Nigerian researcher wins prestigious technology-enabled policy award

In a remarkable recognition of homegrown talent, Kafayat Ololade Liadi has been named the Technology-Enabled Policy and Economic Research Professional of the Year at the 2023 Nigeria Information Technology Awards (NiTA).

The announcement, made on 9th December 2023, celebrates a young Nigerian scholar whose innovative approach to policy research is reshaping how the country addresses critical economic and diplomatic challenges.

Liadi's win comes at a time when Nigeria faces complex regional and global challenges requiring evidence-based policy solutions. Her research portfolio demonstrates an impressive fusion of traditional policy analysis with modern technological tools, creating frameworks that government agencies and policymakers can readily adopt. This technological integration has become her signature, distinguishing her work in a field often criticized for its lack of practical implementation.

A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, where she studied International Relations, Liadi has built an impressive body of work that bridges academic rigor with policy relevance. Her research focuses on Nigeria's foreign policy, economic diplomacy, and regional integration, with particular attention to West African stability and development. What sets her apart is her methodological approach—developing models and frameworks that policymakers can use to evaluate and improve Nigeria's international engagement.

Her scholarly publications reveal a systematic approach to understanding Nigeria's place in the global order. She has published papers examining Nigeria's diplomatic engagement with ECOWAS states, the country's climate diplomacy goals, and its role in African Union peace initiatives. Each publication develops specific models or frameworks—from peacebuilding effectiveness frameworks to policy alignment models—designed to transform abstract diplomatic concepts into measurable outcomes.

One of her notable contributions is her work on economic interdependence between Nigeria and China, examining how this relationship affects industrial growth and infrastructure development. This research demonstrates her ability to analyze complex bilateral relationships through an economic lens, providing insights that go beyond traditional diplomatic narratives.

Similarly, her work on oil diplomacy diversification addresses one of Nigeria's most pressing challenges: reducing dependence on petroleum revenues while maintaining international influence.

Liadi's commitment to research excellence extends beyond her publications. She serves on the editorial boards of several international journals, including the International Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship Research and the International Journal of Applied Research in Social Sciences.

In these roles, she has helped shape academic discourse in political science, international relations, and gender studies. Her peer-reviewed work earned the 2022 Reviewer of the Year award, recognizing her contributions to maintaining high scholarly standards.

The NiTA award recognizes not just past achievements but also the potential impact of Liadi's ongoing work. Her research on Nigeria's foreign policy in West Africa, her frameworks for peacebuilding, and her models for sustainable development in ECOWAS states all address urgent continental challenges. As Nigeria continues to position itself as a regional leader, researchers like Liadi provide the analytical foundation necessary for effective policy formulation.

What makes this recognition particularly significant is its focus on technology-enabled research. In an era when data analytics, digital tools, and technological innovation are transforming policy research globally, Liadi represents a new generation of African scholars who are not content to study policy merely but are actively developing technological approaches to improve it. Her work demonstrates that African researchers can compete at the highest levels internationally while addressing uniquely African challenges.

As Nigeria navigates an increasingly complex global landscape, the need for sophisticated, evidence-based policy research has never been greater. Kafayat Ololade Liadi's recognition by NiTA affirms the value of research that combines theoretical depth with practical application, traditional scholarship with technological innovation, and academic excellence with policy relevance.

Her achievement serves as both a celebration of her individual accomplishment and an inspiration for young Nigerian researchers seeking to make meaningful contributions to national development.