Yemi Kale has assumed the position of Group Chief Economist & Managing Director of Research and International Cooperation at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Dr Kale was a former Statistician-General and the National Bureau of Statistics of Nigeria’s longest-serving leader between 2011 and 2021.
His appointment comes in recognition of his collaborative expertise in the public sector, particularly during his tenure at the NBS, where he played a key role in recalculating Nigeria’s GDP.
The recalibration resulted in Nigeria having the largest GDP in Africa.
With more than 24 years of experience in in-depth data and statistical research, Yemi Kale brings valuable expertise to support Afreximbank’s mission of stimulating African trade and industrialization.
His appointment is poised to enhance the bank’s strategic initiatives and contribute to its overall objectives in promoting economic development across the continent.
Background
A graduate of Economics (First class honors) from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, an M.Sc. (with distinction), and Ph.D. in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr. Yemi Kale is an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Leadership in Government Programs and a Fellow of the UK Royal Statistical Society.
He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Statistical Association, and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Administrators and Researchers of Nigeria, among other notable affiliations.
Before his appointment at Afreximbank, Dr Yemi Kale was a Partner, Chief Economist, and Head of Research at KPMG West Africa.
- His diverse expertise includes roles such as an equity analyst at Goldman Sachs and a quantitative analyst at Merrill Lynch Financial Services.
- He later became the Group Head of Research and Investment Strategy at Investment Banking and Trust Company Plc. (now Stanbic IBTC Bank plc).
- Dr. Kale’s illustrious career includes holding the prestigious position of Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance and subsequently, Technical Adviser to the Minister of National Planning.
- In 2011, he was appointed Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), becoming the first chief executive of the NBS to be reappointed for a second term.
His extensive contributions extend to serving as the chairman of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics (NCCS), a member of the Nigerian Economic Management Team (EMT), and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee, among other significant roles.
Dr. Kale is a widely published author on fiscal and monetary policy, governance, finance, and economic development in Africa.
