Adetunde (Ope) Simpson is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Economy at King's College London. His research focuses on the effects of land laws and policies on land control mechanisms and tenure security and their subsequent effects on the long-term economic growth of Nigeria. He examines how these factors influence multi-dimensional poverty, economic inequality, terrorism, and communal clashes. Ope traces the evolution of land laws and policies, which have largely remained unchanged since colonial times, and their impact on Nigeria's economic growth and development. His research not only contributes to academic discourse but also informs his professional work in real estate and infrastructure investment, aiming to drive sustainable development in Nigeria and beyond.

Before joining King's College as a PhD researcher, Ope worked in financial services as the market risk manager for a commercial bank and subsequently as the investment risk manager for a $2 billion AUM pension scheme in sub-Saharan Africa. Ope has a keen interest in asset management and real assets, particularly real estate and infrastructure. He is the co-partner of a high-conviction venture capital firm that focuses on facilitating the expansion of African-owned businesses outside of the African continent. Ope holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Lagos and an MBA from Warwick Business School. His research spans multiple disciplines, including developmental economics, infrastructure, real estate, land policy, and tenure security, with a particular focus on how infrastructure investments and tenure security can drive economic equality.

His PhD supervisors are Dr Alberto Vesperoni and Dr David Chilosi.

Research interests

• Developmental economics
• Infrastructure
• Real estate
• Land policy
• Tenure security
• Economic equality