World Bank appoints Francisca Ayodeji as new Country Manager for Uganda

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The World Bank has appointed Nigerian health specialist Francisca Ayodeji (Ayo) Akala as its new Country Manager for Uganda, replacing Mukami Kariuki, whose four-year term has ended.

Akala will oversee a $4.5 billion country portfolio that includes 18 active projects in areas such as energy access and refugee livelihoods.

She will also lead the Bank’s policy dialogue with the government and coordinate efforts to align the institution’s support with Uganda’s development priorities.

The World Bank said its programs will continue to focus on helping the country achieve faster and more inclusive growth.

Akala has over 25 years of experience in health systems and service delivery in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, including in fragile states. She has worked on immunisation, HIV/Aids, malaria, malnutrition and non-communicable diseases, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for women, children and adolescents.

Before this posting, she was the World Bank’s Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition and Population in Eastern and Southern Africa, overseeing operations in 13 countries. She has also worked as a senior health specialist in the Middle East, North Africa, Western and Central Africa, and South Asia regions.

Akala holds a medical degree from the University of Ibadan, a master’s in public health from the University of Lagos, and a master’s in health services management from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.