The African Development Bank Group has appointed Lamin Barrow, an economist, as the Director General for the West Africa Region, effective June 1, 2024.
Barrow, a Gambian national, brings extensive experience and knowledge to his new role, having joined the African Development Bank in 2000. Before this appointment, he served as Director General of the Nigeria Country Department within the Regional Development, Integration & Business Development Vice Presidency. Barrow's expertise spans policy analysis, strategic management, project finance, regional integration, and public-private partnerships.
During his tenure as Director General for Nigeria, Barrow significantly enhanced the Bank's development cooperation with the Federal Government of Nigeria and established strategic partnerships with key stakeholders. He managed the Bank's $4.5 billion portfolio in Nigeria and spearheaded the rollout of flagship initiatives. Notable initiatives include the launch of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones and the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) program.
Since joining the Bank as a Senior Financial Analyst in the Infrastructure Department, Barrow has held several progressive positions, including Principal Country Programme Officer in the Rwanda Country Office, Resident Representative in Ethiopia, and Manager of Operations, Technical Support, and Regional Approaches at the Transition States Support Department. He also served as Manager of the Cabinet Office of the President with the rank of Director, and as Director of the Joint Secretariat Support Office for the African Development Bank, African Union Commission, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Before joining the African Development Bank, Barrow worked at the Gambia National Investment Board as Head of the Project Development Unit and Division Manager of Export Promotion and Development. He also served as Principal Economist at the Policy Analysis Unit in the Office of the President of Gambia, and the Company for Habitat & Housing in Africa (Shelter Afrique).
He holds a Master of Arts in Economic Policy from Boston University, USA, and a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is also an alumnus of executive programs in finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA, and investment and risk analysis from Queen's University, Canada.
Commenting on his new role, Barrow stated: "I am grateful to President Adesina for his confidence and this great opportunity to serve in this new role and further contribute to the implementation of Bank initiatives in support of the development programs of West African countries."
Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina praised Mr. Barrow's appointment, stating, "Mr. Barrow has extensive knowledge and wealth of experience in managing Bank operations, handling country dialogues, and engaging with senior government policymakers. His strong experience as Director General of the Nigeria Country Office Department positions him well to lead the West Africa team, which has the largest portfolio in the Bank. He will bring his wealth of experience to drive and ensure greater operational efficiency and effectiveness, improving the overall quality of the Bank's portfolio across the West Africa region to achieve significant developmental impacts."
