Leadership & Governance

Meet the leaders driving West Africa's investment transformation and discover our robust governance framework

Current Leadership (2024-2026)

Experienced leaders from across West Africa guiding our regional investment promotion agenda


Nigeria Presidency
2024-2026 Term

President

IPAWAS Presidency
Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC)

Leading IPAWAS as the rotating presidency for the 2024-2026 term, bringing Nigeria's extensive experience in investment promotion and the largest economy in West Africa to guide regional coordination efforts.

$200B+
GDP
220M
Population
2024-26
Term

Cape Verde Vice-Presidency
2024-2026 Term

Vice President

IPAWAS Vice-Presidency
Cape Verde Investment Promotion Agency

Supporting IPAWAS leadership as vice-president, bringing Cape Verde's expertise in island economy development, tourism promotion, and strategic positioning as a regional service hub.

$2B+
GDP
560K
Population
2024-26
Term

Secretary General
Operational Leadership

Bakary Séga Bathily

Secretary General
Director General, APIX Senegal

Leading IPAWAS's operational activities as the founding Secretary General, bringing extensive experience from APIX Senegal and deep expertise in investment promotion, policy development, and regional cooperation.

15+
Years Experience
APIX
Senegal
2024+
Term

Governance Structure

A robust framework ensuring transparent, effective, and accountable leadership

General Assembly

The highest decision-making body comprising all 15 member countries' investment promotion agencies.

  • Annual general meetings
  • Strategic direction setting
  • Budget approval authority
  • Leadership election oversight
  • Policy framework approval

Executive Committee

Provides strategic oversight and ensures implementation of General Assembly decisions.

  • President and Vice-President
  • Regional representatives
  • Quarterly meetings
  • Strategic planning oversight
  • Performance monitoring

Technical Committee

Focuses on operational excellence, capacity building, and technical coordination.

  • Technical specialists
  • Capacity building programs
  • Best practices sharing
  • Standards development
  • Knowledge management

Secretariat Operations

Manages day-to-day operations, coordination, and implementation of IPAWAS activities.

  • Daily operations management
  • Member coordination
  • Communication activities
  • Event organization
  • Partnership management

Organizational Chart

Clear hierarchy and reporting structure for effective governance

General Assembly
All 15 Member Countries
Executive Committee
President, Vice-President & Representatives
Secretary General
Operational Leadership
Technical Committee
Specialists & Experts
Secretariat Departments
Operational Units

Board of Directors

Leaders from across West Africa representing each member country

Benin Representative
Benin
Investment Promotion Agency
Burkina Faso Representative
Burkina Faso
Investment Promotion Agency
Cape Verde Representative
Cape Verde
Vice-Presidency (2024-2026)
Côte d'Ivoire Representative
Côte d'Ivoire
CEPICI
Gambia Representative
The Gambia
Host of Founding Summit
Ghana Representative
Ghana
GIPC
Guinea Representative
Guinea
Investment Promotion Agency
Guinea-Bissau Representative
Guinea-Bissau
Investment Promotion Agency
Liberia Representative
Liberia
Investment Promotion Agency
Mali Representative
Mali
Investment Promotion Agency
Niger Representative
Niger
Investment Promotion Agency
Nigeria Representative
Nigeria
NIPC - Presidency (2024-2026)
Bakary Séga Bathily
Senegal
APIX - Secretary General
Sierra Leone Representative
Sierra Leone
Investment Promotion Agency
Togo Representative
Togo
Investment Promotion Agency

Decision-Making Process

Transparent and inclusive process for policy development and initiative approval

1

Proposal Development

Ideas and proposals are developed by member countries, the Secretariat, or technical committees based on identified needs and opportunities.

2

Technical Review

The Technical Committee conducts thorough analysis, impact assessment, and feasibility studies for all major proposals.

3

Member Consultation

All member countries are consulted through formal channels to gather input, feedback, and build consensus around proposals.

4

Executive Committee Review

The Executive Committee reviews proposals, considers member feedback, and makes recommendations to the General Assembly.

5

General Assembly Decision

Final decisions are made by the General Assembly through consensus-building or formal voting procedures as outlined in the statutes.

6

Implementation & Monitoring

Approved initiatives are implemented by the Secretariat and relevant committees with regular progress monitoring and reporting.