(EBID) - The Board of Governors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has unanimously appointed the Honourable Ismaël Nabé, Minister of Planning, Development, and International Cooperation of the Republic of Guinea, as its new Chairman. The appointment took place on April 8, 2026, during the Bank’s 24^th Annual General Meeting held in Accra, Ghana. He succeeds the Honourable Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Ghana.

A telecommunication engineer and expert in governance and public-private partnerships, Minister Nabé has been a principal architect of Guinea’s economic resurgence since his appointment in March 2024. He spearheaded the “Simandou 2040” programme, a national roadmap of 122 megaprojects and 36 major reforms, and secured Guinea’s first-ever sovereign credit rating (B+ stable) from Standard & Poor’s which was revised to B+ Positive in March 2026.

The President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EBID, Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, welcomed the appointment, noting that Minister Nabé’s expertise in economic planning, development, and international cooperation would be vital as the Bank navigates a demanding global environment. “His ability to steer EBID toward new horizons, where strategic growth, operational efficiency, and regional impact remain paramount, will be invaluable,” Dr. Donkor said.

In his first address, Mr Nabé expressed profound gratitude for the trust placed in him by the Governors and reaffirmed his commitment to work with all stakeholders to achieve agreed targets. He outlined four strategic priorities to guide his tenure as enhancing resource mobilisation and capital recovery, facilitating the accession of non-regional members to extend the Bank’s institutional reach, and positioning EBID as the leading development finance institution in West Africa.

Mr. Nabé also paid tribute to his predecessor, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, for his exemplary leadership during a period marked by significant economic, geopolitical, and security challenges. He commended Dr. Donkor for the remarkable progress achieved in advancing the Bank’s mandate and for his transformational role in promoting regional economic integration.

About EBID

ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) is the Development Finance Institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Based in Lomé, Togolese Republic, the Bank is committed to financing developmental projects and programmes covering diverse initiatives from infrastructure and basic amenities, rural development and environment, industry, and social services sectors, through its private and public sector windows. EBID intervenes through long, medium, and short-term loans, equity participation, lines of credit, refinancing, financial engineering operations, and related services. www.bidc-ebid.org