Osita Ogbu

Osita Ogbu OON (born 1957) is a Nigerian politician. He is the professor of development economics at the University of Nigeria. He was the Minister of National Planning in Nigeria from 2005 to 2006, and former chief economic advisor to the president of Nigeria. He once served as the executive director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network, Nairobi, after having served as senior program specialist-economics of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada and Consultant Research Economist of the World Bank, Washington D.C. He is also a former visiting fellow of the Brookings Institution's Africa Growth Initiative. Osita Ogbu was the director of the Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. Aside from having served as former chairman of the Governing Council of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NISER), he is the chief executive officer of the African Development Solutions International [ADSI] and a member of the global advisory board of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET).

Early life and education Osita Ogbu is from Ovoko, in Igbo-Eze South LGA of Enugu State in Nigeria. Ogbu was born on September 29, 1957, at Onitsha. He had his early education at the Holy Trinity Primary School, Onitsha and St. Teresa's College, Nsukka. He was educated at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated in 1979 with a B.Sc. in economics and at Howard University in Washington D.C., US, where he obtained an M.A. in economics in December 1984 and a Ph.D. in economics in May 1988. He also has a certificate in corporate governance– committee functions from Harvard University Business School, Boston, USA (July 2009)

Government Osita Ogbu was the chief economic adviser to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Cabinet minister responsible for the National Planning Commission from 2005 to 2006. As the Chief Economic Adviser, Osita Ogbu was the Deputy Leader of the National Economic Team. He was a former chairman of the governing council of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Ibadan.

As an Administrator and Professor From January to April 2012, Osita Ogbu was visiting fellow, Africa Growth Initiative, Global Economy and Development, The Brookings Institution, Washington D.C. He is the managing director and CEO of the African Development Solutions International [ADSI], which is a knowledge-based consulting outfit. He became professor of economics and director, Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in 2011. Ogbu delivered the 133rd inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria on 26 April 2018. The lecture was entitled “Why Are They So Poor”. Ogbu remained as the director of the Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, teaching postgraduate courses in development studies, until 2021. He is a current trustee of The Clement Isong Foundation and a director of the AFRI Heritage Institution, Enugu. He serves on the Economic Advisory Committee and the Privatization Council of Enugu State. In February 2024, he was appointed a member of the global advisory board of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET).

Opinion Essay Development As Attitude: How National Progress is shaped by Leadership Philosophy and Citizens’ Orientation (London: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd).

Edited books 1. Eboh, E. & Ogbu, O. (2010). The Global Economic Crisis and Nigeria: Taking the Right Lessons, Avoiding the Wrong Lessons, (African Institute for Applied Economics, Enugu, Nigeria: 2010).

2. Charles Soludo, Osita Ogbu, and Ha-Joon Chang (2004). The Politics of Trade and Industrial Policy in Africa (Africa World Press Inc., New Jersey, US: 2004).

3. Ogbu, O., Oyeyinka, B. and Mlawa, H. (1995). Technology Policy and Practice in Africa, (IDRC Books, Canada: 1995).

4. Uramah, C.K; Ogbu, Osita; Bijker, W; Alfonso, A.; Gomez, N.; Ozor, N. (2009). The African Manifesto for Science, Technology and Innovation. (African Technology Policy Studies Network, Kenya, Nairobi: 2009).

Academic papers

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Personal life Osita Ogbu is married to Dr. Ogugua Osi-Ogbu, a geriatrician, and they have children.