A new chapter in academic and cultural exchange is unfolding between Harvard University and Nigeria, following a landmark week-long visit by the Harvard Centre for African Studies (CAS).
The visit, which wrapped up on August 26, 2025, served as a demonstration of Harvard’s commitment to forging deeper, more meaningful partnerships with African thought-leaders and institutions.
The week’s programming was built around three core objectives: elevating African voices on the global stage, strengthening collaborations with Nigerian leaders and alumni, and supporting long-term investments in research and innovation.
This strategic approach, according to Dr Zoe Marks, Faculty Director of CAS, ensures that “African priorities and perspectives are not just heard but drive the collaborations and research shaping the future at Harvard and beyond.”
The visit commenced with two major events designed to foster dialogue and partnership.
The first, the Folorunso Alakija Distinguished Lecture, brought together scholars to examine the complex interplay of religion and public life in Africa.
Professor Oyeronke Olademo of the University of Ilorin stressed the gap between professed faith and lived practice in Nigeria, Africa’s largest multi-faith democracy.
Her insights were further explored in a dialogue with Harvard's own Professor Jacob K. Olupona, underscoring the intellectual exchange at the heart of the visit.
The second signature event, a Gala Dinner, gathered leaders to discuss the most pressing questions facing Nigeria and Africa over the next 25 years.
The evening, guided by prominent social entrepreneur Ms Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, featured a keynote address by former Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
Osinbajo spoke on the crucial importance of research in addressing key areas such as public health, food security, and the green economy, providing a call to action for sustained academic partnership.
Beyond the formal events, the CAS delegation, which included Dr Marks, Associate Director Ms Rosaline Salifu, Africa Office Director Ms Nthatisi Quella, and Communications Officer Mr Sirak Kurban, engaged in a series of collaborative site visits across Lagos.
The delegation first met with members of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association and other Harvard clubs in Nigeria, a gathering that included a vibrant cultural showcase of Nigerian food, music, and dance.
This networking event laid the groundwork for deeper connections throughout the week.
The visit also included a trip to the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC), where Director-General, Mr Kunmi Adio-Moses, a Harvard Kennedy School alum, showcased the centre’s capacity-building work for public service professionals.
Another visit was to the Makoko community, hosted by Slum2School founder and Harvard alum, Mr Orondaam Otto.
The delegation witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of the organisation’s scholarship program on students' lives in the water-based neighbourhood, often dubbed “the Venice of Africa.”
At the University of Lagos, Professor Marks and Mr Kurban met with the first female Vice Chancellor, Dr Folasade Ogunsola, to explore future partnerships in research and teaching.
They toured the campus and the Institute for African and Diaspora Studies, with a focus on how Harvard can strengthen vital Nigerian academic institutions.
The visit’s commitment to impactful research was a recurring theme. The delegation met with Motsepe grant awardees Professor Phyllis Kanki and Professor Alani Akanmu at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Their joint research, which investigates immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers, exemplifies the kind of sustained, collaborative research the centre aims to support.
The professors stressed that research should not be a “stop-and-go” effort, but a continuous process essential for building healthier and stronger communities.
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