Jonathan Nzayikorera, a Rwandan economist has been elected by the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) as the bank’s new Executive Director, representing nine Eastern African Constituency.

The development was announced on Thursday by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Uzziel Ndagijimana.

Prior to his appointment, Nzayikorera was the Senior Advisor to Executive Director for Eastern Africa Constituency at AfDB, a position he has held since 2019.

He is appointed after a successful more than 10 years journey as a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

Nzayikorera has worked in different fields, but especially in public financial management and investment banking.

He was the Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), Head of Fiscal Decentralization Division in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and a Board Member at I&M Bank.

Nzayikorera holds two Master’s degrees; one in Business Administration from Bangor University in Wales and another in Economics from the University of Rwanda.

 "I have the passion to be among the champions that will pull Africa from poverty and make it shine for the next generations,” reads his LinkedIn bio.