The MIT Sloan Africa Business Club is an all-inclusive organization fostering relations between the MIT Sloan community with the African business and cultural communities. Launched in May 2007, the club has quickly emerged as one of the most popular clubs on campus. The club’s activities include:

• promoting discussion of economic and social issues in Africa,
• providing an avenue for students interested in careers in Africa to interact with employers seeking the skills of MIT Sloan and other college graduates,
• encouraging MIT Sloan to seek out more students from Africa,
• strengthening ties among students, alumni, and African business professionals and, promote technological innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa

Career Panel and Development Services

Other upcoming events include a Career / Business School MIT Sloan Graduate Panel for undergraduates affiliated with the MIT African Students’ Association. This panel is a forum for MIT Sloan students to share their professional and personal experiences with undergraduate students in order to provide guidance and foster leadership.
The club also encourages students interested in careers in Africa to interact with potential employers for full-time and internship opportunities. Ad hoc research projects involving MIT Sloan students and one or several organizations are also carried out.

Innovation and Growth in Africa

During an African Business Club event, MIT Sloan professor Tavneet Suri, a development economist who closely studies sub-Saharan Africa, provided a stimulating illustration of the potential for innovation and growth in Africa. The underlined the need for efforts to educate children, to feed and house refugees, to treat HIV and other diseases, and other human development programs are an essential foundation for long-term economic development in Africa”
She concluded with the following statement: “Ask not ‘Why Africa?’ but ‘Why NOT Africa?’

Innovate Africa Conference

This upcoming academic year is seeing the first Innovate Africa Conference – a conference dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa. Guest speakers include select academicians and business leaders. Previous speakers include Professor Tavneet Suri, development economist at MIT Sloan and Mr. Alieu Conteh, Chairman and CEO of Vodacom Congo.”

Past Speakers and Participants

Alieu Conteh
Chairman and CEO of Vodacom Congo.
Born in Gambia and schooled in London and California, Mr. Conteh resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mr. Conteh’s business reputation on the continent has grown over the past twenty years by founding and operating a successful commodity business. Mr. Conteh continues to lead the team in building out the infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of Congo while maintaining his focus on the acquisition of additional license franchises.

Tavneet Suri's research centers on a variety of applied economics issues in Sub-Saharan Africa.  She uses microeconomic and econometric models to examine the efficiency of household behavior and to understand subsequent policy implications.
Go to Tavneet Suri's complete MIT Sloan bio >>