Sandra Makumbirofa

Sandra Makumbirofa (PhD, North West University) is a seasoned Economist currently working as a Senior Researcher at Research ICT Africa in South Africa. Her professional journey has taken her through 10 years of economic research, digital policy, AI governance, industrial and trade policy and tourism economics. Her research interests lie in navigating the delicate balance between formulating economic policies conducive to growth and fostering AI innovation, all while ensuring the implementation of effective and responsible regulations within the AI technology value chain. She is currently involved in evidence-based digital and AI policy research in Africa, where she can leverage her expertise to contribute meaningfully to just economic outcomes, particularly for the most vulnerable in societies.