Kenechukwu Nwagbo

Kenechukwu is the Political Economy Specialist for the Open Political Economy Analysis Programme. In this role, she helps decision-makers (and other changemakers) navigate the political barriers to growth and development by delivering action-oriented political economy products in clear, accessible language.

Kenechukwu specialises in basic education reforms in resource-constrained countries, drawing on a decade of frontline experience, research, and policy work in the field of education and international development. Before joining Oxford, she co-ordinated the design and implementation of a systems-strengthening reform targeting over 200,000 learners in conflict-affected north-eastern Nigeria; led international research collaborations between multi-lateral agencies and policy think tanks across Africa, Asia, and Latin America; supported the evaluation of girls’ education programmes in Nepal, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania; and co-designed analytical frameworks to support innovative approaches to evidence syntheses. 

She holds a PhD in Education and International Development from the University of Cambridge. Her doctoral dissertation examined the politics of public-private partnerships in education in Nigeria. Before this, she earned an MPhil in Education, Globalisation and International Development from the University of Cambridge and a BA in International and Comparative Politics from the American University of Nigeria.