Ceesay Muhammed

B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, 25(1): 99-118, 2025 - with Domenico Menicucci and Nicola Doni

We examine a two-bidder auction setting in which bidder valuations are asymmetrically distributed over a three-point support, derive the unique Bayes Nash equilibrium in closed form, and use it to compare revenue across auction formats.

International Journal of Economic Theory, 22: 63-90, 2026

For a second-price common value auction with an almost all-inclusive ring, I study whether the auctioneer should reveal the ring's presence and whether that revelation should be public or private to the nonring bidder.

Journal of Quantitative Economics, 22(2): 563-570, 2024

Analyzes a first-price independent private value auction in which only one bidder privately knows collusion exists, showing how this changes bid shading and seller revenue relative to standard ring models.

with Domenico Menicucci and Nicola Doni

The paper studies procurement auctions where sellers can make ex ante investments that alter cost distributions before bidding takes place.

with Federico Boffa and Alberto Iozzi

Revise and Resubmit. Analyzes fleet market structure when consumers differ in congestion aversion and private transport is costly.

With F. Ruscitti - presented at SAET 2023

Permanent Working Paper.

Current project

Current project

Research economist with academic and applied experience

I am an economist with over 8 years of research and professional experience spanning academia and consultancy, whose work revolves around collusion and investment incentives in auctions and procurement, competition policy, and the analysis of transport markets. I have authored papers in peer-reviewed journals, co-authored a policy report for ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), and trained government staff under a world-bank funded initiative.

Academic formation

• PhD in Economics - University of Naples Federico II, 2020
• Postgraduate Courses in Mathematics - University of Perugia, 2018
• MSc in Economics and Finance - University of Naples Federico II, 2016
• BSc in Economics (minor in Mathematics) - University of The Gambia, 2014
• Specialization in Islamic Science - ZAD Academy, Ongoing

Research and visiting roles

• Postdoctoral Researcher - University of Florence, 2023-2025
• Senior Research Associate - CEIS Tor Vergata, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 2022-2023
• Postdoctoral Researcher - Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 2021-2022
• Visiting Researcher - Department of Economics and Finance, University of Rome Tor Vergata, July 2025

Scholarships and distinctions

• Full PhD Scholarship - University of Naples Federico II, 2016
• Certificate of Achievement (Outstanding Graduate) - University of The Gambia, 2016
• Merit Scholarship (Masters) - University of Naples Federico II, 2015
• Winner - University of The Gambia Mathematics Competition, 2014
• Winner - University of The Gambia Mathematics Competition, 2013
• Gambia Government Scholarship - University of The Gambia, 2011

Methods, regulation, and procurement training

• Procurement & Sourcing (Certificate) - Rutgers University, 2024
• Causal Machine Learning - University of Genoa, 2021
• Regulation of Local Public Services - Turin School of Regulation, 2021
• Postgraduate Course in Financial Time Series - Italian Econometric Association, 2019
• Postgraduate Course in Panel Data Analysis - Italian Econometric Association, 2019

Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies

Built the primary dataset and analysed questionnaire data for the ECOWAS study on the status of economic research institutions in West Africa for The Gambia. The study supported the proposed Regional Economic Research Program (RERP), and I co-authored the final report with recommendations for capacity building.

Gambia Bureau of Statistics

Delivered Basic Statistics training for staff of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics in a month-long World Bank-funded program run in conjunction with the University of The Gambia. Sessions covered hypothesis testing, including differences in means, proportions, and variances.

Teaching Assistant - University of Rome Tor Vergata

Undergraduate course administered to students in the Bachelor of Business Administration and Economics program. Topics included consumer and firm theory, market structure, public policy, price discrimination, game theory, and oligopoly.

Lecturer - University of The Gambia

Taught graduate-level macroeconomics and Mathematical Economics to students of the Masters in Economics program.