Master’s Degree in Applied Economics

I am a Nigerian, born and raised in Nigeria. I lived in Holland for 4 years as a child and have lived in the United States since 2006. I speak English and also some Dutch, French and Spanish at varying levels of competence. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration awarded by XXXX University in 2010. My long term goal in applying for the program is to return to Nigeria and to be an agent for positive change by applying and sharing the advanced knowledge and skills with which the program will equip me.

 My interest in Economics was fired by an excellent and inspiring teacher during my early high school studies in Nigeria. This teacher brought Economics alive and made us clearly aware that it was a study that could be profitably applied in our own everyday lives. Mr. Amaechi made Economic theory relevant to us and to our families and to our country. I still vividly recall that class in which he introduced us to the concept of ‘opportunity cost’ and the comparison of a ‘need’ and a ‘want’. I was fascinated then and remain so to this day. During my Bachelor degree studies on the topic of Economic Development, I was required to read ‘The End of Poverty’ by Jeffrey Sachs and ‘The Bottom Billion’ by Paul Collier which books I still constantly re-read. These writers fired an interest in the relation between health and economic performance and gave me a determination to pursue this area of study at post-graduate level, especially in its effects on African national economies.

 My father has also been a great influence and significant role model. He has been very successful in his own energy business and has provided me with a privileged upbringing for which I shall always be grateful. His success was achieved by honesty, determination, focus and persistence and he would settle for no less from me in my studies and my life. It is my ultimate intention to pursue an MBA degree and then to join my father’s energy business. However I also intend to share the advanced knowledge and skills that I hope to acquire to assist business owners and potential entrepreneurs in Nigeria. I also intend to set my own enterprise, or enterprises to assist my country’s development and add real value to the country’s economy and the well being and health of its people. For this reason I am especially interested in undertaking research related to Economics as it relates to health and to be enabled to provide expertise to government departments and N.G.O’s to ensure the appropriate and efficient distribution of health related aid.  

 I am also interested in research relating to the Economics of Energy as this is the subject of my father’s business but is also highly relevant to the Nigerian economy generally. As you will be aware, Nigeria is an exporter of electricity whilst failing to provide a reliable supply internally. I would hope to be able to contribute to reducing the inefficiencies and problems that give rise to these kinds of problems.

 I am aware that the program will attract many well qualified applicants. However I genuinely consider myself an excellent candidate because of the relevance, to my goals, of the topics emphasized in the program, the relevance of my own studies to date and significant insights that I shall be able to bring from a background spent in an emergent economy with massive potential but numerous problems delaying its fulfillment.