Rate My Professor Frank Agbola

Professor Frank Agbola is Professor of Economics in the Newcastle Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He is a Development Economist whose research expertise spans Development Economics, International Economics, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Agricultural Economics, Small Business Economics, Tourism Economics, Applied Econometrics, Economic Development, Environmental Economics and Sustainability, and International Finance and Trade. Agbola holds a PhD from the University of Queensland, a Master of Commerce in Economics and Finance from Curtin University, a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics (Honours) from the University of Ghana, and a Graduate Certificate in Practice-Tertiary Teaching from the University of Newcastle. He joined the University of Newcastle in 2002 as a Lecturer in the School of Economics, Politics and Tourism, advancing to Senior Lecturer from 2008 to 2013, Associate Professor of Economics from 2014 to 2021, and Professor since 2022. Previously, he served as Lecturer at Monash University from 2001 to 2002, at Curtin University’s Muresk Institute of Agriculture from 1997 to 1999, and as Associate Lecturer at the University of Queensland Gatton Campus in 1996.

Agbola has authored over 120 research outputs, including 67 articles in top-tier journals, two books, four book chapters, four industry reports, and conference papers. Key publications include 'Servicification and global value chain upgrading: empirical evidence from China’s manufacturing industry' (2024, Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy), 'The relationship between poverty, income inequality and inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa' (2023, Economic Modelling), 'Improved maize adoption and impacts on farm household welfare: Evidence from rural Ethiopia' (2022, Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics), 'Foreign Aid Volatility and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Does Institutional Quality Matter?' (2021, Economic Modelling), and 'Technical efficiency and technology gaps among smallholder maize farmers in Ethiopia' (2025, Sustainable Futures). He has attracted $5,828,476 in funding across 45 grants, such as lead investigator on projects evaluating drought resilience ($3,940,000, 2024–2028) and soil amendments for constraints ($122,500, 2021–2023). In leadership, he is Director of the Asia Pacific Research Centre (2021–present), former Assistant Dean for Asia-Pacific Engagement (2021–2022), and Head of Economics Discipline (2009–2012). Agbola received the 2021 College of Human and Social Futures Inaugural Excellence Award for Research Excellence - Supervision. He serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Small Business Management, Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Technical Education and Management, and editorial board member for Tourism Economics and others, while supervising PhD and Masters students in economic growth, international trade, poverty, and related fields.