Ndiamé Diop takes helm of $76Bn World Bank unit in Eastern, Southern Africa
The World Bank's new Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ndiamé Diop.
The World Bank has appointed Senagalese Ndiamé Diop as the new Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, starting 1st May, 2025.
Diop, who will be taking over from Victoria Kwakwa, will be overseeing an active regional portfolio of almost 400 projects worth over $76 billion, the global lender announced.
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He will also be steering the World Bank's extensive program of cutting-edge analytical work, technical assistance, and policy advice across 26 countries.
The World Bank added that Diop's officer will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, where he will be leading the lender's work in working closely with clients and partners to advance strategic priorities in the region, including job creation, energy access, digital connectivity, regional integration, health, water and sanitation, and education — all of which underpin poverty reduction and spur economic transformation in the region.
"Diop will also guide efforts to address the drivers of fragility, conflict, and violence to build more resilient communities," the statement dated May 1st noted.
With over 25 years of experience working across East Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, Diop brings a global perspective and a strong track record of achieving results and impact, including tripling World Bank financing to the Philippines to support economic reforms and improve outcomes in various sectors.
In his most recent role as Country Director for Nigeria, Diop led the World Bank’s largest portfolio in Africa ($17 billion) and shaped the future Nigeria programme to support faster economic growth through policy reforms, digital broadband connectivity, firms’ access to finance and agribusiness growth.
Diop holds a PhD in Economics and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and books on topics such as fiscal policy and growth, monetary policy and inflation, natural resource abundance, Dutch disease, and economic diversification. He is fluent in French, English, Arabic and he joined the global lender in 2000 as a Young Professional.
