I am an applied economist working at the intersection of African development, political economy, and economic history. Using modern microeconometric techniques, I examine how socio-political and institutional arrangements, past and present, shape socio-economic outcomes for individuals across the continent. I hold a PhD in Economics from the University of Pretoria. 

As a researcher at the Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) within the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town, I study the political economy and economic history of tobacco, alcohol and health taxes in sub-Saharan Africa. My research aims to deepen understanding of these industries, the regulatory frameworks that govern them, and their broader socio-economic implications. In particular, I am interested in tobacco farming, the colonial roots of tobacco as a cash crop in Africa, and the political and commercial determinants of health policy.

I am also involved in an ongoing collaborative project examining how pandemics, the public health dynamics and associated institutional responses affect economic development and labour markets in African contexts. The project contributes to a broader understanding of the political economy of development under conditions of uncertainty that countries face during pandemics.