Long-serving Chief economist of Rwanda’s national Bank Prof. Thomas Kigabo has died.
Kigabo succumbed to illness in Kenya where he had gone to seek treatment-yet to be confirmed information say that he succumbed to COVID-19 which, the pandemic in severe wave currently in Rwanda and across the world.
Thomas Kigabo has a Ph.D in monetary, finance and international economics at University of LYON 2/France and a master’s in applied mathematics.
He joined the National Bank of Rwanda in 2007 as Chief economist, after serving many years as Director, academic affairs and s Rector of Kigali Independent University.
He has been teaching several courses at the same university but also at University of Rwanda and Jomo Kenyata University at Bachelor, Masters and Ph.D. levels.
The courses include econometrics, monetary economics, applied mathematics, and microeconomics. He has extensive experience in research in different areas including monetary policy, financial inclusion, issue related to financial sector development, development economics, regional integration among others.
Kigabo supervised or co-supervised PHD students in Rwanda and in different universities in Europe.
As chief economist of the National Bank of Rwanda, He played an important role in formulation and implementation of monetary policy in Rwanda and Government of Rwanda economic policies as well as the development of the financial sector. He also played an important role in negotiation of policies with different stakeholders including the International Monetary Funds and the World Bank.
