director of the ASC. With networks in the financial sector and in West Africa, Pardee Dean’s Advisory Board member Robert Novembre (Pardee’91) was instrumental in convening the panelists.
The conversation centered on finance, investment, and business development across African markets, while also addressing broader political and demographic trends shaping the continent’s future. Panelists emphasized that meaningful engagement with Africa requires moving beyond outdated narratives and engaging with the continent’s diversity, complexity, and dynamism.
Several speakers focused on persistent misperceptions around investment risk. Thiam spoke candidly about how investors assess financial risk in Africa, urging a more nuanced and data-driven approach. Ceusters reinforced this point, noting that global research, including findings from the International Finance Corporation, shows that investors often overestimate the risks of doing business in Africa. Both he and Salami argued that successful domestic African companies should be viewed as a positive signal, demonstrating market maturity and partnership potential rather than competition or instability. All speakers highlighted local entrepreneurship as a cornerstone of sustainable growth and noted the importance of African political, social, and economic agency.
The discussion also turned to governance, technology, and the continent’s youthful population, with Stevens stressing that, despite international constraints, we need to also keep in mind the importance of African governments delivering basic services and strengthening the social contract with their citizens. During the Q&A portion of the event, panelists addressed concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) as an opportunity, but also as a potential threat to African labor markets. Given that roughly 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25 and faces an uncertain employment landscape, they could face a kind of pre-emptive job displacement, in which the prospects for both skilled and unskilled jobs alike are foreclosed.
Despite these challenges, the tone of the evening was decidedly optimistic when it came to Africa’s future. There was widespread agreement among the panelists that Africa’s growth trajectory offers opportunities that can mutually benefit investors and African businesses when built on partnership and local engagement. Later reflecting on this potential, Salami noted,
“The path forward is clear. Supporting entrepreneurship, driving practical reforms that promote growth and social mobility, and investing in both foundational and advanced education are the keys to elevating the entire continent. The insights from the audience and panelists, especially on talent circulation between Africa and the world, reminded us just how critical it is to invest in people, not just projects. The energy around Nigeria’s startup scene is proof that ingenuity is thriving despite the other hurdles.”
Novembre highlighted the ASC as a globally respected, tier-one institution whose impact would be significantly strengthened through greater visibility and engagement. He emphasized the Center’s potential to serve as a hub for educating students, alumni, and the broader public about Africa’s diversity, opportunities, and strategic importance, while challenging persistent misconceptions about the continent. Drawing on his background in global finance, Novembre envisioned the Center as a bridge between the United States and Africa, and as a national leader guiding more informed and constructive engagement.
“The African Studies Center is positioned to be the perfect place to launch the building of a bridge between the United States and Africa–commercially, geopolitically, and culturally. It can act like a weathervane pointing in the right direction of how to make a positive difference.”
The event successfully combined rigorous, topical discussion with a clear purpose: supporting the African Studies Center’s work at a pivotal moment for the Pardee School, and for the African continent itself. Through thoughtful dialogue and strong alumni engagement, the evening reinforced ASC’s vital role in shaping informed, ethical, and forward-looking engagement with Africa through its outstanding research and teaching.