Olivier Buyoya has been named the IFC’s new Regional Director for West Africa. Buyoya will head IFC’s strategy and operations to stimulate private sector development and opportunity in his new job, which will include 13 nations in the area.
Buyoya will collaborate closely with the World Bank, development partners, and public and private sector partners to expand IFC’s investment and advisory programs in the region, which has enormous potential for investment, job creation, and private-sector-led growth but is also dealing with inflation, rising food insecurity, climate change, and other challenges.
Buyoya, a Burundian national who has worked for IFC in various leadership roles for more than 15 years, brings substantial development experience to his new position, which will be based in Dakar, Senegal. He was most recently the IFC Country Manager for Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, where he oversaw the implementation of high-impact development initiatives and helped the IFC mobilize $2 billion in investment.
“I’m excited to take on this new role and look forward to expanding IFC’s support to West Africa, a dynamic region with enormous promise,” said Buyoya. “While West Africa has both local and global difficulties, increasing private sector investment may assist the area in building stronger, more sustainable economies by growing critical sectors such as agribusiness, green energy, the digital economy, and others.”
“Olivier Buyoya’s personal and professional skills will be key for this important role, and I am confident that, as our new Regional Director for West Africa, he will help deliver projects that will support private sector development and opportunity in the 13 countries that he will cover,” said Sérgio Pimenta, IFC Vice President for Africa.
Buyoya previously worked for BNP Paribas Fortis in Brussels, Belgium. He possesses a Master of Management degree from the Reims Management School in France.
In West Africa, IFC focuses on agribusiness value chains, bridging infrastructure and connectivity gaps, fostering digital inclusion, and affordable housing, strengthening the healthcare sector, expanding manufacturing, and providing financing to micro, small, and medium-sized firms.
