Mamadou Biteye OBE, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).Photo Courtesy
As the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference convenes in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2025, from June 11th to 13th at the Serena Hotel, Mamadou Biteye OBE, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), stands poised to deliver a keynote address that reflects his decades-long commitment to transforming African societies through systemic philanthropy and capacity building.
With over 30 years of experience in economic development and philanthropy, Biteye’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing inclusive, community-driven growth across the continent.
A Visionary Leader in African Development
Born in Senegal, Biteye’s academic journey led him to earn a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s degree from the Crimean Agricultural Institute.
Fluent in English, French, Russian, Portuguese, and Wolof, his multilingual abilities have facilitated his engagement with diverse stakeholders across Africa and beyond.
Before joining ACBF in 2022, Biteye held significant roles in prominent organizations.
At Visa, he served as Vice President and Global Head of Inclusive Growth, where he advanced digital and financial inclusion strategies in emerging markets.
Before that, as Managing Director for Africa at The Rockefeller Foundation, he led the Digital Jobs Africa initiative, providing employability training to over 160,000 youths to catalyze sustainable employment opportunities in the ICT sector.
His tenure at Oxfam as Regional Director for West Africa saw the co-design of the Saving for Change microfinance model, benefiting over 700,000 women in Mali and Senegal.
Steering ACBF Towards Strategic Capacity Building
Since assuming leadership at ACBF, Biteye has overseen initiatives to enhance the foundation’s impact on the continent.
Notably, ACBF launched the African School of Regulation in Accra and the African School of Taxation and Public Financial Management in Yaoundé.
These institutions focus on building Africa’s human capital in key governance sectors, addressing regulatory challenges, and improving public financial management.
The School of Regulation, for instance, aims to guide Africa towards a sustainable energy transition by fostering skills development, knowledge sharing, and creating an environment conducive to innovative regulatory solutions.
Under Biteye’s leadership, ACBF has also emphasized the importance of partnerships in Africa’s transformation.
The foundation’s business model comprises four service offerings: the Africa Capacity Building Academy, the Institutional Accelerator Model, the Capacity Knowledge Hub, and Fiscal Agency.
These pillars support various programs, including the Strengthening African Leadership for Climate Adaptation (SALCA) program and the Empowering Women and Youth in Agriculture program.
Advocating for Systemic Philanthropy
Biteye’s approach to philanthropy emphasizes shifting power dynamics and building resilience within African communities.
His keynote at the Kigali conference will address the 2025 theme, “Systemic Philanthropy: Shifting Power, Building Resilience,” which aligns with ongoing conversations about rethinking philanthropic models to reflect local agency, sustainability, and ownership.
The event, hosted by EAPN, is expected to draw over 300 delegates from foundations, civil society, government, and private sector actors.
It aims to deepen dialogue around shifting the center of gravity in philanthropy toward African-led development models.
By convening thought leaders and practitioners, the conference seeks to co-create actionable solutions that can reframe the future of philanthropy to be more inclusive and systemic.
His keynote at the 4th African Philanthropy Conference in Saly, Senegal, had previously underscored the need for African development and philanthropic practitioners to change mindsets, scale up impactful work, and reimagine the aid system to center justice, fairness, and dignity.
As a member of the Lifetime Awards Committee of the African Philanthropy Conference, Biteye’s extensive experience in capacity building and his commitment to social development are evident.
His career spans both private and public sectors, with expertise in strategic leadership, program development and implementation, public policy analysis, advocacy, and community participatory development.
Recognition and Influence
In recognition of his services to poverty reduction, Biteye was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2015.
He also serves on several boards, including the World Bank’s Solutions for Youth Employment (S4YE), the African Women Impact Fund, and the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment at Wits University.
Mamadou Biteye’s leadership at ACBF and his broader contributions to philanthropy and economic development exemplify a commitment to systemic change and capacity building in Africa.
His initiatives have not only empowered individuals and institutions but have also laid the groundwork for sustainable, inclusive growth across the continent.
As he addresses the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference in Kigali, his insights are expected to inspire continued efforts towards shifting power, building resilience, and anchoring philanthropy in African ownership.
