AfDB appoints Lily Nwabufo, others into regional offices

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has named a Nigerian, Nnenna Lily Nwabufo, as one of the three directors-general and five deputy directors-general appointments announced./

Nwabufo, who was appointed as the Director-General, East Africa Region, will be responsible for 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, she will lead high-level dialogues at country and regional levels and across Bank sector complexes as well as oversee the full implementation and integration of all aspects of the Bank’s work in the region.

She will also spearhead regional business development and investment, and foster resource mobilization efforts across the countries in the region to ensure focused growth of the Bank’s sovereign and non-sovereign operations.

A Nigerian citizen, Ms Nwabufo is a versatile and seasoned executive with 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.

She joined the Bank’s Treasury Department in 1991 where she worked at different professional levels for over a decade.

Subsequently, she took on progressive management level responsibilities including, Manager in the General Services and Procurement Department from March 2007, Director of Programming and Budget Department in January 2013, Acting Director, Human Resource Management Department and Acting Vice President for Corporate Services from May 2015 to May 2016.

She was on a special assignment to lead the Bank’s Annual Meetings preparation team from June 2016 until she was appointed Deputy Director-General, East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office in January 2017. She was appointed the Acting Director-General for the region effective 1st October 2019.

Before joining the African Development Bank in August 1991, Ms Nwabufo worked as a Treasury Management Expert in two merchant banks in Nigeria rising to become the Treasury Manager of one of them.

Commenting on her appointment, she said: “I am very pleased to be appointed by President 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. I do not doubt that working together with all internal and external stakeholders, we can make a difference and bring much-needed development to East African citizens.”

Ms Nwabufo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and a Master of Business Administration from Henley Management College, Henley on the Thames, United Kingdom.

Also commenting, the AfDB President, Dr Adesina said: “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 to the development challenges and ensure continued development impact to improve the lives of Africans in the East Africa region.”

Others appointments include; Directors-general for the Central and Southern Africa regions and deputy general for the East, Central, Northern, Southern and West Africa regions.