KOBE-DUKE
SYMPOSIUM ON
AFRICANECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

Informality and Dynamism ofAfrican Economies

July 20, 2023

3pm-6pm (JST)Hybrid Symposium
In-person Roundtable Discussion
Open Invitation to all interested
via Online Participation

VenueRegistration

Meeting Room (Annex Bldg)
RIEB, Kobe University
Online by ZOOMTo attend the symposium, please complete theregistgration form before July 16, 2023.
https://forms.gle/HttFTTSr9swArTQ36

Organizers
Kobe University Research Institutefor Economics andDuke University Africa Initiative
Business Administration

SPEAKERS
Andrew Dabalen, Chief Economist forAfrica Region, World Bank
Yemi Dipeolu, Former Special Advisor tothe President on Economic Matters,
Nigeria
Misa Hirano, Professor, Division ofAfrican Area Studies, Graduate School of
Asian and African Area Studies, KyotoUniversity
Murray Leibbrandt, Professor andDirector, Southern Africa Labour andDevelopment Research Unit (SALDRU),
University of Cape Town
Aika Matsumoto, Ph.D. Student,Graduate School of Asian and African
Area Studies, Kyoto University
Yoichi Mine, Executive Director, JICA
Ogata Sadako Research Institute for
Peace and Development

Research Platform on Manufacturingin Africa and Asia / Japan Society
for International Development

Diana Nyachieo, Ph.D. Student, Schoolof Economics, University of Cape Town
Sayaka Ogawa, Professor, Graduate
School of Core Ethics and FrontierSciences, Ritsumeikan University
Motoki Takahashi, Professor, Division ofAfrican Area Studies, Graduate School of
Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto
University
Abdoul-Karim Soubeiga, Graduate
Student, Graduate School ofInternational Cooperation Studies, Kobe
University

ORGANIZERS
Nobuaki Hamaguchi, Professor, RIEB,
Kobe University
Hiroyuki Hino, Visiting Research Scholar,
Office of Global Affairs, Duke University
Charles Piot, Professor, Department ofCultural Anthropology, Duke University

"INFORMALITYAND DYNAMISM
OF AFRICANECONOMIES"PROGRAM
Moderator
Nobuaki Hamaguchi

Session I
Informality of African micro entrepreneurs –an appraisal

Presentations (15 mins each):
1. "Rethinking the Informal Economy in Africa:
Theoretical Perspectives, First Principles"
Charles Piot
2. "Formation of Informal Network forTechnology Transfer: Insights from History"
Yoichi Mine

Discussants (7-8 mins each)
Aika Matsumoto
Diana Nyachieo

Open Discussion (15 mins)
with Online Participation

Session III : Panel Discussion

Discussants (7-8 mins each)

Informality as a cornerstone of rapid andequitable development in Africa (45 mins)

Misa Hirano
Andrew Dabalen

Open Discussion (15 mins)

Moderator

with Online Participation

Hiroyuki Hino

Panelists

Session IIYemi Dipeolu
Sayaka Ogawa
Murray Leibbrandt
Abdoul-Karim Soubeiga

Dynamism of African informal
entrepreneurs: empirical evidence

Presentations (15 mins each):
1. "What Drives dynamism of African Micro
Entrepreneurs? Econometric Analysis of
Their Social and Institutional Attributess"
Nobuaki Hamaguchi

Summing-up (10mins)
Hiroyuki Hino

2. "Inclusiveness and Exclusiveness of
Sharing of Technologies by East African
Entrepreneurs: Empirical Studies of
Small and Medium ManufacturingEnterprises "Jointluy Supported by RIEB Seminar / Kanematsu Seminar /Motoki Takahashi

Kobe University Strategic International Collaborative ResearchGrant (Type C Creating Joint Research)

Background and Program Overview
For the last two decades, there has been a consensus among policy makers,
development practitioners and scholars alike that the aim of development
policy in sub-Saharan Africa should be to achieve “inclusive growth”, not just ahigh economic growth. People of all walks of life, poor and rich, should equally
enjoy fruits of economic growth of a country where they live.
Yet, over the last decade, economic growth faltered in much of the continentand perhaps even more importantly, the number of Africans who live in
extreme poverty has continued to increase. Inequalities – both vertical andhorizontal - appear to have risen. Moreover, political, social and economic
fragility has heightened. We are witnessing the reemergence of coup d’états,increased incidents of conflicts and greater economic volatility.
This Symposium contends that some of the fundamental premises of thedevelopment strategy that has contributed to the above outcomes should bechallenged. Specifically, we challenge the premise that informal enterprises
are minuscule, unproductive and in many ways inferior and, hence,
governments and development agencies should promote growth in modern,formal sectors and uplift those in the bottom two-thirds of the pyramid, i.e.,
the informal economy.
Thus,
inthisSymposium(SessionI),
wecontrast
thenegativeconceptualization of informal enterprises above, a conventional view indevelopment economics, with a more optimistic view of many anthropologists
and some policy scholars. The latter sees the informal economy as a set ofenterprises that are dynamic, innovative and entrepreneurial and thus ought
to be a strength and positive resource for the continent. Mutually supportiveor even opposing perspectives are presented and debated.
In Session II, we probe if empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that
informal entrepreneurs are dynamic, innovative and resilient. Substantivefindings will be presented on behavioral characteristics of informal
entrepreneurs/enterprises by two presenters – one on Nigeria, Ghana andKenya and the other on East Africa. Two discussants will follow with findings oftheir own research. We will see if a common thread could be found from thosefindings.
Finally, a panel discussion will be held to explore how informal entrepreneurs
can be supported more effectively than in the past and if African countries canachieve inclusive growth by embracing the informal economy as a pillar ofdevelopment strategy. Panelists will offer diverse perspectives, based on richexperience in economic policy (Nigeria), research findings on labor market andinequalities (South Africa), extensive ethnographic interviews (Tanzania), andviews from grassroots (Burkina Faso).