Nompumelelo N. Ndawonde is an academic scholar, published researcher, and PhD candidate whose work focuses on African regional integration, trade, migration, and gendered political economies. She is a Project Coordinator at the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) and serves as the Journal Manager of Pan-African Conversations: An International Journal. She also served on the Think 20 South Africa Co-Convenor Organising Committee, contributing to coordination, stakeholder engagement, knowledge outputs, and the delivery of activities linked to South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

Her research examines the African Union, AUDA-NEPAD, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a particular focus on women informal cross-border traders and questions of inclusive development. She has published in journals such as African Renaissance and has contributed book chapters on migration governance, gender-based violence, and Africa–EU relations. She also writes policy briefs and opinion pieces, contributing to public discussions on continental development and global partnerships. Her work bridges academic research and policy engagement.