Shows
Ideas UntrappedBig Ideas with Robin HansonWelcome to Ideas Untrapped podcast. In this episode, I talk with economist Robin Hanson. This episode is about an everyday exploration of some of Robin's biggest ideas. We discussed the hidden motives behind our everyday behaviours and how they shape institutions like education, healthcare, and government. We explore his ideas on signalling, innovation incentives, and alternative governance models like futarchy. Robin also discussed his latest idea of Culture Drift: how humanity's superpower of cultural evolution can tend towards a maladaptive direction. Robin thinks this explains worrying trends like persistent low fertility at a time of material abundance, and he...
2025-06-111h 15
Ideas UntrappedPower to the PeopleWelcome to Ideas Untrapped podcast. In this episode, I speak with economist Sugandha Srivastav about the hidden political economy of electricity in developing countries. Using examples from her study of Pakistan's electricity market, we explored how opaque power purchase agreements, regulatory capture, and poor procurement practices drive high costs and unreliable supply in many developing countries that are in desperate need of energy. Sugandha also shares bold insights on how competitive markets and renewable energy, especially solar, can transform the power sector and deliver affordable electricity for all. Dr Sugandha Srivastav is a Lecturer in Environmental Economics and a...
2025-05-2752 min
Ideas UntrappedFree Markets in AfricaHello, everyone, and this is Ideas Untrapped podcast. In this episode, I explored the challenges of acceptance of free market ideas in Africa with my guest, Tinashe Murapata. We talked about how the struggles of free market ideas can be traced back to historical misinterpretations that link capitalism with colonial oppression. We also discussed the weaknesses of Africa’s electoral politics in prioritizing economic issues and emphasised the need for cultural change to embed economic freedom in public discourse. The conversation concludes with a vision for localized, community-driven solutions to reduce state dependency and encourage market-driven development. Tinashe Murapata is...
2025-03-2046 min
Ideas UntrappedAmerica's New DealWelcome to another episode of Ideas Untrapped podcast. My guest on this episode is Raymond Fisman, who is the Slater Family Professor in Behavioural Economics at Boston University. He is one of the foremost researchers on corruption and institutional behaviour in the last three decades, and I have been looking forward to talking to him. The main theme of our conversation was the re-election of Donald Trump as the new U.S president and his swift embrace of corporate oligarchs as his new inner circle and power proxies. We also discussed why corporate America is rushing to...
2025-03-0738 min
Ideas UntrappedGlobal Value ChainsHappy New Year to our listeners. This is the first episode of the year, and I had a conversation with Oliver Harman about global value chains (GVCs), foreign direct investment (FDI), and regional governance in economic development. Oliver and I discussed how GVCs have evolved, the crucial role of multinational enterprises in knowledge transfer, and why regional governments—rather than national ones—are often better positioned to shape policies that maximize benefits from global trade. The conversation highlights the importance of GVC-sensitive policies, investment promotion agencies, and upgrading strategies to help economies move up the value chain and develop their...
2025-02-0847 min
Ideas UntrappedMoving from Promise to ProgressIn this episode of Ideas Untrapped we discussed the challenges and complexities of education, economic growth, and public health systems in developing countries with two brilliant guests James Habyarimana and Jishnu Das. We started off with an example on the rapid expansion of tertiary education in India and its unmet promise of better jobs, which led to discussions on similar dynamics in African contexts. The conversation explored the balance between market-driven growth and government intervention, emphasizing the need for robust processes and inclusive dialogues to address inequality, improve infrastructure, and shape a collective vision for the future. James Habyarimana...
2024-11-291h 12
Ideas UntrappedLearning from East AsiaIn this episode of Ideas Untrapped, I sit down with economist Oliver Kim to explore the complexities of African economic growth and the challenges surrounding industrialisation. We discuss why Africa has struggled to replicate the manufacturing successes of East Asia, touching on issues such as labour costs, political economy, and the global market environment. Oliver also shares his thoughts on the importance of state capacity and regional integration and how to rethink GDP statistics in development research. Oliver Kim is an economic historian and a research fellow at Open Philanthropy. He also writes excellent blog Global Developments....
2024-11-2546 min
Ideas UntrappedTrade-offs and TensionsIn the episode, Tobi talks to Dmitry Grozoubinski about the politics and complexities of global trade, emphasizing the tension between free trade and protectionism. Dmitry explains how trade policy decisions involve difficult choices that impact both producers and consumers, using Nigeria's food inflation as an example. They explore the balance between national interests and global commitments, highlighting how protectionist policies are often rooted in political concerns rather than economic efficiency. The conversation also touches on the challenges of multilateral trade agreements like the WTO and AfCFTA.Dmitry served as an Australian diplomat and trade negotiator...
2024-09-1150 min
Ideas UntrappedThe Case for ParliamentarianismTiago Santos joins Tobi on this episode of the podcast to discuss Parliamentarianism. Tiago believes that if African countries had adopted parliamentary systems during their democratization wave, they would have likely seen better development outcomes, citing the success of Botswana and the economic growth seen in parliamentary countries. He also highlights four main flaws in presidential systems according to political scientist Juan Linz: lack of clarity in authority, rigidity, winner-takes-all nature, and personalism. These issues often lead to ineffective governance, coups, and excessive polarization, which hinder development and political stability. Tiago further argues that better governance structures, like those...
2024-06-2848 min
Ideas UntrappedBeyond GDPIn this episode, Tobi talks to David Pilling, Africa editor for the Financial Times. They discussed his book "The Growth Delusion", exploring the significance and limitations of economic growth, particularly in poor countries. David challenges the conventional reliance on GDP to measure economic success, proposing a more nuanced approach that considers wealth distribution, environmental impacts, and overall well-being. He argues for a balanced view that recognises the necessity of growth for development while advocating for policies that prioritise human and environmental health. The conversation also touches on broader development issues in Africa, including the misuse of resources an...
2024-05-101h 03
Ideas UntrappedThe Dynamics of GrowthIn this podcast episode, Tobi interviews Rasheed Griffith - who is the CEO of The Caribbean Progress Institute, and host of The Rasheed Griffith Show explores the adaptability and policy implementation in smaller countries compared to larger ones, noting that smaller nations can change more swiftly due to simpler institutional structures. Rasheed contrasts this with larger countries like China and India, where changes, although rapid, are often driven by cultural homogeneity and authoritarian governance, which may not be desirable in Western democracies. The discussion also touches on the impact of leadership and institutional capacity on economic development, emphasizing that...
2024-04-2747 min
Ideas UntrappedHistory and the Future of ProsperityIn this episode, I had a conversation with economic historian Johan Fourie, who is a professor of economics at Stellenbosch University, and the author of one of the most enjoyable books on economic history called Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom. We spoke about the resurgence of economic history, particularly in Africa. Johan attributes this revival to multiple factors, including an interest in understanding past economic patterns, technological advancements enabling data analysis, and scholarly work drawing global attention to the field. We discuss Africa's economic development, noting the continent's reliance on primary goods and the impacts of political and...
2024-03-2057 min
Ideas UntrappedThe Promise and Challenges of Charter CitiesIn this episode, I had a conversation with Kurtis Lockhart who is the executive director of Charter City Institute - a non-profit that thinks and executes governance models for cities to power developing economies into growth and productivity. Our conversation started with an update on the concept of Charter Cities and how they differ from traditional models like Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in the context of economic development. Kurtis describes Charter Cities as new cities with distinct governance models designed to drive sustained economic growth and alleviate poverty, primarily in lower-middle-income countries. This approach is seen...
2024-03-1350 min
Ideas UntrappedRethinking Good GovernanceWelcome to another episode of Ideas Untrapped podcast.In this episode, I spoke to Portia Roelofs who is a Lecturer in Politics at the Department of Political Economy at King's College London, and also a research associate at the African Studies Centre in Oxford. She is the author of a fantastic book titled Good Governance in Nigeria; Rethinking Accountability and Transparency in the Twenty-First Century. Portia critiques the "good governance" agenda, arguing it's a continuation of structural adjustment programs from the '80s and '90s, which focused on market-driven development, privatization, and state withdrawal...
2024-03-051h 24
Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast[FREE Weekly Episode] The Disappearance of Brandon LawsonOn August 8th, 2013, 26-year-old Brandon Lawson left his home in San Angelo, Texas after a huge fight with his fiancé. She hoped that he’d return after cooling down, but she woke up the next morning to find multiple missed calls from Brandon. She quickly learned that while she was asleep, Brandon’s brother, Kyle, had left to bring him gas after he’d run out on a desolate road. After several strange phone calls to Kyle, Brandon made a 911 call, begging for help, saying that he was being chased. When Kyle finally arrived, he found Brandon’s truck abandoned...
2024-02-061h 07
Ideas UntrappedLANT PRITCHETT ON EVERYTHING part 2Hello everyone, and you are listening to Ideas Untrapped podcast. This episode is a continuation of my two-part conversation with Lant Pritchett. It concludes the discussion on education with the five things Lant would recommend to a policymaker on education policy, how to balance the globalized demand for good governance with the design of state functionalities within a localized context - along with RCTs in development and charter cities. I also got an exclusive one of his infamous ‘‘Lant Rants’’. I hope you find this as enjoyable as I did - and once again, many thanks to Lant Pritchett.
2023-03-2452 min
Ideas UntrappedLANT PRITCHETT ON EVERYTHING part 1Welcome to the Ideas Untrapped podcast - and my guest today is Development Economist Lant Pritchett. He is one of the most incisive and insightful scholars in the field, and his influence at the frontier of development research cannot be overstated. His research mostly focuses on economic growth, its contributing factors, and the development implications for peoples and countries. It was a privilege for me to talk to Lant, and I took the chance to ask him questions about some of the big themes of his research like Migration, Education, and State Capability. This is a two-part...
2023-03-1752 min
Ideas UntrappedSCIENCE, SKEPTICISM, AND TRUTHHello everyone, and welcome to Ideas Untrapped podcast. My guest for this episode is Decision Scientist, Oliver Beige - who is returning to the podcast for the third time. Oliver is not just a multidisciplinary expert, he is one of my favourite people in the world. In this episode, we talk about scientific expertise, the norms of academia, peer review, and how it all relates to academic claims about finding the truth. Oliver emphasized the importance of understanding the imperfections in academia, and how moral panics can be used to silence skeptics. I began the conversation with a confession...
2023-03-1145 min
Ideas UntrappedThe Illusion of AutocracyWelcome to Ideas Untrapped. My guest today is Vincent Geloso who is a professor of economics at George Mason University. He studies economic history, political economy, and the measurement of living standards. In today's episode, we discuss the differences between democracies and dictatorships, and their relative performance in socioeconomic development. The allure of authoritarian governance has grown tremendously due to the economic success of countries like China, Korea, and Singapore - which managed to escape crippling national poverty traps. The contestable nature of democracies and the difficulty many democratic countries have to continue on a path of growth seems...
2023-02-1833 min
Ideas UntrappedWhy Education, Electricity, And Fertility Matter for DevelopmentWelcome to another episode of Ideas Untrapped. My guest today is Charlie Robertson, who is the chief economist of Renaissance Capital - a global investment bank - and in this episode we talked about the subject of Charlie’s new book, "The Time-Travelling Economist''. The book explores the connection between education, electricity, and fertility to economic development. The thrust of the book's argument is that no poor country can escape poverty without education, and that electricity is an important factor for investors looking to build businesses. It also explains that a low fertility rate helps to increase household savings. Ch...
2023-01-211h 21
Ideas UntrappedMUDDLING THROUGH - BANGLADESH'S DEVELOPMENT JOURNEYBangladesh has transformed tremendously in the last twenty-five years. Average incomes have more than quadrupled, and many of its human development indicators have improved alongside. It has also become an export powerhouse with its garment industry, and generally a shining example of development - though things are far from perfect. Five decades ago, when Bangladesh became an independent country, many were not hopeful about its chances of development. So how did Bangladesh turn its story around? Well, it turns out the history of its transformation is longer than credited - and the process is more complex than what is...
2022-12-231h 25
Ideas UntrappedMUDDLING THROUGH - BANGLADESH'S DEVELOPMENT JOURNEYThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.ideasuntrapped.comBangladesh has transformed tremendously in the last twenty-five years. Average incomes have more than quadrupled, and many of its human development indicators have improved alongside. It has also become an export powerhouse with its garment industry, and generally a shining example of development - though things are far from perfect. Five decades ago, w…
2022-12-121h 25
Ideas UntrappedPRODUCTIVITY, EXPORTING, AND DEVELOPMENTWe often speak of economic development as a phenomenon of sovereign national countries, but the process by which that happens is through what happens at individual firms in the economy. The decisions by firms to upgrade their products (services), export, and adopt new technology are the most important determinants of economic development. The incentives and conditions that shape these decisions are the subjects of my conversation with my guest on this episode. Eric Verhoogen is a professor of economics at Columbia University school of international and public affairs. He is one of the leading thinkers and researchers on industrial...
2022-11-2948 min
Ideas UntrappedGAMBLING ON DEVELOPMENTMy guest on this episode is Stefan Dercon - author of the recently published and most excellent book ‘Gambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others Lose’. Development scholars have produced many explanations for why some countries did better than others after the Second World War. Factors like geography, quality or type of institutions, foreign aid, and protective trade policies, have been argued as what explains this divergence in national prosperity between countries. Dercon's contribution will no doubt be plugged into this long-running debate - and in my opinion, he comes closest to having a ‘‘first principles’’ explanation than anyone...
2022-10-181h 24
Fear of Missing OutEpisode 6: Tom and MikaelaThis is Fear of Missing Out: young people living in the UK talking about the stuff we wish we learnt at school.
Dundee-based Tom and Mikaela are 20 and 21 years old, meaning they were too young to vote in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. As the debate rages over a second Referendum on Scottish Independence, Tom and Mikaela look back at Scotland’s recent political history - the 1979, 1997 and 2014 referendums - to try and work out how they might vote in the future.
Tom and Mikaela speak to Talat Yaqoob, Rory Scothorne and Gerry Hassan.
Tra...
2022-10-1229 min
Fear of Missing OutEpisode 5: IndiaThis is Fear of Missing Out: young people living in the UK talking about the stuff we wish we learnt at school.
India is a 21 year old student, content creator and activist from Bath. India is passionate about her activism, which focuses on anti-racism and intersectional feminism. But, often, India kind of feels like they're just making things up as they go along? India interviews four activists involved in actions in the 1980s - the Greenham Common Peace Camp, The Miners Strike, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners and The Toxteth Uprising - to make her very...
2022-10-0530 min
Ideas UntrappedTALKING CITIES WITH A LEGENDI was thrilled to get a chance to talk about cities with Alain Bertaud - he has been one of the most important thinkers in urban planning for the past fifty years. His book Order Without Design is a must-read and an excellent summary of his research (conducted in collaboration with his wife Marie-Agnes, an urban planning scholar in her own right) project with aim of bridging the gap between urban planning and urban economics. Alain is a brilliant and generous teacher who has greatly influenced me - I hope my questions have done their bit to honour him.
2022-10-0556 min
Fear of Missing OutEpisode 4: BethThis is Fear of Missing Out: young people living in the UK talking about the stuff we wish we learnt at school.
Beth is 16 and goes to a Catholic Secondary School in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Recently, Beth found out that the history she’s taught is different to that taught in the Protestant secondary school down the street. Beth looks into the history of education segregated by religion in Northern Ireland.
Beth speaks to Matthew Milliken, Tony Gallagher, Clare Bailey and Bernadette McAliskey.
This documentary includes descriptions of military and police violence. Take car...
2022-09-2830 min
Fear of Missing OutEpisode 3: HalimaThis is Fear of Missing Out: young people living in the UK talking about the stuff we wish we learnt at school.
In March 2022, a report came out about Child Q: a 15 year old black secondary school student from London, who was strip searched by the police in her own school. 22 year old Halima moved to England from Ireland when they were 14. Hearing about Child Q felt like a breaking point for their own resilience to racism in the UK. Halima looks into the history of the criminalisation of black communities in the UK, which for Halima...
2022-09-2129 min
Fear of Missing OutEpisode 2: FelixThis is Fear of Missing Out: young people living in the UK talking about the stuff we wish we learnt at school.
Felix is a 20 year old playwright, poet and performer from Liverpool. He came out as trans when he was 14 and, in his words, it has become harder, not easier, to be a young out trans person in the public eye. Felix looks at the history of how queer people have been presented in the UK media, to try and contextualise how trans people are spoken about in the media today.
Felix speaks to Ju...
2022-09-1429 min
Ideas UntrappedUNDERSTANDING CHINA'S DEVELOPMENTIt is difficult to overstate China's rise in terms of economic development in the four decades - growing from one of the poorest countries to becoming the world's second-largest economy. China has also become an important geopolitical partner to many developing countries, and it is quite common to encounter talk of the ‘‘China model’’ of development as being more suitable for many African countries that have struggled with economic transformation. Joining me on today's episode is political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang to unpack what China did during the reform years and the many ways that process is misunder...
2022-09-0947 min
Fear of Missing OutEpisode 1: AtlantaThis is Fear of Missing Out: young people living in the UK talking about the stuff we wish we learnt at school.
17 year old Atlanta spent the first few years of her life living in Uganda, where her mum is from. Now she lives in Glasgow, Atlanta feels like the version of British History she’s learnt paints the UK in a pretty positive light? Loads of her friends don’t even know about the British Empire - they didn’t learn about it in school. Atlanta asks: Is it possible to know the truth of what happen...
2022-09-0730 min
Ideas UntrappedUNDERSTANDING INNOVATIONInnovation is the key ingredient to human material prosperity and an essential factor in economic development. But the importance of innovation is often misunderstood because of the common belief that poorer nations need not invent anything new and can always copy existing technologies from the richer nations - hence innovation policies are often missing from the development agenda of most developing countries. My guest today is social scientist and innovation policy expert Dan Breznitz - and he has made many significant contributions to changing the conversation and policy around innovation. We talked about the distinctions between innovation and invention...
2022-06-1738 min
Ideas UntrappedINSECURITY IN NIGERIAIf you ask any Nigerian today what the number one problem that they think political leadership should tackle - I am fairly certain security will be the overwhelming answer. In the last week alone there have been two deadly attacks in the Ondo state and Kaduna state with scores of people murdered in their homes and places of worship. Go back a week further, and the number of such murderous attacks would have risen to six. What many Nigerians depressing is that the problem is worsening and spreading to all parts of the country without any sign that it...
2022-06-131h 15
Ideas UntrappedRELIGION AND DEVELOPMENTHow Religion shapes and influences the trajectory of a country's development path is a subject I have long been curious about - and I found persuasive answers in the work of Economic Historian Jared Rubin. Jared's book is a tour de force on how rulers and elites use religious legitimacy to propagate their rule - and the developmental implications of such equilibrium. The first part of our conversation is to get him to explain some of the fundamental concepts of his book and analysis. It is impossible to capture his work in a single conversation, so curious listeners can...
2022-05-1851 min
The Logan Bartlett ShowEP 16: CEO of Box Aaron Levie gives founder advice, Founder of Flatiron Zach Weinberg returns as guest host, and crypto expert Eric Golden joins to discuss UST-Luna!(00:00:00) Intro with Zach Weinberg(00:02:22) Public Market Bloodbath(00:07:10) Distribution of Risk(00:12:56) Update on SoftBank and Tiger(00:28:30) Eric Golden joins the pod to talk Luna(00:30:04) What happened in the market this week?(00:40:55) What is Luna?(00:53:21) Why is this pulling down Bitcoin as well?(01:02:04) Do Kwon sucks(01:13:43) Interview with Aaron Levie(01:36:08) The state of Web3(01:38:37) Interesting use cases for Web3(01:41:01) The rhetoric of crypto skepticism (01:48:02) Companies and politics Follow the show:...
2022-05-142h 05
Ideas UntrappedFOOD POLICY AND ITS CHALLENGESThe invasion of Ukraine by Russia - and the ensuing war - has brought food prices back into the news. This is happening on the back of the Covid-19 global pandemic that also disrupted the food supply chain, causing shortages and rising prices in many countries. So how should countries set national food policies in the face of risks and uncertainties? This is the subject of my conversation with agricultural economist Fabien Tondel. He is a researcher and Policy Officer with the European Centre for Development Policy Management - an independent think tank with a focus on making development...
2022-03-2952 min
Ideas UntrappedWHY WE COOPERATEHuman cooperation has been one of the most common human experiences, yet one of the most contentiously debated. For some, human cooperation is a unique moral achievement given our multitude of interests and differences. Others proclaim that we are ‘‘selfish’’ individual utility-maximizers - and cooperation is only achieved via separate institutional arrangements. Researchers on human behaviour and biology are also divided on whether our instincts for cooperative behaviour originated from individuals or groups. Hence, it was refreshing to read an account of human cooperation that does not pretend to settle these debates but transcends them by placing cooperation in the mix...
2022-02-0146 min
Ideas UntrappedEXPLAINING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONWelcome to another season of your favourite podcast! We are starting off the season by exploring the many explanations of The Industrial Revolution with economic historian and writer Davis Kedrosky. You can learn more about Davis' work from his excellent newsletter here. You can also listen to this podcast through all the other options here. The transcript of the conversation is below.TRANSCRIPTTobi; So briefly, what is the Industrial Revolution? And what is its significance? I mean, we've all seen the charts, you see these different trend lines charting world living standards...
2022-01-1735 min
Ideas UntrappedTALKING SUPPLY CHAINSSupply chains have been in the news a lot lately - because there have been shortages of many important things like food, semiconductor microchips, heating and cooking gas, and even shipping containers. Prices of many commodities have gone through the roof because of these shortages, and policymakers globally are scrambling to find a solution especially with the holiday season coming around. I tried to unpack some of the issues with Decision Scientist Oliver Beige. We also revisit some of the themes from our last conversation (note that this was recorded before the new Omicron variant!). It is always informative...
2021-12-0336 min
Ideas UntrappedPHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND ITS COMPLEXITIESSurely the biggest development in the last year is the record speed with which vaccines were discovered for the Covid-19 virus that shut down the entire world. I spoke to medicinal chemist and science blogger Derek Lowe about the many issues surrounding drug discovery like regulatory constraints, funding, and many other issues in the industry.Enjoy the conversation with Derek Lowe - and the transcript is available for paid subscribers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ww...
2021-11-1547 min
Ideas UntrappedREMAKING A NATIONI spoke to Christopher Ogunmodede about some of the major themes from the events in Nigeria over the past year. We also talked about some of his more radical ideas - like the abolition of the nation-state. Talking to Chris always leaves me more informed and perceptive - and I want to thank him for being always willing to share his knowledge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped...
2021-11-151h 28
Ideas UntrappedRULE OF LAW AND THE REAL WORLD''Rule of law'' is the generally accepted description for how well a political system conforms to formal rules - rather than functioning through the whims of the most powerful social or political agents. For a society to be described as one functioning under rule of law - there must be rules and those rules must be equally applied to everyone in the society. Let us call this Letter of the Law. These rules are usually expressed through the constitution of a country and enforced through the courts. But simply having rules and enforcing them does not suffice in the...
2021-10-211h 04
Ideas UntrappedRULE OF LAW AND THE REAL WORLDThe problem of the rule of law is inescapable in any society - and even more especially in the context of economic development. Policies that promote prosperity cannot be devoid of considerations for the rights of people who make up the society and the economy, regardless of all technocratic pretensions otherwise. Adam Smith himself stated that economic prosperity thus requires ''a tolerable administration of justice''. Some readers might already start objecting to my treatment of the rule of law as merely an ''instrumental variable'' of a more desirous economic end-state, whereas the more familiar treatment is that of a...
2021-10-211h 03
Ideas UntrappedEVALUATION OF INTERVENTIONSI had a great conversation with David Roodman - researcher and senior adviser at Open Philanthropy. He played an important role in helping us understand and interpret the evidence on the microfinance phenomenon that was sweeping through the development community a little while back. We also talked about his work in evaluating foreign aid, how his background in mathematics has helped him throughout his career, and why he writes so well.The transcript for this episode is available for paid subscribers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...
2021-10-1551 min
Ideas UntrappedTHE RETURN OF INDUSTRIAL POLICYI had a very stimulating conversation with Nathan Lane. Nathan is an empirical economist and an Associate Professor of economics at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the political economy of development, the economics of the state, and Industrial Policy. Nathan's work combines new methods from data science and traditional micro-data to understand questions at the heart of economic development -in particular, industrial development.His work has focused on the policies behind the East Asian miracle, and the comparative experience of Asian economies. We discussed Industrial Policy in this conversation - and Nathan brought the...
2021-09-2152 min
Ideas UntrappedTHE TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGEMany low-income countries confront the challenge of transforming from an agrarian or resource-based economy to an industrial economy. We can see this in how countries struggle to diversify their exports and sources of public revenues. Nurturing a policy environment for economic transformation - despite the abundance of literature and example for the recent East Asian experience - is often the hardest part of the challenge.Joining me on today's episode to explore this and many more is economist Pritish Behuria. He is a Professor of Politics, Governance, and Development at the University of Manchester. He has contributed...
2021-08-1352 min
Ideas UntrappedSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND THE COLLECTIVE GOODWelcome to another episode of Ideas Untrapped podcast, where we discuss ideas that promote progress, prosperity, and economic development. We do this by speaking to academics, industry experts, and other creative social thinkers. My guest on this episode is Robert Frank, professor of economics at Cornell University, New York. Robert is my favourite economist because he presents complex ideas in simple intuitive details. His works straddle the nexus of economics, psychology, and biosocial ecology. He has written many interesting books - of which I have read three - and I picked the central themes of those books for our...
2021-07-3052 min
Ideas UntrappedDEVELOPMENT AS COMPETITIVENESSI spoke to macroeconomic analyst Karthik Sankaran about many of his brilliant insights on economic development process. Karthik long and broad experience working on emerging markets shines through our entire conversation. His gift of wit and summarizing complex economic into understandable bits is one of the best I have encountered - as you can tell from his Twitter feed and blog.You can listen directly on this page or through any of the links here. You can also listen to a longer version of the conversation by becoming a paid subscriber or by becoming a patron.
2021-07-1544 min
Ideas UntrappedDEVELOPMENT AND CAPABILITY (EXTENDED CUT)The full conversation with Ricardo Hausmann - now with Transcript. This is a subscriber-only post.TranscriptOpening musicYou are listening to ideas Untrapped with Tobi Lawson. Tobi Lawson (intro) Welcome to another episode of ideas Untrapped and my guest today is Ricardo Hausmann, who is a professor of economic development at Harvard University, he is a former director of centre for International Development, and is currently the Director of the center's growth lab. Ricardo pioneered an approach of looking at economic development called economic complexity. My brief synopsis of the central idea is that an...
2021-07-051h 20
Ideas UntrappedDEVELOPMENT AND CAPABILITYIt was enlightening as expected to talk to Harvard professor of economic development Ricardo Hausmann. He has a refreshing take on all of my questions - and I believe he is one of the most important thinkers on development ever. You can check out some of his work for Harvard’s CID Growth Lab (where he is the Director) here - you can also find many of his lectures on Youtube.You can listen and download directly on the website or simply search for the podcast on any of your preferred platforms (Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, etc). I...
2021-07-0244 min
Ideas UntrappedPandemic Post-MortemI spoke to Decision Scientist Oliver Beige on some of the things experts got wrong about the Covid-19 infection pattern, and the policy response. We talked about those exponential predictions that were popular at the height of the pandemic, the things Japan got right, Sweden, and how society and policymakers should evaluate expert knowledge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com
2021-06-1649 min
Ideas UntrappedANDREW NEVIN ON OTHER THINGSThe second part of my conversation with Andrew Nevin. We talked about the economic development patterns of India vs China's - and what Nigeria can learn. We also talked about his habits during the lockdown, Amartya Sen, and the habits of mind that shaped him growing up. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com
2021-06-131h 03
Ideas UntrappedANDREW NEVIN ON BIG TRENDSAndrew Nevin - who is the chief economist of PwC West Africa - returns to the show for a record third time. I spoke to him about some of the big trends that will matter now and into the future. He provided excellent insights on the socioeconomic implications of population growth and decline, climate change, technology, and why we will need a more robust measurement of human well-being beyond GDP.You can support the show (and our mission to spread good ideas) through this page - you can do this by becoming a patron on Patreon or...
2021-06-0636 min
Ideas UntrappedCAPITAL AND THE ECONOMYI had an interesting conversation with investor Andrew Alli. We spoke about how investors price risks, power sector reforms, and his views on the clamour for political “restructuring” in Nigeria. Andrew is a Development Finance veteran and in my opinion, he is still underrated as a public intellectual.Listening options away from the website are all here. You should also subscribe and rate us on any of your preferred platforms. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com/su...
2021-05-261h 03
Ideas UntrappedUNPACKING STATE CAPACITY I learned a lot having this conversation with economic historian Mark Koyama. State Capacity has become an important concept to be understood - especially with the current economic and security problems Nigeria is currently dealing with. A lot of us are also reeling from the consequences of the decisions our governments made in responding to the global pandemic. My conversation with Mark was a bit “wonkish”, so listeners unfamiliar with some of the things we discussed can read the links provided below.* Epidemic disease and the state - Mark Koyama* How to build a state - An...
2021-04-2948 min
Ideas UntrappedFrom Transition to DeclineInvestigative journalist David Hundeyin found himself having to flee the country recently because his reporting has rubbed some powerful people the wrong way. In this conversation, I started by asking him how Nigeria’s promising democratic evolution ended up at this point. We also talked about former President Goodluck Jonathan’s public relations problem, his "beef" with the non-profit Feminist Coalition that came to prominence during the nationwide protest against police brutality, and other things. You can download/listen directly on the player on the website or get the episode on any of the popular platforms like Spotify...
2021-04-171h 22
Ideas UntrappedNigeria and the Electricity ProblemIt is quite common to hear people imply that any government that fixes Nigeria's electricity problem will enter the nation's pantheon of sainthood. But even the promise of immortality has not been enough for any meaningful change in the sector. I sat down with Timi Soleye - who is an industry player and insider (he is the President of CRYO Gas and Director of Power at Raven Energy) - for an extended chat on the issues facing the sector. Timi's take ended up being an extended commentary on the state of policymaking in Nigeria, and the country itself.
2021-03-171h 18
Ideas UntrappedA NEW VISION FOR NIGERIAI had a conversation with former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, and it was worth every minute. He explained why the CBN has taken the role it has on economic policy (and how he thinks it has overstepped), the lack of state capacity in Nigeria - and why we need a philosophical basis for governance. I also asked him about his plans for the 2023 elections, what he thinks about the next 60 years of Nigeria, and his alternative vision for the country. All download and listening options (besides the website) are here...
2021-02-2439 min
RAISE UP PodcastMentalität siegt gegen QualitätWas eine geile Woche für die Niners. Coach Dom und Tobi nehmen die Spiele nicht nur auseinander sondern konnten auch noch Stimmen einfangen. Thomas Päch, Rodrigo Pastore, Johan Roijakkers, Tarrell Harris, Niklas Wimberg, Joe Lawson, Benni Zander, Alex Vogel, Michaela Schönherr und Mr. Clutch Dominique Johnson gaben ihre Stimme für diese Folge. Die kompletten Interviews kommen diese Woche als Sonderfolge. Viel Spaß beim hören und bis bald, stay tuned.
2021-02-161h 24
Ideas UntrappedTHE COLLAPSE OF LEADERSHIPIn the first of a series of end of season episodes - host Tobi Lawson talks to Prof. Pat Utomi about the state of Nigeria, and how it all went wrong. You can listen on your preferred platform here, or from the player on the website. You can also rate us on any of the platforms or here - this helps others find the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com
2021-01-0642 min
Ideas UntrappedIdeas UntrappedIt has been a little over a year since we started the podcast. Host and curator of the show Tobi Lawson is a guest on this episode - to talk about the philosophy behind the project and his opinions on many of the issues the show has discussed. You can rate us here. If you want to support our efforts in bringing you the thoughts of brilliant thinkers through these conversations, you can be a patron here.What our guests and listeners are saying…“Thank you so much…for doing this whole project where yo...
2020-12-2649 min
Ideas UntrappedMAKING A NATION: THE CASE OF NIGERIA IIHere is the second part of my episode with Chris Ogunmodede. We continued the discussion on Nigeria’s political economy. We touched on institutional memory in the legislature and why we need a stronger civil society. Chris is insightful as always.You can rate us here. If you want to support our efforts in bringing you the thoughts of brilliant thinkers through these conversations, you can be a patron here. TRANSCRIPTTL: This is Ideas Untrapped and my guest today is Chris Olaoluwa Ogunmodede. He's a foreign policy analyst, a writer, editor and poli...
2020-12-0458 min
Ideas UntrappedMAKING A NATION: THE CASE OF NIGERIAI have long admired the thoughts of foreign policy analyst Chris Ogunmodede through his Twitter feed, and it was a pleasure having this conversation with him. Our jump-off point was the tragic fallout from the EndSars protests. Chris’ knowledge and grasp of the core issues ensured he had deep insights on all my questions. (P.S he had some fun bashing economists).You can rate us here. If you want to support our efforts in bringing you the thoughts of brilliant thinkers through these conversations, you can be a patron here.TranscriptTL: Th...
2020-11-2157 min
Ideas UntrappedProsperity through InnovationI had a conversation with Efosa Ojomo of the Clay Christensen Institute. He is the co-author of the book The Prosperity Paradox - along with Karen Dillon and the late Harvard management guru Clayton Christensen. The central argument of the book is that economic development happens when businesses innovate by creating a previously non-existent market. The book has been largely shunned by development scholars and this is where I started my conversation with Efosa. I also go through some other criticisms of the book, and Efosa had interesting answers. The book relies on case studies and might be considered...
2020-11-0450 min
Ideas UntrappedUrban Planning in LagosI spoke to urban planning scholar Taibat Lawanson about most things Lagos city. We discussed housing, overpopulation, infrastructure, and the many problems that have made Lagos hard to live. She described Lagos as a ''complex city'' - and she is a sceptic of developments like Eko Atlantic city. TL: This is Ideas Untrapped, my guest today is Dr Taibat Lawanson who is a professor of urban planning at [the] University of Lagos. You're welcome.TL: Thank you. TL: The first question I'll like to ask you is, Lagos is generally perceived and described...
2020-10-1532 min
Ideas UntrappedA Conversation About Police ReformsI had a conversation with Elizabeth Omotunde, Emmanuel Era, and Ronke Bankole on the ongoing protest against police brutality in Nigeria. We thought out loud mostly on police reforms, what the legacy of the protests might be, and the complicated morass of the Nigerian bureaucracy. Many thanks to my guests for finding the time to offer their thoughts. Like I have reiterated multiple times, this is the moment for the political leadership of the country to use this example to tackle some of the roots causes of our multiple social ills. This is a public episode...
2020-10-131h 09
Ideas UntrappedCounting the Costs of TradeTrade economist Meredith Startz and I talked about her research on the information costs of trade. We discussed the strategies that traders use to lower costs associated with search (ensuring they get their goods to the market on time) and moral hazard costs (ensuring they get what exactly was ordered from their suppliers). We talked about how big businesses use fixed cost strategies to lower costs, the benefits of higher revenue for firms, and how innovative business models can improve contracting in long-distance trade. Meredith is doing important work, and I think her research deserves a lot more attention. B...
2020-10-0858 min
Ideas UntrappedMeta-Institution from the Bottom UpI had a very interesting conversation Shelby Grossman - political scientist at Stanford University. We talked about her research on informal trade in Lagos, and what we can learn generally about how institutions form from her findings. You can read this essay for a general background and explanation on what Shelby and I discussed on this episode.Download and other listening options are here - and you can kindly give us a rating here.TranscriptTL: Today, I am on with Shelby Grossman. Shelby is a research scholar at Stanford Internet...
2020-09-2439 min
Ideas UntrappedIU Unplugged - with Walle SmithThe central bank’s management of the FX market and trade is back in the news again - so here is my conversation with economist Walle Smith on some of the issues. We recorded this two months ago, but some of the fundamentals have a foregoing relevance especially in the current policy climate. I started by asking Walle whether conventional monetary policy has failed in Nigeria.You can get the episode and our other episodes on most of the popular podcast players here - also kindly rate us here as it helps others search and find the sh...
2020-09-1754 min
The I Love Success Podcast205. Amber J. Lawson - The Cracks Connect Us, OriginalAmber J. Lawson is a master mindset coach for those who want to up level joy & happiness to live your purpose with love and abundance.
"I was living in Los Angeles making good money and surrounded by great friends, but something was missing. I didn't realize the basic life skills I relied on were rooted in masculine energy. I had created a need to project an aura of strength and stability, but inside I felt lonely and isolated making it difficult to trust or lean on others. Not being able to relax, release or even cry left...
2020-09-0554 min
The I Love Success Podcast205. Amber J. Lawson - The Cracks Connect Us, ShortAmber J. Lawson is a master mindset coach for those who want to up level joy & happiness to live your purpose with love and abundance.
"I was living in Los Angeles making good money and surrounded by great friends, but something was missing. I didn't realize the basic life skills I relied on were rooted in masculine energy. I had created a need to project an aura of strength and stability, but inside I felt lonely and isolated making it difficult to trust or lean on others. Not being able to relax, release or even cry left...
2020-09-0529 min
Ideas UntrappedCITIES AND DEVELOPMENTI had a chat with Mark Lutter, founder and executive director of Charter Cities Institutes about the potential of charter cities to boost a nation’s prosperity and development. Our conversation touched on state capacity, why American institutions appear to be failing, and why Silicon Valley elites have no political influence.You can download or listen right in the player above - or from your favourite players and podcast providers here. You can rate us here, this helps others find the show. Reference guides by CCI for people new to the idea are here. You can also read...
2020-08-2752 min
Ideas UntrappedUnemployment in Nigeria - IU unpluggedI spoke to economists Omotola Abimbola and Adedayo Bakare on the Unemployment Report released last week by the National Bureau of Statistics. The conversation started with the various trends in the data, and the methodology of the report. Omotola and Adedayo are two of the smartest minds on the economy I know - and I thank them for speaking to me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com
2020-08-221h 05
Ideas UntrappedPeople, Power and ParticipationI spoke to Ayisha Osori about our political structures and the various ways it is unaccountable to the electorates. She is the current Executive Director of the non-profit Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). She also contested for a seat on the House of Representatives for Abuja in 2015 and has documented her experience in an eloquently written book. I enjoyed this conversation, and it was a pleasure to learn from Ayisha’s experience and knowledge.You can listen and download on any of your preferred platform here or the player above. You can also rate us he...
2020-08-1356 min
Ideas UntrappedBusiness at the Speed of PoliticsAbubakar Suleiman, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Sterling Bank, is certainly the most interesting banker in Nigeria. In this conversation, we explored the nature of the relationship between business and government - with focus on regulation and the cost of compliance - and the thing that needs to change in that relationship.TranscriptTobi: You're listening to Ideas Untrapped and today I am honoured to be speaking with Abubakar Suleiman who is the MD and CEO of Sterling Bank. He's a man I respect so much and a...
2020-07-2441 min
Ideas Untrapped10% MORE HIVE MINDGarett Jones is one of the smartest people I have ever talked to - and he is at his usual brilliant best in this conversation. We started by trying to see how his latest book fit into the context of less developed countries with weak rule of law. I have often remarked that Garett is underrated as a development economist. I still think so.You can listen or download to the podcast on any platform of your choice (some links here), and you can also rate us here.TranscriptTobi: WeIcome to Ideas...
2020-07-1744 min
Ideas UntrappedIS THIS TIME DIFFERENT?I had a quick chat with the IMF mission chief in Nigeria, Jesmin Rahman. I started by asking her whether Africa is facing another debt crisis. We ended the conversation with Jesmin outlining some reform measures that can put the continent on a long-term growth trajectory.You can find us on all podcast platforms, some links to sources here. You can also find us on Spotify by simply searching for "Ideas Untrapped". TRANSCRIPTTobi: Welcome to Ideas Untrapped and today I have with me, virtually, from Washington DC, Dr Jesmin Rahman who is...
2020-07-0321 min
Ideas UntrappedThe Political Economy of Big ProjectsThe former Managing Director of Frontier Capital, Olufemi Edun provided an insightful tour de force of the intricacies of financing and managing big infrastructure projects and investments. He provides rich historical and political contexts to such projects in Nigeria. He also has an important commentary on development policy towards the end of our conversation.You can listen or download in the player above, all other listening options are here. Or you can can just read the transcript. You can also rate this podcast on any of your preferred listening apps or directly here....
2020-06-2942 min
Ideas UntrappedFounders and DevelopmentI had an excellent conversation with Samo Burja of Bismark Analysis. Samo is one of the most original thinkers I have encountered in the last two years, and it was great to have him share some of his ideas here. You can follow him on Twitter, read his writing, or watch his videos on Youtube. Here is Samo on Botswana and political stability - and how Rome handled the "succession problem". The manuscript of Samo's book is here. You can find us on most podcast platforms as "Ideas Untrapped".TRANSCRIPTTobi: Welcome to...
2020-06-151h 06
Ideas UntrappedThriving Beyond the CrisisI had an interesting conversation with Eloho Gihan-Mbelu who is the MD/CEO of Endeavor Nigeria. Endeavor not only funds, but also provides advisory and networks services to high-growth companies. Eloho is a private equity investor with decades of experience, and her wisdom shone through this conversation. Many thanks to her for speaking to me.Listening and downloads options are also on Apple, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and TuneIn. You can rate us on any of those platforms or directly here. If you like what we do and will like to support our work with a donation, here...
2020-06-0546 min
Ideas UntrappedIU- Unplugged with Andrew NevinI spoke to Andrew Nevin about the many implications of the COVID-19-induced global economic crisis. He thinks we are not going to see a "V-shaped" recovery. We also talked about the geopolitical patterns that may emerge. Listening and downloads options are also on Apple, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and TuneIn. You can rate us on any of those platforms or directly here. If you like what we do and will like to support our work with a donation, here is our Patreon page. Thank you guys for listening and your feedback. Keep them coming. ...
2020-05-2945 min
Ideas UntrappedIU-Unplugged with Iyinoluwa AboyejiCo-founder of Andela, Flutterwave, and now with Future Africa. We talked about the demand and supply of governance. His belief that the challenges we have are opportunities. He firmly believes that "innovation precedes development". Iyinoluwa is bullish in his optimism about the future of Nigeria and Africa. I thank him for sharing his insights with us.Links to Apple, Stitcher, TuneIn, Pocket Casts. You can also rate us here. Thank you guys for always listening and your feedback. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or...
2020-05-1943 min
Ideas UntrappedIU - Unplugged (One for the Fans) with Biola KazeemWe started with a Biola masterclass on the state of sports investment in Nigeria- then it was football all the way. Biola is brilliant, generous, and measured in his analysis. He is quite right on most things than you might admit. You can listen on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Pocket Cast. Please kindly give us a rating on any of these platforms (it helps others find the podcast) or rate us directly here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
2020-05-1554 min
Ideas UntrappedIU - Unplugged with Ikpeme NetoHe is the founder of Wella Health - a company that wants to help solve the demand problem in the Nigerian healthcare sector. Neto is a physician, but he has a polymathic grasp of the industry. He is brilliant and gracious. I am strongly rooting for this company - many thanks to Neto for sharing his insights and vision with us.You can now get the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and TuneIn. You can also rate us on any of these platforms or do it directly here This is a public...
2020-05-1244 min
Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'ShaughnessyTobi Lutke – Building a Modern BusinessMy guest today is Tobi Lutke, the co-founder, and CEO of Shopify. This is both a timely and evergreen conversation. Timely, as the world as moved aggressively digital in the past two months, and Shopify powers so much of digital commerce. Evergreen, because while we touch on Covid and the Shopify business, this is much more a conversation on business and personal principles, learning, design, and growth. Tobi is one of the CEO’s I look up to most for the type of company he is building and for the way he conducts himself. We discuss business focus, why video...
2020-05-121h 08
Ideas UntrappedResponsible ReformsI spoke to the chief economist of PwC in Nigeria Andrew Nevin. We had a conversation on taxes, central banking, and economic reforms in general. Andrew also explained his preferred measure of economic progress as opposed to GDP, and whether we should be more like China or India. I thank Andrew for agreeing to share his views with us.You can always listen or download right here on Substack or do the same on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Pocket Casts. There is also a transcript below. You can rate us on any of these platforms, this...
2020-05-0847 min
Ideas UntrappedIU Unplugged -with Dolapo OniI spoke with Dolapo Oni, an energy analyst, and wealth manager. We started off with the recent downward spiral of oil prices. We also talked about his preferred political reform, the capital market, and how to boost productivity in oil production.You can listen or download here if you prefer Stitcher. We are also working to make the show available on Apple, Google, and Spotify. I thank Dolapo for generously sharing his insights and time (I had to wake him up early morning twice!) with us. This is a public episode. If you would...
2020-04-3052 min
Ideas UntrappedIU Unplugged - with Omotola AbimbolaI spoke with economist Omotola Abimbola on the CBN governor's manifesto for Nigeria's post-crisis economy. We talked about the flaws of our current development model, and he proposed some credible reforms. Omotola is one of the smartest in the business and a complete gentleman. You can follow his twitter feed here. You can also listen or download this episode on Stitcher. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com
2020-04-2652 min
Ideas UntrappedIU unplugged - with The Black BanditAn unscripted, unstructured conversation with my friend "the black bandit". The listening options are unchanged (Stitcher here). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ideasuntrapped.com
2020-04-241h 57
Cloud GiantsShopify, Twilio, & Pinterest CEOs on building a startup during a downturnJoin Byron Deeter and Jeremy Levine from Bessemer Venture Partners as they bring together three resilient founders who built their startups during the immediate aftermath of the 2008 Recession. In this conversation, we talk to Jeff Lawson, CEO and co-founder of Twilio, Tobi Lütke, CEO and founder of Shopify, and Ben Silbermann, CEO and co-founder of Pinterest.
Key insights include:
What inspired Twilio to keep pushing even after they didn’t get any funding in the summer of 2008: “Our customers were telling us we’re on the right track,” remembered Jeff. “We should be listening to customer...
2020-04-141h 09
Ideas UntrappedThe Merits of the ConventionalI enjoyed talking to Nonso on this episode - and many thanks to him for making the time. This is not part of our COVID-19 quickcast series because we had scheduled this conversation before news of the outbreak and subsequent lockdown. Nonso was characteristically eloquent and got straight at the heart of the questions. We talked about different models of economic development, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and how we are better with a more democratic approach to economic policymaking.The listening options are the same as always(play or download above or do the same via...
2020-04-1237 min
Ideas UntrappedPUBLIC HEALTH 101I spoke to Dr. Ike Anya, a public health physician and consultant on how Nigeria is responding to COVID-19. We also talked about the funding of the health sector, quality of services, and the many compromises involved in decisions about public health. I found Ike’s optimism hopeful, and his insights are enlightening. Many thanks to him for having this chat. For those who want to volunteer, you can sift through his Twitter feed here for the available channels. You can also listen/download this conversation on Stitcher here This is a public episode. If you wo...
2020-04-0240 min
Ideas UntrappedLOCKDOWN AND BEYONDAkin Oyebode returns to the show to talk about the many implications of COVID-19, the government’s response, and why we need to confront the threat head-on. Please note he is not speaking on behalf of his office or the government. This was recorded on the 28th of March before the Presidential address and the subsequent lockdown of Lagos, Ogun state, and the FCT. Akin foreshadowed a lot of what played out in his analysis, and many thanks to him for sharing.The listening options are the same (Stitcher here). Thank you and keep keeping safe.
2020-04-0137 min
Ideas UntrappedPandemiconomicsI spoke with Adedayo Bakare on the many economic implications that COVID-19 will have in Nigeria. We also talked about the precarious situation it has put Nigeria fiscally - given the collapse of public revenue from the oil price crash. The conversation started with an essay Adedayo co-wrote on the palliative measures the government can take to ease the pain. Many thanks to Adedayo for always willing to share his thoughts and insights. You can also listen or download here on Stitcher. Thanks, and please stay safe. Here is the NCDC Guidance for Employers and Businesses in Nigeria.
2020-03-2937 min
Ideas UntrappedTHE MICROBE AND THE LEVIATHANThis is the first of a series of conversations that will explore issues surrounding COVID-19. Some societies and systems will be permanently altered after the pandemic - and it is important for us to assess the current state of the world in other to design a better one. I spoke to Feyi Fawehinmi on the divergent institutional responses to the crisis, particularly on the nuances of authoritarian approaches compared to more democratic ones. Feyi is one of the most spontaneous thinkers I know, as the entire conversation was “off-the-cuff”. He is also one of the biggest supporters of this proj...
2020-03-2741 min
Ideas UntrappedReinventing the Public - with AkinMy conversation with Akin Oyebode is now up. Akin has been the model public servant in most young business and progressive circles that I am aware of in the last decade or more. He’s also had a previous successful career in the financial industry and has been brilliantly recalibrating to what I think our expectations should be about the public sector. We delve into his current job, and how that shapes his outlook on public service. We also talked about several important reforms he wants to help jumpstart in Ekiti State. Akin is a practising pragmatist with the va...
2020-02-081h 57
Ideas UntrappedOn the Value of Knowledge - with AdedayoMy Conversation with Adedayo was an enjoyable experience, as you can tell from the lighthearted tone. He is brilliant and still very much underrated. He also has an incredible personal story - the triumph of choice, opportunity, and knowledge. I hope he gets to tell it one day. The recurrent theme in our conversation is knowledge (human capital) and its importance to development. You can also listen on Stitcher here or read the transcript below. Many thanks to Quadbee for the continued Herculean efforts in making these conversations possible.TranscriptTobi: This is Ideas Untrapped...
2020-01-151h 56
Ideas UntrappedAffiong Williams on Human Capital, Feminism, and PovertyI started these conversation series to further the underlying philosophy of this publication - helping the spread of good rival ideas. I want to speak to brilliant people with experience, who also have interesting things to say about Nigeria's political economy and society in general. In the first episode, I spoke with Affiong Williams - Founder/CEO of Reelfruit. I learned a lot from Affi and it was hard to condense our conversation into the bits that made the cut. Her take on economic complexity, and how social systems and expectations can change culture are quite refreshing takes. She...
2019-12-061h 23
TobiTalks- A Nursing Career Guide For MillennialsFrom House Calls to Children's books - Dr. Scharmaine Lawson is Transforming HealthcareOn this episode of TobiTalks, Dr. Scharmaine Lawson, the author of the Nurse Nola children's books and creator of the only housecall course in the nation that trains nurse practitioners on how to start a housecall practice, shares her journey from bedside nursing to becoming a nationally recognized nurse practitioner.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tobitalks-a-nursing-career-guide-for-millennials/donations
2019-02-051h 19