Prof Patricia Makoni

Prof Patricia Makoni

Full Professor of Finance in the College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS) at the University of South Africa

Patricia Lindelwa Makoni (PhD, Witwatersrand) is a Full Professor in the Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and an adjunct Professor at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Graduate School of Business. With deep expertise in International and Development Finance, she has built a career dedicated to advancing scholarship, research, teaching and learning, thought leadership and consultancy in areas that shape global and regional financial systems.

As a respected scholar, Professor Makoni has contributed to the understanding of how finance intersects with sustainable development, economic transformation and the challenges facing emerging markets. Her work emphasises the importance of inclusive financial systems in driving long-term resilience, from both supply and demand perspectives. She has, since 2014, published over 48 international journal articles and presented multiple international conference papers.

Prof Makoni has also successfully supervised to completion and graduated 15 Master's and 16 Doctoral candidates at UCT and UNISA, respectively. She currently hosts three postdoctoral research fellows in her research focus area of International and Development Finance, spanning the energy, health and 4IR and digitalisation institutional catalytic niche areas.

Prof Makoni serves as an M&D examiner to multiple universities, including Wits, UCT, DUT, UKZN, Rhodes, as well as the University of Namibia. Prof Makoni sits on the editorial boards of several international journals, as well as the scientific committees of specialist Finance conferences.

In addition to her academic leadership, Prof Makoni is a PhD coach, guiding and supporting emerging scholars on their research journeys. She renders a similar service for MSMEs where she promotes various financing and trade opportunities suitable for their respective niche markets. She is also an advocate for non-verbal autistic children, raising awareness around inclusivity, communication and support for differently-abled communities. On the professional front, Prof Makoni is an active Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Development Finance (CIDEF), a Full Member of the Organisation of Women in Trade (OWIT) Zimbabwe Chapter, and a full member of the Institute of Directors Zimbabwe (IoDZ).

Beyond these roles, Prof Makoni carries the ancestral calling of isangoma, a traditional healer rooted in African Spirituality. This unique dimension enriches her approach to both finance and holistic human wellness, allowing her to integrate indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) with contemporary financial perspectives.

Outside of her academic, professional and spiritual work, she enjoys spending time with her children and travelling, passions that inspire balance, trigger curiosity and value connection.