Africa50 Appoints Former IFC Regional Director Cheick-Oumar Sylla as CEO of its Project Development Fund
Bringing over three decades of development finance and infrastructure investment experience, the seasoned executive steps in to accelerate the continent’s pipeline of bankable opportunities.
CASABLANCA — Africa50 has officially appointed Cheick-Oumar Sylla as the Chief Executive Officer of the Africa50 Project Development (PD) Fund, expanding its leadership team to execute its strategic 2030 roadmap.
Sylla steps into the role with more than thirty years of leadership experience spanning infrastructure investment, project development, development finance, and private sector execution across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
Three Decades of Infrastructure and Development Finance Footprint
Sylla transitions to Africa50 after serving as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Regional Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa, where he directed investment and advisory operations across a diverse multi-country portfolio.
During his tenure within the IFC framework, Sylla also held key leadership posts including Principal Investment Officer for Africa Infrastructure and Natural Resources and Regional Manager for the Horn of Africa, driving pipeline expansion in complex operational markets. Prior to his time at the IFC, he held executive positions at ContourGlobal, directing the firm's African growth strategy, alongside senior leadership roles at the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and other prominent corporate finance entities. He is a graduate of HEC Montréal.
Scaling Continental Project Development
As CEO of the Project Development Fund, Sylla will direct efforts to convert early-stage infrastructure concepts into investment-ready, bankable commercial propositions designed to attract both regional institutional capital and international investors.
“Project Development is the engine of Africa50's model. It is how we turn infrastructure needs into bankable opportunities. As the organization enters its next phase of growth, I am honoured to step into this role,” said Sylla.
Africa50 Group CEO Alain Ebobissé emphasized that the appointment aligns directly with the institution's broader scale-up objectives across the energy, transport, and digital sectors:
“Cheick-Oumar brings the depth of project development, investment and public-private sector experience needed to help us scale this capability. His leadership will be instrumental as we accelerate project development from concept to bankability and ultimately bring more investable infrastructure opportunities to market.”
Africa50
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