WASHINGTON, May 1, 2025 – The World Bank has appointed Ndiamé Diop as the new Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, effective today. In line with the World Bank's efforts to be closer to clients and enhance service delivery, Diop will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. As Vice President, he will oversee an active regional portfolio of almost 400 projects worth over $76 billion and an extensive program of cutting-edge analytical work, technical assistance, and policy advice across 26 countries.
Under Diop’s leadership, the World Bank will continue to work 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.
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 program to support faster economic growth through policy reforms, digital broadband connectivity, firms’ access to finance and agribusiness growth.
He holds a Ph D 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, and Wolof and possesses an intermediate level fluency of Arabic and Bahasa (Indonesian).
Diop succeeds Victoria Kwakwa, who retired on March 31, 2025.
