Chei Bukari

Chei Bukari is a recent PhD graduate in Economics (2024) from the University of Leeds, where he currently serves as a Teaching Assistant at the Leeds University Business School. He previously held academic and research roles at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana, including Lecturer in the School of Economics and Research Associate at the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC).

Education:

• MPhil in Economics, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
• Bachelor of Education (Economics & Geography), First Class Honours, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Research Interests: Dr. Bukari’s research spans Development Economics, Behavioural Economics, Health Economics, Environmental Economics, and Applied Econometrics. His work focuses on poverty, inequality, corruption, financial inclusion, climate change, and health in the Global South, particularly sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. He employs rigorous econometric tools to analyze micro-level data and inform public policy.

Publications and Research Trends: His recent publications examine the impact of financial inclusion on smallholder farmers, mobile money adoption in rural healthcare, corruption’s effect on firm innovation, and poverty reduction through bundled financial services. These works reflect a strong empirical focus on policy-relevant economic issues using nationally representative datasets like the Ghana Living Standards Survey.

Scientific Awards:

• Leeds University Business School (LUBS) Scholarship for Publication, 2024
• Nominee, Leeds Partnership Award in Postgraduate Researcher of the Year, 2024
• LUBS Economics Division Doctoral Scholarship, 2021–2024
• Dean’s Excellence Award for Best MPhil Thesis, UCC, 2018
• Dean’s Excellence Award for First Class Student, UCC, 2015
• Dean’s Excellence Award for High Academic Performance, UCC, 2014

Grants and Advising: He has served as a Co-Investigator on multiple funded research projects, including studies on digital financial services in Africa, tertiary education in prisons, resilience among smallholder farmers, and cocoa rehabilitation programs. While no formal students are listed, his roles as Course Tutor and Teaching Assistant indicate active involvement in student mentorship and instruction.

Labs and Research Groups: He is affiliated with the Applied Institute for Research in Economics (AIRE) and is a member of the Royal Economic Society, reflecting his active engagement in academic research networks.