Earlier this month, BASE had the pleasure of welcoming Ousseynou Nakoulima, recently appointed to the BASE Foundation Board. During his visit to Basel, Mr Nakoulima shared his personal reflections and professional insights in a filmed interview with our team.
With an extensive career spanning leading institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund, Mr Nakoulima brought a thoughtful and pragmatic perspective to the conversation.
His motivation, he explained, has always stemmed from a desire to contribute meaningfully to the common good, an ethos instilled by his family, and a deep curiosity about how climate innovation can serve people and communities. “Whatever I do in life, I always try to see how much I’m contributing to the common good,” he noted.
A strong theme throughout the interview was the critical role of innovation and collaboration in addressing climate challenges. Citing examples from across his career, he underscored that no single actor can solve the climate crisis alone: it requires governments, the private sector, regulators and communities to work together.
To mobilise private investment in climate-compatible development, he highlighted two key barriers: affordability of services and access to capital. He called for tailored solutions, such as blended finance and pay-as-you-go models, to make sustainable technologies more accessible to end users and commercially viable for investors.
Importantly, Mr Nakoulima stressed the value of inclusive governance, not as a formality, but as a powerful lever for legitimacy and impact. Drawing on his experience designing projects at the Green Climate Fund, he advocated for deep engagement with youth organisations, civil society and local communities, to build trust and ensure projects reflect local realities and long-term needs.
Reflecting on his involvement with BASE, Mr Nakoulima shared his enthusiasm for bringing innovative finance models to life and supporting BASE’s mission to unlock investment in climate solutions. “Climate finance needs to be creative,” he said, “and it must go beyond banks and institutions to include other actors, such municipalities, youth, local communities, so we can turn vision into action.”
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