Motolani Peltola

Motolani Peltola (formerly Agbebi) is a university lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Management and Business, University of Tampere, Finland. She holds a doctoral degree in Administrative sciences from Tampere University, Finland and a master’s degree in Human Resource Management (International Development) from the Global Development Institute (GDI), University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Her primary research interest is in Sino-Africa relations and its implications for Africa’s socio-economic development. She studied this topic in her doctoral research where she examined the implications of China-Africa economic engagement for human capital development in Africa. While she continues to explore the human capital development dimensions of Chinese investments in Africa’s telecoms sector, her current research also examines China’s digital silk road and the implications for Africa’s technological future, as well as the economic, social and governance impacts of Chinese ICT infrastructure provision in Africa. She has been a visiting researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala, Sweden and Peking University’s Centre for African Studies. Her research has been published in academic peer reviewed journals including the Forum for Development Studies, African and Asian Studies, Asian and African studies and Human Resource Development International. Her public facing work has appeared in the South African Institute of International Affairs’ policy briefings, the Council on Foreign Relations’ Asia unbound publication, the China in Africa podcast , the Finnish Ministry of Foreign affairs’ magazine – Kehityslehti, Yle radio, and Sveriges radio.   

Sino-Africa relations, Human caital development, Strategic Human Resource Management, Human Capital Development, Management and development in Africa. 

China’s economic engagement with Africa and the implications for human capital development in Africa

China's digital silk road and the implications for Africa's technological future

ESG impacts of Chinese telecom infrastructure provision in Africa

Articles in International refereed scientific Journals

Ding Fei, Motolani Peltola & Shuo Zhang (2023) Unpacking the competitive relations among Chinese business actors in Africa, Eurasian Geography and Economics, DOI: 10.1080/15387216.2023.2225072

Aminu Mamman, Motolani Agbebi & Mohamed Branine (2023) It will take a global village to find cures for global pandemics: the Ubuntu perspective, Third World Quarterly, 44:3, 423-441, DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2022.2153663 

Agbebi, M. (2020) Lectio praecursoria - China-Africa economic engagement: implications for human capital development in Africa. Hallinon Tutkimus, 39 (3)229-233. 

Agbebi, M (2019) Exploring the Human Capital Development Dimensions of Chinese Investments in Africa: Opportunities, Implications and Directions for Further Research. Journal of Asian and African Studies. 54(2): 189-210. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909618801381

Mamman Aminu, Bawole Justice, Agbebi Motolani, Alhassan Abdul-Razak (2019) SME policy formulation and implementation in Africa: Unpacking assumptions as opportunity for research direction. Journal of Business Research, 97: 304-315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.01.044 

Agbebi, M. (2018) China in Africa’s telecom sector: opportunities for human capital development? A case of Huawei in Nigeria. Human Resource Development International, 21(5): 532-551. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2018.1512232 

Mamman Aminu, Kamoche Ken, Zakaria Hamza B, Agbebi Motolani (2018) Developing Human Capital in Africa: Carving a Role for Human Resource Professionals and Practitioners. Human Resource Development International, 21(5) 444-462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2018.1464290

Agbebi M., Stenvall J, and Virtanen P (2018) Towards a framework for understanding the outcomes of economic engagements with Africa: A human capital development perspective. African and Asian Studies Journal 17(3): 274-299. https://doi.org/10.1163/15692108-12341392

Agbebi, M. & Virtanen, P. (2017) Dependency Theory: A Conceptual lens to Understand China’s presence in Africa. Forum for Development Studies, 44(3): 429-451. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039410.2017.1281161

Monograph

Agbebi, M (2020) China Africa Economic Engagement: Implications for Human Capital Development in Africa. Tampere University Dissertations. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-1460-6 

Book Review

Agbebi, M (2021) China–Africa and an Economic Transformation, The Journal of Development Studies, 57:7, 1240-1241. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2021.1898081

Blog post 

Agbebi, M (2022) China’s digital Silk Road and Africa’s Technological Future. Council on Foreign Relations, Asia unbound blog post, February 1, 2022. https://www.cfr.org/blog/chinas-digital-silk-road-and-africas-technological-future 

Research Contribution

Comparing Environmental, Social and Governance Impacts of Chinese-led Infrastructure Projects in Africa and Southeast Asia. RESEARCH BY Cobus van Staden, Chris Alden, Ana Cristina Alves, Zheng Yu, Guanie Lim, Bradley Murg, Oscar M Otele, Motolani Peltola (formerly Agbebi), Gong Xue. South African Institute of International Affairs. Special Report, May 2023. https://saiia.org.za/research/comparing-environmental-social-and-governance-impacts-of-chinese-led-infrastructure-projects-in-africa-and-southeast-asia/ 

China-powered ICT Infrastructure: Lessons from Tanzania and Cambodia. Research by Motolani Agbebi, Gong Xue and Zheng Yu. South African Institute of International Affairs - SAIIA Policy Briefing No 252, November 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/china-powered-ict-infrastructure-lessons-from-tanzania-and-cambodia/ 

Book Chapter

Pekkola, E., Siekkinen, T., Peltola, M., Laihonen, H., Kujala, EN. (2023). Remote Universities? Impacts of COVID-19 as Experienced by Academic Leaders in Finland. In: Pinheiro, R., Balbachevsky, E., Pillay, P., Yonezawa, A. (eds) The Impact of Covid-19 on the Institutional Fabric of Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26393-4_15 

Mamman, A., Zakaria, H and Agbebi, M. (2017) “Training Entrepreneurs and Policy Makers for Poverty Reduction in Africa: Spirituality in Business Perspective.” In: Development Management: Theory and Practice, edited by Bawole, J.N, Hossain, F., Ghalib, A.K., Rees, C.J and Mamman, A. London: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Development-Management-Theory-and-practice/Bawole-Hossain-Ghalib-Rees-Mamman/p/book/9781138646414 

Conference proceedings and presentations

Presentation Title: ESG impacts of Chinese Infrastructure Provision in Africa's Telecommunications Sector -
The case of Tanzania's National ICT broadband Backbone. South African Institute of Internation Affairs (SAIIA) and Chinese Embassy Joint Seminar on Future-Proofing Africa - Chinese Infrastructure Cooperation. 31 August 2022. Online - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyXtbGlYpzo , Paper: https://saiia.org.za/research/china-powered-ict-infrastructure-lessons-from-tanzania-and-cambodia/ 

Paper title: Assessing the Human Capital Development Implications of China-Africa Economic Engagement. International Symposium: Re-imagining African Agency in China-Africa Relations, 13-14 May 2021, Lingnan University, Hong Kong.

Paper title: “Do Chinese Investments in Africa's Telecom Sector contribute to Human Capital Development? A case of Huawei in Nigeria”. 5th International Conference on ‘Managing organisations in Africa’: Africa Research Group Conference 29-31 August 2017, University of Mauritius, Mauritius. 2017. p. 376-381

Paper title: “China in Africa’s telecom sector: opportunities for human capital development? A case of Huawei in Nigeria”. Administrative Science Days, 24.11.2016. Kuopio, Finland. 

Paper title: “Chinese investments in Africa’s telecom sector: contributions to skills and technology transfer? A case of Huawei in Nigeria”. 3rd Annual China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI) Conference, Theme: “Chinese Infrastructure in Africa,” School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, USA. October 13 – 14, 2016.

Paper title: “Developing Human Capital in Africa: Carving a Role for Human Resource Professionals”. 2nd Global Conference on International Human Resource Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA. 14-15 May 2015.

Paper title: “Spirituality as a Foundation for Building African Institutions, Organizations and Leaders: Towards a Framework and Practical Guidelines”. Spirituality and Creativity in Management World Congress, ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain. April 2015. 

Paper title: “System Thinking, Spirituality and Poverty Reduction: Developing Policy Makers and Entrepreneurs in the Fight against Poverty in Africa”. 2014 International Conference of the Association of Global Management Studies, Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK. 20-21 May 2014. 

Paper title: “Management Tools and Techniques, their Potentials in Poverty Eradication Agencies and Institutions: A case of Nigeria”. 3rd International Conference on Management in Africa; Centre for Organizations in Development, University of Manchester and Nottingham University Business School. 5-6 September 2013. 

Paper title: “Achieving Organizational Competitiveness Adopting Strategic Human Resource Management in the context of a developing country”. Innovation based competitiveness (QC6) 2012 Congress; Hamdan Bin Mohammed University, Dubai, 30 January – 2 February 2012. http://www.innovationarabia.ae/wp-content/uploads/iarabiadoc/QC-2012.pdf. p. 169-179.

Invited international speeches/lectures

Harvard’s Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University, USA. Master level course - China and the African continent. Topic- Exploring the human capital dimensions of Chinese investments in Africa. Opportunities, Implications and directions for Further research., (Online October 21, 2021)

Tongji University, Shanghai, China. Master Level Course - Internationalization and comparative higher education. Topic- Human capital development dimensions of China’s engagement with Africa: Higher Education, training and skills development. (Online March 24, 2022)

Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian studies and the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University Webinar, October 29, 2021. Topic: Connecting the World-Island: What will China's PEACE cable bring to Pakistan and East Africa?". https://daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/connecting-world-island-what-will-chinas-peace-cable-bring-pakistan-and-east-africa 

Workshop on The Belt and Road in Africa: Views from the Region jointly organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, New York, USA and South African Institute of International Affairs, South Africa, June 28 – 29, 2021. Topic: The Digital Silk Road: Revolutionizing Africa’s Technological Future. (Online)

China Business Studies Initiative Webinar, School of Management, University of San Francisco, USA, April 14, 2021. Topic: Examining China’s Investments in African Nations: Promises and Influence. (Online)

Foreign Policy Association’s Great decisions program 2021, Vermont council on World Affairs, Vermont, USA, March 24, 2021. Topic: China’s Role in Africa. (Online)

SØRFOND - The Norwegian South Film Fund. Oslo Films from the South Festival, Norway. 17.11.2019. Documentary screening: Buddha in Africa, Panelist: China's economic and cultural presence in Africa

Research interview as an expert

Oxford University’s Global Economic Governance Programme. Negotiating Africa’s digital partnerships policy research project Interview series. December 2023. https://www.geg.ox.ac.uk/content/motolani-peltola-pursuit-digital-sovereignty-and-local-data-ownership-has-implications

Media Interviews as an expert

DW (Deutsche Welle) Shift. China’s tech takeover: Do we need to worry? Nov 18, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpCW-IUL4JI 

The China-Global south Project Podcast. U.S., European Tech competition with China in Africa. Podcast episode with Eric Olander and Cobus Van Staden, February 25, 2022. https://chinaafricaproject.com/podcasts/u-s-european-tech-competition-with-china-in-africa/ 

Sveriges Radio – Konflikt – Spioneri och stormaktskamp på havets botten – Espionage and Great Power Struggle on the Seabed. Interviewed by Anja Stahlberg, 04.12.2021 https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/spioneri-och-stormaktskamp-pa-havets-botten 

Rest of the World – The Real reason China is pushing ‘Digital Sovereignty’ in Africa. Interviewed by Yinka Adegoke, 1.12.2021. https://restofworld.org/2021/the-real-reason-china-is-pushing-digital-sovereignty-in-africa/ 

Yle radio - Maailmanpolitiikan Arkkipäivää, “Maailmaanpolitiikan Arkipäivää: n afrikkalainen heinäkuu: Uudet vaikuttajat haastavat länsimaat Afrikassa” (in English: Working days of World Politics: African July: New powers challenge Western countries in Africa) interviewed by Heikki Heiskanen, 11.07.2020. https://areena.yle.fi/audio/1-50526186 

Kehitys Lehti No 2, June 2020, Miten Niin? “Afrikan ei pidä joutua valitsemaan Euroopan ja Kiinan väliltä” interviewed by Jukka Aronen, 04.06.2020. https://kehityslehti.fi/jutut/afrikan-ei-pida-joutua-valitsemaan-euroopan-ja-kiinan-valilta/