Banya is a Development Finance Specialist with over 14 years of experience on the African continent. He has worked on an array of projects related to data governance, financial services, impact assessments, SMMEs, smallholder farmer support as well as the green economy. At RIA he oversees projects on AI and the transition to a Green Economy, and has been involved in the AU Data Policy Framework project specifically looking  at Public value creation. He possesses a PhD in Development Finance from UCT’s Graduate School of Business. He has closely worked with the Centre for Financial Regulation and Inclusion, Genesis Analytics, the University of Witwatersrand, the African Centre for a Green Economy, Green Economy Coalition, Africa Growth Institute, and the World Bank. He has published a number of scientific research articles in high impact journals and authored several policy papers.