Resident Representative

Dr Ayodele Odusola

Dr Odusola provides leadership and is accountable for harnessing and directing the full potential of UNDP’s global capabilities, and programmes, in support of South Africa’s development strategies and collaborative partnerships. Prior to this current assignment, he was Chief Economist and Head of the Strategy and Analysis Team for UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA), where he coordinated economic, social and environmental dimensions of development in Africa. He led the preparation of regional flagship reports for RBA, as well as strategic policy notes and occasional policy papers in areas such as fiscal space, youth employment, value chain development, renewable energy, and climate change. Dr Odusola provides intellectual leadership to SDG acceleration frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa, managing the network of Senior Economists in UNDP Africa Country Offices and providing strategic advice on policy matters to the RBA Director. As an economist, Dr. Odusola focuses on the dynamics of macroeconomics and development economics pertaining to the African continent. Dr Odusola had served as a consultant to many international organizations like the World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, the World Institute of Development Economics Research (WIDER), the Global Development Network (GDN), the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) and the West African Institute of Financial and Economic Management. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.