Mrs Masha is the first African to hold the position since G24 was founded in 1971

Iyabo Masha, a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) from September 2019 until last year, has taken office as the Director of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four (G24).

Based in Washington, the G24 comprises nations collaborating to coordinate the positions of developing countries on monetary, financial and development matters.

Mrs Masha replaces Marilou Uy, an erstwhile senior adviser of the World Bank and G24's director of secretariat from 2015 until her recent exit. The new appointee emerged after what the institution called "an extensive recruitment process."

The new director has broad experience in research, policy and operation on local and international fronts, G24 said in a press statement on Sunday.

PREMIUM TIMES understands that Mrs Masha is the first African to hold the position since G24 was founded in 1971. Past Directors have been from either the Asia or Latin America bloc of the membership.

Her role as part of an 8-member PEAC centred on advising President Muhammadu Buhari on economic policies. The position allowed her to offer direction on PEAC's work on global economic impact and policies on macroeconomic and sustainable development.

"Prior to that, she worked on a range of countries at the International Monetary Fund, Washington DC, negotiating IMF lending programs and developing non-program policies for emerging market and low-income economies in Africa and Asia," the document said.

"She also served as IMF Resident Representative for Sierra Leone," it stated further.

After heading the Central Bank of Nigeria's research unit, Mrs Masha moved in 2003 to the International Monetary Fund to work in a similar capacity, leading the annual monetary programme of the organisation's research department.

Mrs Masha has had her works published in many publications.