AfricaLics

From Discrimination to Commitment: diversity management in emerging economies
2026-02-26 16:00 - 17:30 (Europe/London) | Online via Zoom, Kenya
Register Here
Decades of HR diversity management research in the Global North has examined the impact of negative stereotypes on organisational outcomes. Yet, understanding is limited in the Global South, notably in post-colonial countries like Nigeria, where indigenous multi-ethnicity complicates perceptions of employee commitment and discrimination against specific social identities. This study investigates the relationship between age discrimination and employee commitment, moderated by diversity management, within the Nigerian banking industry. Utilising a quantitative explanatory approach and drawing on social exchange theory, data were collected from 656 employees in the Nigerian banking sector through survey questionnaires. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach alpha techniques were employed for hypothesis testing and reliability assessment. The findings reveal a negative association between perceived age discrimination and employee commitment within the Nigerian banking sector. The findings suggest a need for integrating diversity management policies with HR practice fairness (policy-practice exchange), tailored to the contextual nuances of employee inequality experiences (context-experience exchange). The study contributes to HRM theory and practice. Drawing on social exchange theory, we show that diversity management in Global South organisations necessitates prioritising the integration (or exchange) of HRM practice with practice fairness. This approach is crucial for fostering employee commitment and addressing discrimination based on specific identities like age.
Keywords: Age Discrimination, Employee Commitment, Diversity Management, Age, Nigerian Banking Sector

Speaker
Oluwatomi Adedeji is a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour in the Department of Leadership, Management and Human Resources. Dr. Oluwatomi has 11 years of experience in teaching and research. She is an Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), UK. Oluwatomi hold an M.A. in Human resouces management from Coventry University, UK and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business and Management from the University of Huddersfield.
Oluwatomi’s research interest cuts across the fields of Human Resource Management; particular interests are Organisational Behaviour, Employee Commitment, Diversity and Conflict Management, Age discrimination among others. In her doctorial research, Oluwatomi researched on how age inclusive HR practices are related to perceptions of age discrimination and in turn how perceived age discrimination is associated with employee commitment and turnover intention as well as how diversity management interacts with this association. Oluwatomi is actively engaged in research projects and activities both nationally and internationally.

How to register

If you are interested in attending the webinar, please register via this link or get in touch with Ms. Yvonne Gitu at Y.Gitu@acts-net.org for more details.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from AfricaLics Zoom account containing information about joining the webinar. Please ensure you add the invitation to your calendar.

Official Inauguration Ceremony of the Advancing Inclusive Agricultural Innovation for Climate Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa (AACRA) RCA’s Community of Practice
2026-06-17 14:00 - 15:45 (Africa/Lagos) | Online via Zoom, Kenya
Building a Collaborative Community of Practice for Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Exchange in Sub-Saharan Africa
Background and Rationale
The Advancing Inclusive Agricultural Innovation for Climate Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa (AACRA) Research Coordination Area (RCA) is establishing a Regional Community of Practice (CoP) to foster structured collaboration, learning, and knowledge exchange among researchers working on agricultural innovation and climate resilience across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Following a competitive Call for Expression of Interest, 89 qualified researchers from diverse countries across Africa have been carefully selected to join this inaugural Community of Practice. These members represent a multidisciplinary and geographically diverse network of scholars and practitioners committed to advancing inclusive agricultural innovation, strengthening climate resilience, and contributing to evidence-informed development outcomes across the continent.
The establishment of this Community of Practice responds to the need for a more coordinated and sustained platform for collaboration among researchers working on related thematic areas. It is designed to enhance peer learning, promote interdisciplinary engagement, strengthen mentorship opportunities, and support the co-production of knowledge that is relevant to policy and practice.
The inauguration of the AACRA RCA Community of Practice, scheduled for 17th June, marks the formal launch and recognition of this newly constituted network. The ceremony will serve as a milestone event to welcome the selected members, introduce the structure and thematic working groups of the CoP, and present its strategic orientation and expected contributions to research and policy discourse in Africa.
Objectives of the Programme
The specific objectives of the inauguration ceremony are to:

Officially inaugurate and formally launch the AACRA RCA’s Regional Community of Practice.
Present the vision, goals, objectives, and strategic direction of the AACRA RCA.
Share key findings from the RCA State of the Art Report and analytical membership profile.
Introduce the thematic working groups and operational clusters of the RCA.
Promote collaboration, networking, mentorship, and interdisciplinary engagement among alumni members.
Strengthen institutional partnerships and stakeholder support for RCA activities and future initiatives.

Implementation Strategy
The inauguration ceremony will be implemented through a structured virtual engagement approach involving presentations, goodwill messages, interactive discussions, and ceremonial activities. The programme will be moderated to ensure effective coordination, smooth transitions, and strict time management.
The implementation strategy will include:

Presentation of the AACRA RCA vision, goals, objectives, and strategic priorities.
Dissemination of the RCA State of the Art Report and analytical profile of members.
Introduction of thematic working groups and operational clusters to facilitate collaboration and specialization.
Testimonial sessions from newly integrated alumni members to encourage participation and ownership.
Goodwill messages from AACRA RCA experts
Official declaration and ceremonial inauguration of the AACRA RCA.
Open floor discussions, reflections, and questions-and-answers session to encourage interaction and collective engagement.
Documentation of key discussions, commitments, and outcomes for post-event dissemination.

Expected Outcomes
At the end of the inauguration ceremony, the following outcomes are expected:

Successful formal inauguration of the AACRA Regional Community of Alumni (RCA).
Increased awareness and understanding of the RCA’s goals, structure, and strategic direction.
Enhanced engagement and integration of alumni members into thematic working groups and collaborative networks.
Strengthened partnerships and stakeholder commitment toward RCA initiatives.
Improved networking, collaboration, and interdisciplinary knowledge exchange among participants.
Documentation of key resolutions, commitments, and recommendations to guide future RCA activities.

Target Audience
The programme will target:

AACRA RCA core team
Newly admitted CoP researchers
Representatives of other Africalics RCAs

Programme Coordination
The inauguration ceremony will be coordinated by the AACRA RCA Core Team under the leadership of Dr. Mercy Salami, with support from designated speakers, presenters, organizing members and the moderator.

How to register

If you are interested in attending the webinar, please register via this link or get in touch with Yvonne Gitu at Y.Gitu@acts-net.org for more details.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from AfricaLics Zoom account containing information about joining the webinar. Please ensure you add the invitation to your calendar.

RCA Members

Dr. Mercy F Salami – (RCA Lead)
Senior Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin Nigeria. She is a Fellow of the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), Northwestern University, USA.
Prof. Opeyemi E. Ayinde
Professor of Agricultural Economics and Vice-president of the African Association of Agricultural Economists, Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Faculty of Agriculture University of Ilorin Nigeria.
Dr. Caleb Adelowo
Deputy director of research at the Technology Innovation and Enterprise Studies Department of the National Centre for Technology Management Obafemi Awolowo University Nigeria.
Rosalyne N. N. Baddoo
Project Manager for Eco-Inveg, a USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture Project, implemented by the Postharvest Innovation Hub, Department of Crop Science University of Ghana Ghana.
Ann Numi
Research fellow, African Centre for Technology Studies, ACTS, Science Technology, Innovation & Knowledge and Society (STIKS) Programme African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) Kenya.

Sanne Chipeta
Facilitator, Strategic Sector Cooperation between Nigeria and Denmark in the fields of food safety and livestock production An experienced manager and international adviser with more than 30 years of experience in international Development.
Dr. Catherine Kilelu
Director of Communication, Outreach and Partnerships and a Senior Research Fellow in the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security (AFNS) Program at ACTS. She was a member of the Lancet COVID-19 Commission Task force on Green Recovery
Dr. Faith Mugisha
Dean of Faculty of Business and Management, Cavendish University, Uganda She is a two-time beneficiary of the transformation GlobeLics Academy (2019 in Finland) and AfricaLics Academy (2018 in Morocco).
Dr. Adeola O. Olarewaju
Lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She was a Visiting Research Fellow at the African Studies Centre Leiden, Netherlands.
Jemberu T. Asmare
PhD fellow, University of Gondar, Ethiopia. Lecturer and Researcher at Debark University, Ethiopia Former Registrar Directorate Director /Senate Secretary, JKU, Jinka, Ethiopia.

A decolonial option, among others: border thinking as a tool to shape innovation measurement practice within African country contexts
2026-08-20 14:00 - 15:30 (Africa/Lagos)
This webinar will offer an account of how scholars working from within a variety of African country contexts are using a form of border thinking to shape innovation measurement practice. Border thinking is a way of thinking from the borders, the edges, the meeting points, of the field’s key binary constructs – developed/developing, leading/lagging, and so on. At its core, its proponents suggest, is pluriversality (as opposed to universality), multiple ways of knowing, a global ecology of knowledge. This webinar aims to open up a space for scholarly conversation on some examples of innovation measurement practice that exemplify a border thinking approach, as well as what lessons these examples have elicited or might elicit for the broader enterprise of innovation measurement.
Speaker
Dr Gerard Ralphs is based at the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators. His research on innovation measurement focuses on the South African cultural and creative industries, in particular the implications for public management and governance.

How to register

If you are interested in attending the webinar, please register via this link .
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from AfricaLics Zoom account containing information about joining the webinar. Please ensure you add the invitation to your calendar.

Call for Applications - 12th AfricaLics PhD Academy
2026-11-02 - 2026-11-12
The 12th AfricaLics Ph.D. Academy on Innovation and Competence Building Systems will be held in Johannesburg, hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the AfricaLics Research Capacity Strengthening Project.

Call for applications
The AfricaLics network is an academic research and capacity-strengthening network that focuses on how innovation (the process through which new or improved products, processes, organisational forms, ways of working, and acting are introduced into new environments) occurs and the relationship this has with economic and social development in African countries. Such research is becoming known in the network as ‘innovation and development studies’ because it is at the intersection of innovation studies and development studies.
The 12th AfricaLics PhD Academy offers PhD students enrolled at African universities who work in the field of innovation and development studies the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this burgeoning field, meet leading academics in the field, and receive feedback on their PhD studies.
The 12th AfricaLics PhD Academy will be held as an in-person event at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) campus in Johannesburg, South Africa. It will be held alongside the 7th AfricaLics Research Conference (https://africalicssouthafrica.witsevents.co.za/) scheduled for 10 – 12 November 2026.
This is a call for students enrolled in a PhD at an African university who work in the field of innovation and development studies to apply to participate in this residential PhD Academy event.
Innovation and development studies
The AfricaLics network was founded in 2012 due to a growing recognition of the need for more support for academic ‘research on innovation’ that had relevance to the contextual environments of African countries. This burgeoning body of work by African scholars is essential to ensure ‘research in innovation’ (i.e., research and development of specific inventions that can help solve practical problems), where most innovation policy and funding attention is focused, can be effectively supported. The concept of ‘research on innovation’ focuses on innovation processes, what fosters innovation and on what may help new solutions get accepted and adopted. It is particularly interested in understanding the impact of innovation on the social and economic development of African countries. It considers these issues at the level of firms, networks, and collaborations as well as at the national, continental, and global levels. As such the work of scholars in the AfricaLics network is multidisciplinary being at the intersection of the established academic fields of innovation studies and development studies.
This multidisciplinary field includes researchers from a range of disciplines often studying innovation studies, the economics of innovation, innovation management, technology management, science and technology studies. However, the network also includes those from other more disciplinary fields such as engineering, economics and political science.
Who is eligible to apply?
PhD students working in innovation and development studies and who are principally interested in how innovation relates to economic and social development in Africa are the main target group for the PhD Academy.
The Academy will host approximately 20-25 students from Africa and a handful of students from other parts of the world.
Specifically, PhD students who wish to participate will need to fulfil the following requirements:

work explicitly on issues related to policy-oriented analysis of science, technology and innovation
be able to present an original paper reflecting his/her research and/or thesis work that fits within the thematic areas of the AfricaLics network
preferably be at least at the beginning of his/her second year at the time of the academy (a small number of first-year PhD students may be accepted)

If you are in doubt as to whether you can apply, please contact us using the email address at the bottom of the call.
We will have a limited number of places available to master’s students studying in South Africa. These selected students will be granted observer status i.e. can attend but will not present their work.
Master degree students who wish to participate will need to fulfil the following requirements:

be a registered Masters student in a South African university on a degree programme in the area of economics, business or management studies, sociology or development studies or similar
have a Masters project that will focus on an aspect of innovation studies (i.e. innovation management or innovation systems)

To improve diversity in the emerging academic community on innovation and development studies research in Africa, we encourage female scholars and those from low-income countries to apply.
Design of the Academy
The Academy will invite frontier researchers in innovation and development from around the world to deliver lectures and mentor students. The Academy also provides opportunities for PhD students to share their work and learn new skills. As such, the Academy is made up of the following activities:

Lectures by senior researchers on areas ranging from research methodologies to the latest theories and empirical research in the fields of innovation, innovation management and science policy.
Presentations by doctoral students of their work with feedback from the senior scholars facilitating at the event.
Sessions focused on enabling interaction between students, practitioners and policy makers on innovation and development issues
Study visits to innovation hubs, innovative businesses and/or similar organisations
Sessions that focus on key skills that students need to complete their PhD and become successful academic researchers such as publishing or project management skills
A practical project that helps students think through how to ensure their PhD project is addressing developmental issues and how to ensure results will be articulated to relevant policy and practitioner stakeholders.
A two-day supervision workshop focusing on topics such as what good supervision looks like, the student-supervisor relationship and key tools for the PhD journey (planning, good work habits and how to deal with feedback).

The Academy’s language of instruction will be English. We will not be able to provide translation services. A good level of spoken and written English will be required by students accepted into this Academy.
An overview of the likely programme for the Academy is provided in Appendix 1.
How to apply
PhD students who apply must submit an extended abstract of their PhD thesis, not exceeding five (5) pages.
Master’s students who apply must submit an extended abstract of their Master’s project, not exceeding two (2) pages.
The abstract must be submitted together with a covering letter, the applicant’s CV, and a recommendation letter from the applicant’s principal PhD/ Master’s supervisor or a senior scholar who is familiar with the applicant’s work.
These documents should be sent to the AfricaLics Secretariat (phd-academy@africalics.org) on or before 23:00 hours East Africa time on Friday, 1st May 2026.
Format of abstracts
Abstracts should be typed double-spaced in English with font size 12. The abstract must include the following sections:

Background and literature review
The research objectives or research questions
Methodology including the data collection and analysis techniques to be used,
Expected contribution to academia and policy discussions.
References

Please also make it clear in your application if you are preparing a thesis by publication or manuscript/ monograph thesis.
Selection
All extended abstracts will be reviewed by at least two senior scholars from a review panel comprising members of the AfricaLics Scientific Board, the AfricaLics Secretariat, the AfricaLics RCS team, and the host University.
Selection will be made based on the academic quality of extended abstracts as well as on the basis of criteria aimed at promoting diversity (by location, gender, etc.). Selection criteria for AfricaLics events are published on the AfricaLics website: http://www.africalics.org/selection-criteria/
Successful applicants will be notified by 10th June 2026 of their acceptance to the Academy.
Sponsorship and travel support
Successfully selected participants will be expected to arrive on Sunday 01 November 2026 and leave on the night of Thursday 12 November 2026. The airport to arrive and depart from is OR Tambo International Airport. Airport shuttle arrangements will be made by the organisers.
The AfricaLics Research Capacity Strengthening (RCS) project will cover the cost of 11 nights of accommodation, on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, during the Academy for accepted PhD students. No daily subsistence allowance or stipend is provided but lunch and 2 refreshment breaks will be provided during the academy. Students should be expected to bring sufficient funds with them to cover the cost of any sightseeing and lunch on Sunday, 08 November.
The AfricaLics RCS project also has funding to cover the costs of economy-class return airfares for those attending who are registered at an African university based in a country classified by the OECD as ‘least developed’, ‘low income’ or ‘low middle income’, and who will be attending from outside South Africa.
If you are interested in applying for this travel support, please indicate as such in your cover letter and ensure that your cover letter and the support letter from your supervisor indicate how you have tried to find alternative sources of funding for your trip In addition, such applicants must indicate that they have (a) tried to source funding from elsewhere and (b) have been unable to source alternative funding. Only those from African countries classified by OECD as least developed, low or low-middle-income can apply for this travel support. These applicants will be asked to complete a travel support request form. Details of this process will be made available once an applicant has received confirmation of their acceptance at the academy. Acceptance at the academy does not automatically guarantee financial support to cover the cost of your air ticket. If financial support is given to cover the cost of an air ticket, the amount of support awarded may not cover the whole cost of the air ticket. No support is provided for ancillary costs associated with your travel e.g. visa costs, other transport costs. Please note that travel support is provided on a reimbursement basis only, except in exceptional circumstances. Please see AfricaLics travel support policy here: https://africalics.org/travel-support/
All accepted applicants will be responsible for their own visa and travel insurance arrangements, including the cost of these.
Confirmation of attendance and final paper upload
All successful applicants are expected to confirm their participation by 23:00 hours East African Time on Tuesday, 1st September 2026; otherwise, their place will be offered to another applicant.
All selected participants who confirm attendance will also be expected to upload a final FULL paper (details of this will be given in your acceptance letter) by 23:00 hours East African time on Monday, 5th October 2026. The full paper should be a full project proposal (for Master’s students) or a chapter of, or paper from, your thesis that you would like to present and get feedback on during the Academy (for PhD students).
Organisation and support
The 12th AfricaLics Ph.D. Academy is organised by Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa with support from the AfricaLics RCS project hosted at the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), Kenya. The event is financially supported by Wits University, the AfricaLics network, and Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency).
The local organising committee at Wits University is led by: Prof. Geci Karuri-Sabina. Day-to-day organisation of the Academy at Wits University is the responsibility of Dr Amy Matua. Organisation of the Academy at the AfricaLics RCS project is being managed by Prof. Rebecca Hanlin.

Contacts
For any queries or questions about the academy contact: rebeccah@uj.ac.za
For general queries about Wits University: amy.mutua@wits.ac.za
For general queries about the AfricaLics RCS project: RCS@africalics.org
For general queries about AfricaLics: secretariat@africalics.org

Call for Papers - 7th AfricaLics Research Conference
2026-11-10 - 2026-11-12 | Wits School of Governance,, 2 St. David’s Place, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
The 7th AfricaLics Conference seeks to critically reflect on the relationship between innovation and society in Africa — examining power, inequality, and the social dimensions of innovation in the digital age. It calls for new, forward-thinking approaches to achieving shared development goals across the continent and globally.
Sub-Themes:

Historical, theoretical and conceptual perspectives on innovation and development
Political economy challenges for innovation in Africa
Digital revolution, AI, and the African gig economy
The creative sector, arts, and innovation
African knowledge traditions and innovation systems
Sustainability-oriented innovation (energy, water, agriculture, manufacturing, etc.)
Innovation policies and socio-economic transformation (STISA 2034, Agenda 2063, SDGs)
Financing innovation in key economic sectors
Innovation for sustainable health and wellbeing
Inclusive innovation, education and development (gender, youth, disability)

Ways to Participate:

1. Paper Presenter
Submit original, unpublished papers (max 8,000 words) aligned to conference sub-themes
2. Thematic Session Organiser
Submit concept notes for special sessions
3. Poster Presenter
Submit a one-page overview of your poster presentation
4. Day Delegate
Attend full conference; open to policymakers, researchers, and practitionersCall for Abstracts Now Open!
Important Dates:

Submission of papers and registration (ConfTool) opened on 1 March, 2026
Note: Abstract submission is encouraged for paper development and alignment with the conference theme. However, this does not guarantee acceptance of the paper. Nevertheless, full paper submission is still permissible without first submitting an abstract. 17 April, 2026
Notification of Abstract acceptance 15 May, 2026
Deadline for submission of full papers 17 July, 2026
Deadline for submission of concept papers for thematic sessions 17 July, 2026
Notification of paper acceptance (Reviews & Feedback) 28 August, 2026
Conference registration deadline 30 September, 2026
Deadline for up-loading of final paper 02 October, 2026
Conference Dates 10-12 November, 2026

Follow this link to learn more on the conference website.
