Lloyd George Banda

Lloyd George Banda is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI), ASCEND, University of Cape Town, where he studies the dynamics of climate vulnerabilities, conflict, and migration, as well as other livelihood dynamics, in the Sahel. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Stellenbosch University and obtained both a Master of Arts in Development Studies and a Bachelor of Social Science in Economics from the University of Malawi. 

Lloyd brings strong quantitative research skills to his work, applying advanced statistical and econometric methods through tools such as STATA, EViews, Python, SPSS, and AMOS to answer complex questions in the political economy of development and public policy. His technical toolkit spans survey and questionnaire design, dynamic panel analysis, vector error correction modelling, and quasi-experimental methods, complemented by experience in qualitative research, project management, and successful grant and proposal writing. 

At ASCEND, he synthesises diverse datasets to map climate-driven changes in agriculture, examines conflict and climate securitisation processes, and engages directly with regional stakeholders to ensure his findings translate into evidence-based policy recommendations. His broader research interests centre on governance and institutions, particularly how public policy shapes development outcomes across Sub-Saharan Africa, aligned with United Nations Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. On the citizens’ side of his institutional research, he focuses on comparative politics, political behaviour, and policy advocacy. 

Lloyd has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and presented his work at international conferences across Europe, the Americas, and Africa. He also serves as an editor for two academic publications: Frontiers in Political Science and IAPSS Politikon.