Moghalu to Speak at Harvard GEM26 Conference on Global Development

Sunday Ehigiator

Renowned political economist and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, is set to participate as a panelist at the 17th Global Empowerment Meeting (GEM26) hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School Center for International Development.

According to a statement issued yesterday by IGET Academy, the conference will hold from May 4 to 5, 2026, bringing together leading global thinkers, policymakers, and development practitioners to explore how international development can be reimagined in the face of evolving geopolitical and economic realities.

Moghalu, founder and president of IGET Academy, will feature on Panel 2 titled “Doing Development Differently,” scheduled for May 5.

The session is expected to examine innovative approaches to growth, equity, and sustainability amid declining aid flows, volatile markets, and increasing geoeconomic fragmentation.

Organisers said the meeting will address one of the most pressing global questions: how to reshape development strategies to reflect current realities while ensuring inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

In their invitation, CID Faculty Director, Asim Ijaz Khwaja, and Executive Director, Fatema Z. Sumar, highlighted Moghalu’s contributions to economic governance and institutional development across Africa.

“Your leadership in advancing economic governance, institutional capacity, and policy innovation across Africa has helped shape important conversations about Africa’s role in the global economy,” they stated.

Responding, Moghalu described the platform as an opportunity to influence development thinking globally.

“This is a discussion with potential outcomes that could reshape the trajectory of many developing countries, especially in Africa. I am honoured to join this gathering and look forward to robust exchanges on practical, context-aware approaches to development,” he said.

The conference will feature an array of high-profile speakers, including Dani Rodrik, James Robinson, Esther Duflo, Raghuram Rajan, and Samantha Power, among others.

GEM26 builds on the tradition of the Harvard Kennedy School to foster evidence-based dialogue and generate actionable solutions to global challenges. Parts of the programme will be accessible virtually through registration on the school’s website.

According to organisers, Moghalu’s reflects the increasing prominence of African perspectives in shaping global development discourse, particularly in advocating policies that prioritise local agency, institutional strength, and long-term sustainability.