Francis Stephen Nyonzo
I am
Francis
Nyonzo
Economist · Researcher · Author · Emerging Scholar
A Tanzanian economist, researcher and author — an emerging scholar in development, governance and behavioral economics. My work combines rigorous applied research with field experience across East Africa, bridging economic theory, public policy and real-world governance challenges.
Who I Am
Economist, Author & Emerging Scholar
I am a Tanzanian economist, researcher and author, and an emerging scholar working at the intersection of development economics, governance and behavioral economics. My work pairs rigorous applied methods with close knowledge of East African institutions, asking how policy actually shapes — and is shaped by — the behavior of citizens, firms and states.
My research program centers on public finance and taxation, mobile money and digital financial inclusion, behavioral responses to policy, and the political economy of governance and corruption. I work primarily with survey and administrative data, applying econometric and quasi-experimental methods (using STATA), and I publish in peer-reviewed journals while sharing replication code and data openly.
As a Fulbright Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow at Michigan State University (2024–25), I deepened my training in data science, behavioral economics and trade policy. As an incoming Rotary Peace Fellow (2026–27) at Makerere University, I am extending this work into the governance and conflict dimensions of development. I am also a forthcoming contributor to The Routledge Handbook of Political Corruption (2nd ed.), co-authoring on political corruption in East Africa.
I am an active peer reviewer for the African Tax Research Network, an International Emerging Scholar with the African Studies Association, and have presented at the AEA/ASSA meetings and international conferences in the US and Canada. Alongside my research, I write widely for public audiences, translating economic evidence into accessible policy commentary.
Development & Public Economics
Peer-reviewed research on taxation, mobile money, financial inclusion and the informal economy in East Africa.
Behavioral Economics
Studying how individuals and firms respond to taxes, nudges and digital systems — and what that means for policy design.
Governance & Political Economy
Research on corruption, public-sector accountability and the institutions that shape development outcomes.
Applied Methods & Open Science
Survey and administrative data, econometric and quasi-experimental analysis in STATA, with openly shared code and data.
What I Offer
Professional Services
- Economic research and policy analysis
- Tax policy & informal sector research
- Mobile money and digital finance research
- East African regional integration & trade analysis
- Monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
- Literature reviews and policy briefs
- Research proposal and grant writing
- Academic editing and proofreading
- STATA data analysis and interpretation
- Op-ed and analytical article writing
- Investigative journalism support
- Policy communication & knowledge translation
- Content strategy and editorial management
- Ghostwriting for research-based articles
- Report writing and publication support
- Data-driven advocacy content
- Research methods training
- Financial literacy training for entrepreneurs
- Digital democracy & civic education
- Proposal writing mentorship
- STATA / SPSS statistical software training
- Digital safety & tech-facilitated violence
- Public policy & governance
- Tax systems and informal economy
- Digital governance
- Financial inclusion & mobile money
- Digital rights
- Social and economic development
- Cross-border trade analysis in East Africa
- Mobile money taxation analysis
- Informal sector formalisation strategies
- Digital economy policy research
- Mobile money fraud & behavioural security
Career
Work Experience
Academic Background
Education & Training
Short Courses & Professional Training
Milestones
Awards, Fellowships & Honours
Paragraph 63 of the Budget Speech delivered on 11 June 2026 by Hon. Balozi Khamis Mussa Omar, Minister for Finance, commits the Government to fast-tracking LIPA NAMBA and QR-code adoption among retail traders, bodaboda operators, food vendors and open-market traders — and to prioritising digital-payment adopters when they apply for government loans and financial services.
At The Chanzo, I argued that behavioural nudges tied to mobile-money transactions are a more effective formalisation tool than enforcement — especially where Tanzania's tax-to-GDP ratio remains stuck well below target. At Liberty Sparks, I laid out a specific strategy for how digital transaction data can serve as the foundation for credit scoring, tax assessment and the gradual formalisation of micro-traders.
In June 2026, I submitted the complete implementation blueprint — "Transaction-Based Tax Nudging to Unlock Informal Sector Revenue" — to the TRA Innovation Challenge. The research foundation was first presented at the 11th Annual IU International Conference on Africa, Indiana University Bloomington, as "Exploring Effective Nudges for Tax Compliance in the Informal Sector in Tanzania," during my Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship at Michigan State University.
This behavioural approach to tax compliance is also among the ideas that led me to rethink microfinance — a question I once discussed with Prof. Chris Ahlin, an expert in the field, on whether individual lending can work. I have written about that, and about the real implementation challenges, in detail.
Certificates & Letters
Research, Writing & In the News
Publications & Mentions
STATA Research Codes & Data
Full citation list and impact metrics available on Google Scholar and ORCID.
Where journalists and media outlets have sought my analysis as an independent expert source — quoting my views on the digital economy, taxation, financial technology, privacy and governance. These are commentary and appearances about the issues, distinct from the opinion pieces I have personally authored (see Op-Eds).
Features, interviews, panel appearances and other places where my work has been referenced or showcased.
Speaking & Presentations
Conferences & Seminars
Moments & Milestones
Photo Gallery
Affiliations
Networks & Memberships
Frequently Asked