AfDB appoints Nwabufo, A Nigerian as DG East Africa region

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) on Thursday announced the appointment of Directors General for the East, Central and Southern Africa regions and Deputy Directors General for the East, Central, Northern, Southern and West Africa regions.

Amongst these appointees is Nnenna Lily Nwabufo, a Nigerian who was appointed the Director General, East Africa Region and would be leading and advancing the Bank Group’s strategic objective of achieving significant and transformational developmental impact in thirteen countries in East Africa by ensuring operational efficiency, effectiveness and an overall healthy portfolio in the region.

Specifically, her role is to lead high-level dialogues at country and regional levels and across bank sector complexes. She will as well oversee the full implementation and integration of all aspects of the bank’s work in the region. In a bid to ensure focused growth of the bank’s sovereign and non-sovereign operations, she would be spearheading regional business development and investment, and foster resource mobilization efforts across the countries in the region.

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According to the bank, Nwabufo has amassed over 30 years professional experience in treasury and financial management, budget programming, planning and performance management, human resource and corporate services management, and country/regional operations.

Between May 2015 and May 2016, she occupied the position of Acting Director, Human Resource Management Department and Acting Vice President for Corporate Services and led the Bank’s Annual Meetings preparation team on special assignments from June 2016 until her appointment as Deputy Director General, East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office in January 2017 and was subsequently appointed the Acting Director General for the region in October of 2019.

Commenting on her appointment she stated that she was very pleased to be appointed by President Akinwumi Adesina as the Director General for the Bank’s East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office and to support his vision for the continent. She stated in an interview that she has no doubt that working together with all internal and external stakeholders would make a difference and bring the much-needed development to East African citizens.

“I am delighted to appoint Nnenna as the Director General for East Africa. Her vast experience and solid track-record in strategic functions across the Bank attest to her capacity to effectively lead the team to rise up to the development challenges and ensure continued development impact to improve the lives of Africans in the East Africa region,” Adesina stated on her appointment.

Amongst other appointees include: Serge N’Guessan, Director General, Central Africa Region; Leïla Farah Mokadem, Director General, Southern Africa Region; Solomane Koné, Deputy Director General, Central Africa Region; Abdul B. Kamara, Deputy Director General, East Africa Region; Malinne Blomberg, Deputy Director General, North Africa Region; Kennedy K. Mbekeani, Deputy Director General, Southern Africa Region; and Joseph Martial Ribeiro, Deputy Director General, West Africa Region.