The World Bank has appointed Shubham Chaudhuri as the new Country Director for Nigeria, succeeding Rachid Benmessaoud who completed his term recently.

A statement issued by the World Bank’s Senior Communications Officer, Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja, said Mr Chaudhuri assumed office on Tuesday.

It said that Mr Chaudhuri, a U.S. national who grew up in India, joined the World Bank in 2004 and has held several leadership positions at the Bank, with his most recent position being Country Director for Afghanistan.

Mr Chaudhuri said it was an honour to be in Nigeria and have the opportunity to help government partners, at the Federal and state levels, realise Nigeria’s full and considerable potential.

This, he said, the bank was doing by transforming the economy, catalysing private investment and job creation, investing in Nigeria’s children and creating opportunities for Nigeria’s youth and women.

“The World Bank Group has a long-standing partnership with Nigeria and I look forward to deepening our engagement with government partners, with Nigeria’s very vibrant civil society and private sector and with international development partners to help lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.”

In his new position, Mr Chaudhuri’s top priorities would be to lead the strategic dialogue with government, development partners and other key stakeholders.

He would also help to develop and implement the new Country Partnership Framework and provide customised solutions and policy advice to Nigeria.

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According to the statement, in the past, Mr Chaudhuri had been Practice Manager in the Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management Global Practice for the South Asia Region.

He also held the position of Manager of the World Bank’s Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Department for East Asia and the Pacific and Lead Economist for Indonesia.

As lead economist for Indonesia, Mr Chaudhuri was responsible for leading the overall economic policy dialogue, advisory and development policy lending work in Indonesia.

He managed the Jakarta-based economic team, which works closely with partners in government and in the development community to further Indonesia’s development agenda.

Prior to relocating to Jakarta in early 2008, he worked primarily on China and on East Asia regional policy issues.

Before joining the Bank, Mr Chaudhuri spent a decade as an Economics professor and Director of the Programme in Economic and Political Development at Columbia University in New York.

Mr Chaudhuri obtained his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from Princeton University, both in Economics, the statement added.

(NAN)