Ansoms, An. Re-Engineering Rural Society: The Visions and Ambitions of the Rwandan Elite, African Affairs, Volume 108, Issue 431, April 2009, Pages 289–309, https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adp001

This article analyses the Rwandan elite's visions and ambitions for a wide-ranging re-engineering of rural society. The post-1994 political elite has few links to rural society and the peasant way of life, and sees little room for small-scale peasant agriculture in Rwanda's economic future. The article shows how current Rwandan policy makers aim to realize three social engineering ambitions: first, to transform the agricultural sector into a professionalized motor for economic growth, centred on competitive and commercial farm units; second, to artificially upgrade rural life by inserting ‘modern’ techniques and strategies into local realities, while hiding true poverty and inequality; and, finally, to transform Rwanda into a target-driven society from the highest to the lowest level. The article points to the (potential) dangers, flaws, and shortcomings of this rural re-engineering mission, and illustrates how the state as the engineer ‘hovers’ above the local without consulting those affected. It concludes that contemporary polices are unlikely to be conducive to poverty reduction.

Source: Article's abstract

Akpomera, Eddy. “International Crude Oil Theft: Elite Predatory Tendencies in Nigeria.” Review of African Political Economy 42, no. 143 (2015): 156–65. Http://www.jstor.org/stable/24858333.

Aside from religious terrorism, Nigeria is a country that faces a lot of challenges to its economy, much of them stemming from the rampant corruption in the country. Nigeria also has an international reputation for crude oil theft which poses a serious threat to the country’s economy. What is more disturbing is that the perpetrators are the elites in the country both in and out of the government who conspire to carry out the crime. This paper throws more light on the critical issue of the theft of crude oil and provide suggestions to deal with the cancer that's eating away at the country’s dominant source of wealth.

Source: Culled from article

Iheduru, Okechukwu C. "Black Economic Power and Nation-building in Post-apartheid South Africa." The Journal of Modern African Studies 42, no. 1 (2004): 1-30. doi:10.1017/S0022278X03004452.

This paper evaluates the evolution and the implementation of the ANC government's commitment to fostering a black capitalist class or black economic empowerment (BEE) as a non-racial nation-building strategy. A substantial black bourgeois i.e. and other middle classes begun to emerge over the last decade, contrary to popular perceptions. The legitimating role assigned to the emergent black bourgeoisie by the ANC and the government is, however, threatens to turn the strategy into a nepotistic accumulation. This development is paradoxically threatening to re-racialise the country, widening black inequality gaps, and precluding the rise of a black bourgeoisie with a nurture capitalist agenda. Other equally powerful social groups have begun to challenge the prevailing strategy, compelling the government to explore a more accommodating strategy exemplified by the recent introduction by the government of ‘broad-based economic empowerment’. Should a less patrimonial, less racially and ethnically divisive BEE strategy emerge from this quasi-pluralist power play, such a change holds prospects for the creation of a ‘growth coalition’ capable of sustainable capitalist development and true empowerment of the black majority. That would be a positive development in terms of establishing and consolidating democracy in South Africa.

Source: article's abstract

Onomake, Umoloyouvwe. "Nigerian Elites’ Response to The Chinese Presence". ASA 2013 Annual Meeting Paper.  March 22, 2013.

This paper explores how Nigerians are using their interactions with the Chinese to enhance their social status. It focuses on Nigerian entrepreneurs doing business with the Chinese and middle-class Nigerians learning Chinese culture and Mandarin. This research is part of a larger study on Sino-African relationships' societal impacts. The paper specifically examines the social connections between Chinese and Nigerian elites in business and education. It highlights the importance of studying elites as decision-makers. These elites have greater access to power through education, wealth, or social networks, and their actions significantly impact society and development. The research categorizes elites into two main groups, sometimes overlapping: those in business (including managers and entrepreneurs)and those in education (students and educators). This study seeks to understand how Nigerians are leveraging the Chinese presence in Nigeria to establish, sustain, and advance their elite status within the country and sometimes internationally.

Source: papers.ssrn.com

Freund, Bill. "South Africa: The End of Apartheid and The Emergence Of The ‘BEE Elite’". Review Of the African Political Economy. Volume 34. Issue, 114.  2007.

Recent high-level South African policymaking adopts the developmental state language, framing the ANC government's purpose. This article examines this concept, focusing on the emergence of an elite transcending public-private sectors, and exploring the notion of an 'embedded elite.' The evolution of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies is analysed, drawing comparisons with Malaysia. While creating a black ANC-supporting elite seems necessary to counter past 'embedded elites,' it raises doubts about their direction toward an industrializing economic or broad social model. The new elite's democrat icinstincts are also questioned. Despite shifts in South Africa's social structure and some black sectors benefiting under the ANC, the majority remain uninvolved in a transformative process for radical improvements.

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Davies, Rebecca. "Afrikaner Capital Elites, Neo-Liberalism and Economic Transformation in Post-Apartheid South Africa". African Studies. Volume 71. Issue, 3. Page,      391-407. November 23, 2012

Following the transition, Afrikaner capital elites, particularly in mining and finance, have maintained prominence in South Africa's liberal democratic landscape. However, their contribution to the post-apartheid economy remains incompletely understood. Despite reforming their local presence and reconstructing economic power, these actions are intricately linked to global and African National Congress (ANC)-led neoliberal projects. This does not necessarily signify a persistent or renewed Afrikaner capital bloc. This article delves into the dynamics of state-capital relations among Afrikaans speakers, considering the institutional and material legacy of apartheid and contemporary global restructuring. It underscores the importance of this context in explaining the evolving role and influence of Afrikaner capital elites in the post-apartheid and global economies.

tandfonline.com