At the recent AFI Global Policy Forum in Namibia, former Central Bank of Kenya Governor, Professor Njuguna Ndung’u, became the first recipient of an AFI Honorary Recognition award. 

The award, made by the AFI Board of Directors, celebrates individuals and organizations for their outstanding contribution to the AFI network and to advancing financial inclusion globally. 

“Professor Ndung’u is a role model for our network – a central banker who sees financial inclusion as part of the stability mandate,” said AFI CEO, Dr Alfred Hannig. “His involvement was pivotal in bringing AFI to life, steering our direction, and accelerating our impact The first Chair of the AFI Steering Committee, he arranged at short notice for Kenya to co-host the first AFI Global Policy Forum in 2009. He also co-hosted AFI’s African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative (AMPI), which subsequently grew into our African Financial Policy Initiative.” 

“Professor Ndung’u also represented AFI with distinction at international fora, notably the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion. His lifelong commitment to financial inclusion and poverty reduction, and his visionary contribution to our network, make him a fitting recipient for AFI Honorary Recognition.” 

In addition to serving from 2007 to 2015 as Central Bank Governor, Professor Ndung’u was Kenya’s Minister of Finance from 2022 to 2024. He has also served as Executive Director of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) and as associate professor of Economics at the University of Nairobi.