APORDE Podcast Series
The African Programme on Rethinking Development Economics (APORDE) is a high high-level training programme in development economics targeting policy-makers, researchers, academics and civil society representatives from Africa and other developing countries. The programme has been running since 2007 and is a joint initiative between the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS).
As part of APORDE’s agenda of influencing, educating and reaching a wider audience, it has introduced an APORDE podcast series. This series draws on the community of those that have participated directly in both the international and national APORDE network of heterodox development economists and social scientists.
APORDE Podcast Series
An Interview with Echezona Asuzu, Aporde 2024 alumni
With Aporde 2024 having recently taken place, we are pleased to present a series of interviews with some of this year's lecturers and attendees.. These interviews are hosted and conducted by Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) Communications Officer Nondwe Majundana and feature a diverse range of specialists in the field of development economics.
Comrade Echezona Asuzu serves as the Principal Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and is the National Coordinator of its Climate Change, Green Jobs, and Just Transition Program. With a Master’s degree in Industrial and Employment Relations from the University of Turin, his expertise centers on Just Transition and organizing. He is an integral member of Nigeria’s National Steering Committee on Climate Change and related initiatives, collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, employers’ organizations, and other governmental bodies to address climate change and promote a sustainable future.
Comrade Asuzu has led training programs for NLC-affiliated unions and played a pivotal role in advocating for the NLC’s inclusion as a State Negotiating Partner at international forums like COP28. In 2024, he will facilitate NLC’s hosting of two side events at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. A fellow of the DfID Change Champions Program and South Africa’s APORDE initiative, he is recognized for his leadership in development economics and climate-related advocacy. He resides in Abuja, Nigeria, with his family.