Henley Africa Research Centre: Advancing meaningful change regionally and globally

Since its inception, the Henley Africa Research Centre has emerged as a leader in interdisciplinary research, addressing critical growth sectors across the African continent. The Centre’s vision bridges African insights with global perspectives, focusing on youth empowerment, entrepreneurial ecosystem development, and the advancement of Africa’s creative sector - all supported by substantial research funding.

The Centre’s impact extends beyond academic research and teaching to directly influence organisational transformation, industry development and policy frameworks. Strategic partnerships with leading institutions across the continent, including Lagos Business School alongside collaborations with key industry stakeholders, have strengthened the Centre’s capacity to empower Africa’s youth and drive sustainable development initiatives.

“Africa is considered to be the next frontier,” says Dr Adeyinka Adewale, Associate Professor of Leadership Ethics and Entrepreneurship. “With a median age of 19 and with over 60 per cent of the population being under 25, the vast human and natural resources on the continent remain largely untapped and cannot be ignored.

“We are on a mission to elevate African thought leadership and perspectives in the global arena through transformative research, impactful teaching and purposeful partnerships to advance meaningful change regionally and globally. To drive this forward, we need a deeper understanding of the people, practices, potential and the challenges of the continent.”

Research with real-world impact

The Centre’s research combines academic rigour with real-world impact, providing businesses and policymakers with data-driven strategies to drive economic and social transformation across the continent.

These initiatives have resulted in high-impact publications and innovative pedagogical approaches that shape entrepreneurship, business management and leadership programmes designed specifically for African youth and senior executives.

The Centre employs interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research methodologies to address Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities. By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, the Centre advances innovative solutions in enterprise development, governance, and sustainable growth.

High impact projects and activities

The Centre has been involved in the delivery of several high impact corporate training, entrepreneurship and young professionals’ development programme initiatives in West Africa. These include:

• Doing Business in Africa (DBIA) - In partnership with Lagos Business School, DBIA is a high-impact executive course designed to equip business owners and executives with the knowledge to navigate Africa’s dynamic business environment.
• The Nexus Project – British Council Going Global Partnerships (IAU) - The Innovation for African Universities (IAU) Project was designed to strengthen Africa–UK higher education partnerships, enhancing universities’ roles within entrepreneurship ecosystems across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. The project N directly impacted 117 young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, equipping them with critical skills for business success.

• Creative Enterprise Support Programme (CESP) Project (2020): The British Council Creative Enterprise Support Programme consisting of business development training, mentoring and support was jointly delivered by Henley Business School to 60 young and emerging musicians in Accra, Ghana.

For further information on the Henley Africa Research Centre, visit here.