Our Alumni
AIG SCHOLARS IMPACT STORY
2018 AIG Scholar Tobechukwu Nneli is a Research Associate at ODI (previously called Overseas Development Institute) an international think tank that uses research to effect transformational change across the world.
Tobechukwu says being an AIG Scholar and studying at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford was an unforgettable experience and the knowledge and networks he built from the opportunity are unparalleled.
“Beyond academics and the classroom experience, the Oxford and BSG community had some of the most brilliant minds I have met, and I made the best use of these resources as much as I could.”
After completing his degree, Tobechukwu joined ODI, where he works to implement research programmes across Nigeria. Thematic areas he has worked on include governance and public sector reforms, education, health, and migration. Through these programmes he has built working relationships with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and state governments including Jigawa, Kaduna and Kano states. He also facilitated a research and capacity building partnership, focused on policy communication and political economy analysis, between ODI and Nigerian government’s primary socio-economic think-tank, the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).
Tobechukwu says that although he would have liked to work directly in the public sector itself, in his current role, he is still able to make a positive impact on the development of the country.
“Upon graduation, access to senior government officials for the purpose of providing technical support or joining the public sector was challenging. However, working with a global affairs think-tank and leveraging relationships with other development partners has enabled me to get access and support some very senior government officials including the Minister for State, Budget and Planning as well as Director-General of NISER”.
Tobechukwu is currently working on the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, which aims to deliver a more inclusive and effective education system and improve learning outcomes for students in their pre-primary and primary years. He provides political economy analysis, including analysis of institutions and power relations)and scoping reports, in order to support strategic and programming decisions.