Two new members have recently been appointed to the advisory board of the ICTD’s Nigerian Tax Research Network (NTRN). Ms Amina Ado and Dr Oyebola Okunogbe, who bring specialised expertise to the table, have joined Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, MFR, the Chair of the advisory board, and members Dr Nonso Obikili, Dr Francisca Nlerum, Mr Mustapha Ndajiwo, Dr Giovanni Occhiali, and Mr Moyosore Arewa, as well as ex-officio members Dr Oliver Owen and Mr Michael Falade.
The NTRN was established in 2017 to enhance the generation and exchange of tax knowledge in Nigeria and is concerned with all topics related to taxation, ranging from tax policy to tax administration, and from academic papers to practical case studies. Stakeholders include tax practitioners and researchers from Nigerian and international institutions, as well as donors and civil society organisations working on tax issues in the country. The NRTN advisory board serves to review research proposals and papers, participate and act as panellists at events, and assist in making decisions on areas of research, activities, and partnerships to organise and pursue.
Dr Olly Owen, the NTRN’s Research Coordinator, said “We are thrilled to welcome two such accomplished members to the advisory board, and are confident they will help steer the Network in important ways in the future.”
Amina Ado, founder of the Sana’a da Ilmi Foundation, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to support research for improving tax policy and administration in Nigeria.
Ms Ado has over two and a half decades of cross-sector experience, including in banking, oil and gas exploration and production, and public service. Her expertise covers banking operations, audit and internal control, financial control, project finance, risk management, oil and gas policy, and development of local content capacity, tax and fiscal policy.
Previously, Ms Ado was a Senior Special Assistant (on Oil and Gas Policy) to the Nigerian President in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President; as well as a former member of the Risk Committee of the Board of Total E&P Closed Pension Fund Nigeria Limited. Amina has a strong academic and professional profile, with postgraduate degrees in: development studies, strategic planning, finance, and business administration. She is a member of multiple professional bodies including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
Dr Oyebola Okunogbeis an Economist in the World Bank’s Development Research Group, working in the intersection of development economics, public finance and political economy. She is also an International Research Associate at the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Dr Okunogbe’s work explores different aspects of the relationship between the state and citizens, and implications for economic development in low-income countries. A major strand of her research is taxation, and she is interested in the determinants of tax compliance in contexts with limited state capacity. She also examines how the increased use of technology affects tax systems. On the expenditure side, Dr Okunogbe is interested in understanding ways to improve public good provision and service delivery. She also works on other topics such as national identity and inter-ethnic relations, gender, and education.
Dr Okunogbe received her BA in Economics from Dartmouth College, and holds an MPA in International Development (MPA/ID) from Harvard Kennedy School and a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard University.
Mr Michael Falade, the Coodinator of the NTRN, said “It’s a pleasure to have Ms Amina Ado and Dr Oyebola Okunogbe on the advisory board. We have already benefited a lot from their wealth of experience and expertise, and are excited about the contributions we can make together towards tax research and administration in Nigeria.”
This news story was originally published on the ICTD website.
