66 episodes

The Charter Cities Podcast explores how charter cities can help solve some of the largest challenges of the 21st century, from urbanization to global poverty to migration. Each episode Mark Lutter interviews experts in international development, new cities, finance, entrepreneurship, and governance, to develop a better understanding of the various aspects of charter cities

If you want to learn more visit the Charter Cities Institute at https://www.chartercitiesinstitute.org/

Charter Cities Podcast Kurtis Lockhart

    • Science
    • 4.8 • 16 Ratings

The Charter Cities Podcast explores how charter cities can help solve some of the largest challenges of the 21st century, from urbanization to global poverty to migration. Each episode Mark Lutter interviews experts in international development, new cities, finance, entrepreneurship, and governance, to develop a better understanding of the various aspects of charter cities

If you want to learn more visit the Charter Cities Institute at https://www.chartercitiesinstitute.org/

    Luqman Edu on Itana, Nigeria's First Digital Free Zone

    Luqman Edu on Itana, Nigeria's First Digital Free Zone

    What would it take to create the ideal jurisdiction for global tech companies to be able to grow and scale in Africa? Joining us today to unpack this question is Luqman Edu, co-founder and CEO of Itana, Nigeria’s first Digital Free Zone. Through their partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Itana is creating an opportunity for global businesses to operate and provide services remotely, without being physically present in Nigeria. We use today’s conversation to delve into the ins and outs of building a Digital Free Zone, Itana’s ambition to become the Delaware of Africa, how this will help companies connect with untapped African talent, and what it will take to realize these goals. We discuss the key challenges startups and companies typically face when trying to do business in Nigeria or Africa, how Itana is solving these problems, the unique benefits they are offering to the first 100 companies to partner with them, and much more. You won’t want to miss out on this thought-provoking conversation with Luqmna Edu on Itana, the innovative work that they’re doing, and why success for Itana means success for Africa!
    Key Points From This Episode:
    Introducing today’s guest, Luqman Edu.An overview of Itana, Nigeria’s first Digital Free Zone.Common challenges for companies doing business in Africa.Details on traditional Free Zones in Nigeria.Policy and legal measures for making Itana an authentic Digital Free Zone.A rundown of the incentives for working in Itana.The requirements for being able to operate in Itana.Itana’s physical campus and their goals for it.Insight into Itana’s progress thus far and the companies operating within Itana.How Itana is helping companies access Nigerian talent.Other Digital Free Zones across the world and how they have influenced Itana.Reflections on the future of Free Zones in Africa more generally.How Luqman’s experience in the public and private sector has shaped his choices for Itana.What they are doing to ensure Itana’s sustainability.The increasingly important role of tech in the Nigerian economy.How Itana wants to facilitate the success of tech companies across the continent.The Itana 100: who they are and how you can join!

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
    Luqman Edu on LinkedIn
    Itana
    Itana 100
    Charter Cities Institute
    Charter Cities Institute on Facebook
    Charter Cities Institute on X

    • 31 min
    Kartik Akileswaran and Jonathan Mazumdar on Growth Teams and Structural Transformation

    Kartik Akileswaran and Jonathan Mazumdar on Growth Teams and Structural Transformation

    Many countries need radical structural transformation, specifically in more developing nations, and Growth Teams and made it part of their mission to empower developing countries to create jobs and grow their economies. Today, we are in conversation with the cofounders of Growth Teams, Kartik Akileswaran and Jonathan Mazumdar. The pair are here to discuss how their business is playing its part in creating economic stability in countries around the world. Our conversation begins with a breakdown of Growth Teams, how the company works, and why Kartik and Jonathan chose to build it. After taking a look at our guests’ professional backgrounds, we dive into the definition of structural transformation, assess its importance, discover why it’s so difficult to facilitate and brainstorm ways for governments to stand true to their promises of transformation. We also learn how Growth Teams gets involved in government outreaches, how it’s doing things differently to achieve better results, the countries it is working with, and everything the business has planned moving forward.  
    Key Points From This Episode:
    What Growth Teams is all about and how Kartik and Jonathan came to found itKartik and Jonathan's professional backgroundsThe importance of structural growth and economic developmentWhy the aforementioned issues are neglected by governments and policymakersDefining structural transformationThe factors that make structural transformation difficult to facilitateOur guests’ advice for how governments can uphold their transformation reformsHow labor mobility fits inWhy government outreach programs have low skills retention, and how Growth Teams is fixing thisA look at Growth Team's involvement in government outreaches and how it evolves during the processThe countries that Growth Teams is working with and the company's plans for the future

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
    Kartik Akileswaran on LinkedIn
    Jonathan Mazumdar on LinkedIn 
    Growth Teams
    ‘Governance and Development'
    The perspective of growth-enhancing governance’
    ‘Which World Bank Reports Are Widely Read?’
    Pockets of Effectiveness
    Charter Cities Institute
    Charter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Xl

    • 45 min
    Jon Vandenheuvel on Small Farm Cities

    Jon Vandenheuvel on Small Farm Cities

    Affordable housing and economic development challenges in Africa are multifaceted and interconnected, but what is the solution? In today’s conversation, we sit down with Jon Vandenheuvel, the founder of Small Farm Cities Africa and senior advisor for the Charter Cities Institute. Small Farm Cities integrates horticulture, aquaculture, infrastructure, and residential housing for ownership and wealth creation throughout Africa. Jon is a visionary leader in agribusiness, municipal infrastructure development, and applied technology systems. His impactful work spans multiple African nations, where he has spearheaded infrastructure, agribusiness, and e-commerce initiatives to help foster economic growth. In our conversation, we unpack his hyper-affordable agribusiness concept, the importance of systems solutions to systems problems like poverty, and how Jon came to be building new cities in Africa. Discover his definition of affordable housing, what is stunting the development of African countries, and why formal ownership of housing and land is so crucial for Africa. We delve into why building and storing wealth is a core value of Small Farm Cities, how the company plans to scale, leveraging the industrial sector for development, realizing Africa's economic potential, and much more! Jon also shares details about the success of their pilot project in Malawi and how the concept is resulting in larger projects he is currently working on. To find out how Jon is driving housing accessibility and development in Africa, tune in now!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    The definition of a small farm city and details about the first community he built.Affordable formal ownership of housing and why it is significant for African countries.Providing an affordable housing baseline while incorporating building options.Learn about the company’s approach to housing modularity and scaling. Jon shares his approach to sourcing and developing talent for Small Farm Cities. Scaling the company’s method and how it is entering the light industrial sector. Unlocking Africa’s industrial potential to build communities and cities. Malawi’s Special Economic Zone Law and why it is a win for the country.Valuable lessons and takeaways from their project in Ghana. Transitioning refugee cities into investable and productive cities. His professional background and career journey to Small Farm Cities. 

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Jon Vandenheuvel on LinkedIn
    Small Farm Cities
    Africa Risk Dashboard
    Leif Van Grinsven on LinkedIn
    Starlink
    Rio Tinto
    The Mystery of Capital
    National Planning Commission
    Thomas Munthali on LinkedIn
    MIT School of Architecture and Urban...

    • 49 min
    Tom Lavers on Ethiopia's Developmental State

    Tom Lavers on Ethiopia's Developmental State

    Ethiopia's Developmental State model has garnered attention for its ambitious goals and efforts to transform the economy, but has it been successful? Joining us today is Tom Lavers, Senior lecturer in Politics and Development at The University of Manchester, to help navigate this complex topic. Tom is a dedicated researcher whose passion lies in exploring the intricate interplay between social and political dynamics amid structural shifts. His research is characterized by a nuanced investigation into the changing socio-political landscapes and the evolving relationships between states and societies. In our conversation, we delve into Ethiopia's political coalition shifts and explore the government's achievements and setbacks in fostering development. We discuss Ethiopia’s complex historical roots, how statehood has significantly shaped Ethiopia's development trajectory, the distributive crisis in Ethiopia, and the factors contributing to Ethiopia's current challenges. Gain valuable insights into the country’s industrial landscape, developmental strategies, geographical equity hurdles, urbanization shifts, and much more. Tune in for a comprehensive exploration of Ethiopia's developmental journey with expert Tom Lavers! 
    Key Points From This Episode:
    The definition of a developmental state and typical examples.Learn what a distributive crisis is and how it applies to Ethiopia.An overview of the successes and failures of Ethiopia’s government.Top-down versus bottom-up factors contributing to Ethiopia’s crisis.How centuries of statehood shaped Ethiopia’s developmental drive.Explore the evolution of Ethiopia’s land and agricultural sector.Ethiopia's equity and ethnically inclusive developmental strategies.Valuable insights into Ethiopia’s industrial landscape.Urbanization, industrialization, and the complex interplay with politics.Emerging trends and dynamics of urbanization in Ethiopia.Tom shares details about his next upcoming project.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
    Tom Lavers on LinkedIn
    The University of Manchester
    The Global Development Institute (GDI) 
    Ethiopia's Developmental State: Political Order and Distributive Crisis
    Seeing like a State 
    The NYU Marron Institute
    Charter Cities Institute
    Charter Cities Institute on Facebook
    Charter Cities Institute on X

    • 43 min
    Lant Pritchett on Economic Growth, Charter Cities, and State Capability

    Lant Pritchett on Economic Growth, Charter Cities, and State Capability

    In today's episode of Charter Cities, we're honored to welcome Lant Pritchett, a distinguished economist and a thought leader in development economics. Our deep-dive conversation will focus on the critical topic of growth diagnostics, exploring the complex challenges policymakers face in developing nations. Lant will illuminate the importance of identifying impactful actions for growth, emphasizing the need for rigorous debate and evidence-based decision-making. We'll also scrutinize the limitations of traditional development metrics like the "dollar a day" measure and consider alternative, more effective approaches. We'll also investigate innovative solutions like charter cities as a mechanism for fostering sustainable growth by addressing institutional challenges.
    Key Points From This Episode:
    Why overemphasis on low-bar goals lead to ineffective randomized control trials in developmentHow bright minds in development economics are missing the markPolicymakers in developing countries lack effective prioritization, not ideas, for fostering economic growthTony Blair's approach focuses on achievable priorities but could benefit from rigorous initial diagnostics for high-impact actionsDeveloping countries grow fast but collapse easily due to fragile "deals-based" governance, unlike OECD's robust rule-based systemsPrioritizing the prevention of growth decelerations; reforms can help but need better diagnosticsShifting focus from economic growth blamed on the end of the Cold War and structural adjustment failuresWeighing charter cities: positives include a focus on urbanization and productivity; challenges involve credibility and feasibility of implementing changeEmphasizing the need for experimentation and policy diversityHow migration from low to high TFP countries can yield 40x greater income gains than anti-poverty programsLabor mobility increasingly viable due to demographic shifts and political changeUrbanization requires new approaches to ensure inclusive, opportunity-driven growth in cities

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
    RISE
    Harvard Kennedy School
    Charter Cities Institute
    Charter Cities Institute on Facebook
    Charter Cities Institute on Twitter

    • 1 hr 21 min
    Heba Elhanafy and Matthew McCartney on Africa's Bad Urban Laws

    Heba Elhanafy and Matthew McCartney on Africa's Bad Urban Laws

    On today's Charter Cities episode, host Jeffrey Mason is joined by colleagues Heba Elhanafy and Matthew McCartney to unpack the New Africa's Bad Urban Laws project. This initiative dissects laws in African cities hindering growth and community well-being. Additionally, Jeffrey reminds listeners of the upcoming Africa's New City Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. The team dives deep, discussing the reasons for and effects of detrimental urban laws, using instances like Zambia's land ownership as an example. Tune in for an insightful discussion on urban policies in Africa.
    Key Points From This Episode:
    How urban laws negatively affect African urban environments across fiscal, administrative, and spatial planningThe project exposes bad urban laws and questions their persistent existence in African citiesBad urban laws persist due to misunderstandings, political interests, and distributional benefitsHow Zambia's outdated land ownership laws, rooted in colonial times, benefit a few and hinder economic developmentEgypt's attempt to modernize land laws led to unique urban challenges affecting millionsUrban physician reforms laws with expertise; urban politician navigates political realities for urban changesInteractive map showcases bad urban laws, allows user contributions for more awarenessCCI's research aims for awareness through interactive maps and practical urban reform

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
    Africas New Cities Summit
    Charter Cities Institute
    Charter Cities Institute on Facebook
    Charter Cities Institute on Twitter

    • 25 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
16 Ratings

16 Ratings

nels podcast listener ,

In-depth conversations with renowned experts

This group is thinking big about the future of cities and this podcast is very well informed.

sir stacksalot ,

Immediately engaging; Lit my brain on fire

The conversations are always a great balance of approachable and intellectual. The topics follow an interesting theme, and I find myself thinking about it for hours afterwards.

Evade Chikzy ,

Excellent

Very informative!

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