Our efforts are always aligned to achieving our client’s objectives. Each project is monitored closely by the designated team leader, who takes full responsibility for completing the assignment to the client’s satisfaction, and ensures that any problems that arise are addressed in a timely manner.
All socioeconomic and political developments are rooted in local realities. Sierra Leone and Liberia are not divorced from regional or global currents, but understanding the formal and informal processes that govern societies, or the drivers of economic development, requires and intimate knowledge of the on-the-ground realities. With a permanent presence in Sierra Leone and Liberia, every project we undertake is grounded in our deep contextual understanding.
People are crucial to any research endeavour, especially in frontier markets where reliable data sources are few and far between. Whether you are locating unpublished data sets, planning development interventions, or conducting surveys, having access to a wide range of trusted contacts is imperative. We have long-standing relationships with leading figures in academia, civil society, commerce and government, and continually develop new contacts across Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Given the paucity of reliable data and information in Sierra Leone and Liberia, any research conducted must be grounded in rigorous methodology. With less information available to assess the veracity of statistics or the assertions of human sources, we always conduct our qualitative and quantitative research with rigour to ensure our findings are trustworthy.
We recognise that our clients want to minimise their financial and integrity risks. Frontier Research’s founders are guided by the same principles. We always act ethically and in compliance with local and international legislation such as the Anti-corruption Comission Act of Sierra Leone. We are sensitive to risk and always seek to minimise it in our own operations and those of our clients.
Given the paucity of reliable data and information in Sierra Leone and Liberia, any research conducted must be grounded in rigorous methodology. With less information available to assess the veracity of statistics or the assertions of human sources, we always conduct our qualitative and quantitative research with rigour to ensure our findings are trustworthy.
Our efforts are always aligned to achieving our client’s objectives. Each project is monitored closely by the designated team leader, who takes full responsibility for completing the assignment to the client’s satisfaction, and ensures that any problems that arise are addressed in a timely manner.
All socioeconomic and political developments are rooted in local realities. Sierra Leone and Liberia are not divorced from regional or global currents, but understanding the formal and informal processes that govern societies, or the drivers of economic development, requires and intimate knowledge of the on-the-ground realities. With a permanent presence in Sierra Leone and Liberia, every project we undertake is grounded in our deep contextual understanding.
People are crucial to any research endeavour, especially in frontier markets where reliable data sources are few and far between. Whether you are locating unpublished data sets, planning development interventions, or conducting surveys, having access to a wide range of trusted contacts is imperative. We have long-standing relationships with leading figures in academia, civil society, commerce and government, and continually develop new contacts across Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Given the paucity of reliable data and information in Sierra Leone and Liberia, any research conducted must be grounded in rigorous methodology. With less information available to assess the veracity of statistics or the assertions of human sources, we always conduct our qualitative and quantitative research with rigour to ensure our findings are trustworthy.
We recognise that our clients want to minimise their financial and integrity risks. Frontier Research’s founders are guided by the same principles. We always act ethically and in compliance with local and international legislation such as the Anti-corruption Comission Act of Sierra Leone. We are sensitive to risk and always seek to minimise it in our own operations and those of our clients.
Frontier Research’s multidisciplinary team is drawn from a diverse range of professions, including international development, risk management and private equity.
What unites us is a long-standing interest in Sierra Leone, Liberia and the sub-region – and a passion for producing quality research.
Frontier Research has executed numerous projects for a growing portfolio of private and donor institution clients.
These include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), UNDP, GIZ, the World Bank, the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF) and various institutional investors and corporations.
Data Collection Services
• Quantitative data collection
• Focus group discussions and participatory research
• Mixed-method evaluations
• Data analysis
From designing survey instruments to analysing data collected in the field, our team has extensive experience conducting quantitative and qualitative surveys in West Africa.
Throughout the recruitment and training of enumerators, survey piloting and management of field deployments, we incorporate strict quality control mechanisms in our research process to ensure the data we collect is trustworthy.
We collect data using tablets, which allows our core team to review the data that has been uploaded at the end of each day, and randomly check-in on our field researchers.
We also offer pay incentives to our enumerators related to whether they administered their questionnaires properly or not.
Natural Resource Governance
• Transparency and accountability in the extractives sector
• Supporting the EITI process in West Africa
• Stakeholder engagement in the mining sector
• Political economy analysis
• Risk analysis
Private Sector Management
• SME capacity development in fragile states
• Impact investing in conflict affected and fragile states
• Market analysis
• Business reform in conflict-affected and fragile states
Public Health
• Health systems strengthening
• Health financing
• Management and delivery of health services
• Performance based financing in the health sector
Financial Markets Development
• Conducting financial diagnostics
• Feasibility studies on introducing new mobile payments platforms in
• West African markets
• Analysis of large volume payment streams
• Regulatory reform advice in fragile states
Frontier Research offers technical assistance services across a range of subject areas to development partners in West Africa.
Grounded by our experience and on-the-ground presence in the region, Frontier Research’s approach to technical assistance is informed by our understanding of the local political economy.
Overcoming obstacles to effective reform or realising development objectives aren’t simply a matter of adequate financing and technical expertise.
Appreciating the inter-play between politics and local economic dynamics is paramount to providing effective technical assistance.
Our team’s ability to combine their thematic expertise with local knowledge is at the core of the services we provide.
Economic & Commercial Analysis Services
• Economic analysis
• Supply and value chain analysis
• Sector analysis
• Market sizing
Our team regularly analyses the mining, oil and gas, agriculture, energy and financial services sectors in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and West Africa.
This includes assessing macro trends affecting individual sectors and comparing the relative performance of key market actors.
Being permanently based in the region means that we are able to locate unpublished economic and commercial data, collect primary data, and obtain market insights.
Community Engagement Strategies
• Advisory work on ESIA Frameworks and community-driven development projects
• Programme support for livelihood, relocation and resettlement projects
• Business-related grievance redress processes
Too often, the activities of well-intentioned agriculture and extractives companies are disrupted in Africa because relations with host communities have broken down.
The reasons for this vary, but generally include a disengaged stakeholder strategy, over-reliance on local elite brokers, and a perception that the company in question isn’t being transparent with the communities.
Relationship break-downs of this nature have commercial consequences – and can carry significant reputational risk.
Establishing a good relationship with local communities, facilitated by well-designed development programmes and effective stakeholder communication, can improve the performance of large-scale agriculture and extractives operations.
Overcoming obstacles to effective reform or realising development objectives aren’t simply a matter of adequate financing and technical expertise.
With over 20 years’ experience working in frontier markets, and more than five years’ experience working with local communities in Sierra Leone, Frontier Research has the expertise to help companies manage these risks.
Frontier Research’s multidisciplinary team is drawn from a diverse range of professions, including international development, risk management and private equity.
What unites us is a long-standing interest in Sierra Leone, Liberia and the sub-region – and a passion for producing quality research.
Secondary Button
Frontier Research has executed numerous projects for a growing portfolio of private and donor institution clients, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC), UNDP, GIZ, the World Bank, the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF) and various institutional investors and corporations.
Secondary ButtonJohannes is the founder and Managing Director of Frontier Research Ltd, a West Africa-focused research and advisory firm. He previously worked at Alaco, a leading London-based risk management consultancy, where he advised major financial institutions, corporations and law firms on commercial transactions in emerging and frontier markets. Before joining Alaco he worked on arms control issues at NGO Saferworld and helped establish a new programme of work examining the growing role of rising powers in conflict-affected states. Earlier in his career, Johannes worked as a Foreign and Defence Affairs Researcher in the Liberal Democrats Policy and Research Unit, conducted field research on the drugs trade in Central Asia, and served as an election monitor in Kyrgyzstan’s 2011 Presidential Election.
Johannes holds an MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London and a BA in History from University College London.
Johannes is the founder of Frontier Research, he holds an MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London and a BA in History from University College London.
Tom has been living and working in Sierra Leone since 2004, and is the founder of ManoCap, an impact investment firm that has been working in Sierra Leone and Liberia for the last 8 years. He is also the co-founder of the Welbodi Partnership, a health charity that supports the Ola During Children’s Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Tom has worked for Lansdowne Partners, a UK based hedge fund manager focusing on UK equities, and as a management consultant for Marakon Associates in London, New York, Amsterdam and Mexico, focused primarily on the financial services sector.
He holds an M.Phil in Development Studies from Cambridge University and a BA in Human Sciences from Oxford University.
Tom is the founder of ManoCap, and impact investment firm and the co-founder of the Welbodi Partnership. He holds an M.Phil in Development Studies from Cambridge University and a BA in Human Sciences from Oxford University.
Lyttelton is a development specialist with over 12 years’ experience in research and programme evaluation. Before joining Frontier Research, Lyttelton worked for the World Bank in Sierra Leone and legal empowerment NGO Namati in Washington DC. While at the World Bank, he managed several research and evaluation studies in health, mining, justice and governance, and advised research teams in Kenya, Indonesia, South Africa and the Philippines on qualitative research methods. In addition, Lyttelton previously worked for Care International’s Rights-Based Approach Programme in Sierra Leone; as a research consultant for Professor James Robinson on a number of studies, including a political economy analysis that informed the World Bank’s country assistance strategy for Sierra Leone; and as a survey coordinator for US-based Associates for Global Change, where he helped to design and implement the West Africa Mineral Sector Strategic Assessment.
Lyttelton holds a Masters of International Development Policy from Duke University and a BS in Economics and Business Administration from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University College in Liberia.
Lyttelton is a development specialist with over 12 years’ experience, he holds a Masters of International Development Policy from Duke University and a BS in Economics and Business Administration from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University College in Liberia.
Daniel has over 10 years experience in the technology and financial services sectors. He is the Managing Director of Splash Mobile Technologies, which offers mobile payment solutions in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Ghana. Before moving to Sierra Leone, Daniel was an investment banker with Barclays Capital in New York, where he worked on M&A, restructuring and large debt and equity transactions for power and energy sector clients. Earlier in his career, Daniel gained extensive start-up experience during three years as an engineer with Nexant, a venture capital-backed firm that has grown to become a leading provider of energy technology solutions and advisory services in North America.
Daniel holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Union College, NY.
Daniel has over 10 years experience in the technology and financial services sectors, he holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Union College, NY.
• Weak state institutions have limited capacity to collect, analyse and publish data;
• Poor infrastructure and limited information technology access impedes collection and dissemination efforts;
• Few universities, think tanks and consultancy firms with the capacity to collate data exist;
• Underdeveloped media markets tend to offer biased and inaccurate reporting;
