Guinean Minister of Planning, Development, and International Cooperation, Ismaël Nabé, has been appointed President of the Board of Governors of the ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank (BIDC), following the 24th annual general meeting held on April 8, 2026 in Accra, Ghana.
He succeeds Ghanaian Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, in a context marked by persistent economic and financial tensions at the regional level.
With a background in telecommunications engineering, Ismaël Nabé has emerged as one of the architects of Guinea’s recent economic strategy since his appointment in March 2024. He has notably led the “Simandou 2040” program, a roadmap consisting of 122 key projects and 36 major reforms, while also supporting the country’s first sovereign rating upgrade to B+ positive outlook by Standard & Poor’s in March 2026.
His appointment comes at a time when the BIDC, the financial arm of ECOWAS based in Lomé, is seeking to strengthen its role in regional development financing, particularly in infrastructure, industry, and social services.
Bank President George Agyekum Donkor emphasized that Nabé’s experience in economic planning and public-private partnerships should help enhance the operational efficiency and regional impact of the institution.
In his first statement, the new President of the Board of Governors outlined several priorities, including increased resource mobilization, improved capital recovery, and opening the institution to non-regional members to broaden its financial base and influence.
The BIDC aims to reposition itself as a key player in development financing in West Africa, in an environment characterized by tightening international financial conditions and growing public investment needs.
