Who We Are

The Making Finance Work for Africa Partnership (MFW4A) is an initiative to support the development of African financial sectors. We are a unique platform for African governments, the private sector, and development partners to coordinate financial sector development interventions across the continent, avoiding duplication and maximizing developmental impact.

The MFW4A  Secretariat was established as the executive arm of the Partnership and works to advance the goals of the Partnership. Operating as an independent entity, the Secretariat is hosted within the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Vision

MFW4A’s vision is to develop deeper, more efficient and stable African financial systems that are capable of driving inclusive and sustained growth and resilient economies.

Mission

To make the financial sector work effectively and sustainably in response to Africa’s most pressing challenges including poverty, gender inequality, climate change and youth unemployment. 

Who We Are

The Making Finance Work for Africa Partnership (MFW4A) is an initiative to support the development of African financial sectors. We are a unique platform for African governments, the private sector, and development partners to coordinate financial sector development interventions across the continent, avoiding duplication and maximizing developmental impact.

The MFW4A  Secretariat was established as the executive arm of the Partnership and works to advance the goals of the Partnership. Operating as an independent entity, the Secretariat is hosted within the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Vision

MFW4A’s vision is to develop deeper, more efficient and stable African financial systems that are capable of driving inclusive and sustained growth and resilient economies.

Mission

To make the financial sector work effectively and sustainably in response to Africa’s most pressing challenges including poverty, gender inequality, climate change and youth unemployment. 

Our Team

Front Office
Nawel Annabi
Nawel Annabi
Administrative Assistant

Nawel is the administrative assistant for MFW4A. She manages procurement procedures and assists the Coordinator with resource management and budget review. She manages the travel and logistical arrangements for the Team and provides support for MFW4A’s events.

Before MFW4A, she worked as a database assistant and was previously a technical support assistant for Hewlett Packard. Nawel received a license in Information Management from the High School of Technology in Tunisia.

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Toniemai
Toniemai King Andrews
Senior Communications and Partnerships Officer

Toniemai is the Senior Communications and Partnerships Officer for the MFW4A team. A Marketing and Communications professional with 12 years of experience in the financial sector, prior to MFW4A Toniemai worked for prestigious New York investment firm Jennison Associates/Prudential Financial where her role as Senior Associate encompassed various Marketing, Communications and Relationship Management responsibilities.

She founded a strategic communications consultancy in 2017 helping clients achieve their communications goals. She holds a master’s in International Affairs-Finance from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, summa cum laude. She was awarded the Makuu Award for Academic Excellence and is a United Negro College Fund fellow.

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Financial Sector Lead
Hugues
Hugues Kamewe Tsafack
Financial Sector Advisor

Hugues is a Financial Sector Development specialist with over 15 years of professional experience in multicultural environment. He leads MFW4A’s activities in agricultural finance, SME finance, trade finance and banking supervision.

Prior joining MFW4A, he was a Regional Advisor at the World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI) providing leadership advice to senior executives of African savings banks on enterprise reforms to transform them into fully-fledged retail banks. His work also involved analytical contributions to international organizations activities. A Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Executive Education alumni, he was awarded a certificate for the completion of the “Rethinking Financial Inclusion” Leadership Program in 2016. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Lyon II in France.

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Marina Finken
Marina Finken
MFW4A Partnership Coordinator

Marina Finken is the Partnership Coordinator for Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A). She is an experienced Finance Professional who, before joining MFW4A had a successful career within Big 4 firms, providing audit and advisory services to large Banking groups and other financial services entities.

Marina Finken is the Partnership Coordinator for Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A). She is an experienced Finance Professional who, before joining MFW4A had a successful career within Big 4 firms, providing audit and advisory services to large Banking groups and other financial services entities. Her areas of expertise covers Banking, sustainable finance, inclusive and digital finance and capital markets. Marina is a chartered accountant with a master degree from SKEMA Business school and an Executive MBA from INSEAD. She is passionate about using finance to address social and economic challenges in Africa. 

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Long-Term Finance
Alain
Alain-Stéphane Moulot
Financial Sector Workstream Officer

Alain-Stéphane is a Financial Sector Workstream Officer. He supports the support the Secretariat’s activities in various thematic areas, mainly Long-term finance and Trade finance. 

He was previously an associate research officer with MFW4A. Prior to joining the Partnership, he worked as a Strategy & Management consultant for financial institutions, focusing on the banking and insurance sectors in Côte d’Ivoire. He also has experience as a Mortgage Loan Analyst at Avenue 365 Lenders’ Services based in Pennsylvania. Alain-Stéphane holds bachelor and MBA degrees in Finance respectively from Temple University and Philadelphia University.

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Knowledge Management
Arnold Gourène Grakolet
Arnold Gourène Grakolet
Research Officer

Arnold Gourène Grakolet is a Research Officer at MFW4A. He has experience in development finance, including financial market analysis and household and corporate finance. He also has a strong background in policy analysis and evidence-based research

Arnold Gourène Grakolet is a Research Officer at MFW4A. He has experience in development finance, including financial market analysis and household and corporate finance. He also has a strong background in policy analysis and evidence-based research. Prior to joining MFW4A, he worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Morocco. At UNECA, he assisted the Commission in formulating policies on access to finance for family businesses and sustainable finance in North Africa. Grakolet was also an Assistant Professor at the Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé in Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire, where he taught courses in applied econometrics. Grakolet earned a PhD in economics and finance from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, where his research focused on the integration of African financial markets into global finance.

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Matseliso Teele
Matseliso Teele
Associate Research Officer

Matseliso Teele is an associate research officer at the MFW4A. She has over three years of experience in analytical work and research projects.  She began her career while she was studying her Master of Science (MSc) in Economics at the National university of Lesotho (NUL) as a teaching assistant (student teacher). 

Matseliso Teele is an associate research officer at the MFW4A. She has over three years of experience in analytical work and research projects.  She began her career while she was studying her Master of Science (MSc) in Economics at the National university of Lesotho (NUL) as a teaching assistant (student teacher). She then worked as a research assistant in evaluating the FAPA project - Lesotho Enterprise Development Technical Assistance (LEDTA). Prior to that, she worked as a Data Clerk in LENEPWHA; NGO in Lesotho. Most recently, she was enrolled into the 2022 AfDB internship program, where she worked with the knowledge management team of the MFW4A.  She holds an MSc in Economics (2021) and BA in Economics and Statistics (2019) from the National University of Lesotho.

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Our Members

Governing Members

The AfDB is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. AfDB’s priority areas (High5s) are: Light up & power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa. There are 80-member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries).

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Afreximbank was established in Abuja, Nigeria in October, 1993 by African Governments, African private and institutional investors as well as non-African financial institutions and private investors for the purpose of financing, promoting and expanding intra-African and extra-African trade. Afreximbank is headquartered in Cairo with branch offices in Harare, Abuja, Abidjan and Nairobi.

 

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AFD is France’s inclusive public development bank. AFD commits financing and technical assistance to projects that genuinely improve everyday live, both in developing and emerging countries, and in the French overseas provinces. AFD works in many sectors — energy, healthcare, biodiversity, water, digital technology, professional training, among others.

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EIB is the EU's bank and is the only bank owned by and representing the interests of the EU Member States. EIB provides finance and expertise for sustainable investment projects that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB’s activities focus on four priority areas: Innovation and skills, Access to finance for smaller businesses, Infrastructure, and Climate and environment.

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Partners