Dr. Uduak Akpan is a development economist with a strong research background and extensive professional experience in implementing development projects. He was a monitoring and evaluation specialist with the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) where he co-managed a portfolio of projects over US$45 million spanning civil works, livelihood support, institutional capacity building, and project management. He has published numerous influential research papers in respected journals, contributing to advancing knowledge in the energy and transport sectors. He has led several teams to conduct in-depth analyses of energy access, rural transport, rural development, etc, providing valuable insights to guide decision-making for both public sector clients and multilateral development organizations. He has a PhD in Development Economics from SOAS University of London. He is currently a post-doctoral researcher on the British Academy-funded research on The Greening of African Economic Development.