Africa50 appoints Cheick-Oumar Sylla to lead Project Development Fund

Africa50 has appointed Cheick-Oumar Sylla as the Managing Director of its Project Development Fund, effective September 1, 2026. Sylla, an HEC Montréal graduate with over thirty years of experience in investment and infrastructure, previously served as a Principal Investment Officer at the IFC for Africa. His mandate focuses on transforming complex public needs into bankable projects to attract private capital, specifically within the energy, transport, and digital sectors.

Concurrently, Sidi Ould Tah is marking one year as President of the African Development Bank Group. Since taking office, Tah has focused on capital mobilization, risk-sharing, and internal reforms to address the continent's significant infrastructure and sustainable development funding gaps. The Bank operates with $318 billion in authorized capital and aims to implement a ten-year strategy through 2033 to enhance Africa's financial sovereignty and resilience.