Abdoulaye Ndiaye (X 2010), Best Young African Economist

Abdoulaye Ndiaye (X 2010) is the first recipient of the new award for Africa’s Best Young Economist, presented by a jury of seven renowned African economists.

More than 70 candidates from 14 African countries had competed for this award, created by the media outlets Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report in partnership with the African Development Bank, which honors the best young African economist under the age of 40.

The 37-year-old Senegalese economist received his award on May 15, 2026, in Kigali, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum.

A former student at Lycée Louis-Le-Grand and a graduate of École Polytechnique, Abdoulaye Ndiaye earned his Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University before joining the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, among other institutions. He is currently an assistant professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and a research fellow at the Finance for Development Lab, an independent, nonpartisan economic think tank dedicated to building a more equitable and efficient international financial system.

Abdoulaye Ndiyae’s work focuses on the trade-offs that governments must make between work incentives, redistribution, and the sustainability of pension systems. It explores the challenges African governments face in sustaining their growth while strengthening their economic sovereignty in an environment marked by rising financing needs, a growing debt service burden, and tensions in international markets.