ABOUT ME
DR ADDIS ABABA OTHOW (PHD)
Addis Ababa Othow Akongdit (PhD): Born in 1974, in a town called Malakal, South Sudan, he attended undergraduate studies at Al–Neelain University, Khartoum where he graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree “Excellent with Second Class Honour” in economics studies. His exceptional academic performance earned him the Faculty Board’s prize for the best student in the Department of Economics for the academic year 1994/1995.
In 1996, he joined Al-Neelain University as a Teaching Assistant before transitioning to a role as a Banking Inspector at the Central Bank of Sudan, Khartoum, in 1997 . During his tenure at the Central Bank, he contributed to the financial and accounting restructuring of Ivory Bank in 1998. In 1999, he was seconded to the Council of Southern Sudan as an Advisor and Planner for Development Projects, focusing on initiatives to improve the wellbeing of families in Southern Sudan. That same year, he earned a Master’s degree in Economic Development from Al-Neelain University.
Relentless in his pursuit of knowledge, Dr. Othow moved to the Netherlands, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting from Hanze University, Groningen, in 2007 . Shortly after graduating, he began working as an Assistant Accountant/Auditor at Dubois & Co Chartered Accountants in Amsterdam , where he served until 2010. He then decided to return to his homeland, the Republic of South Sudan.
EXPERIENCE
In 2010, Dr. Othow joined the Anti-Corruption Commission as a consultant. However, his tenure was short-lived as he re-entered the finance and banking sector later that year, joining the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS) in December 2010. He initially served as the Head of the Non-Banking Division until January 2013, when he was promoted to Head of the Planning, Regulation, and Licensing Division. During this time, he was also a member of the Steering Committee for the Private Sector Development Program, where he managed files for the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Dr. Othow currently serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the College of Social and Economic Studies, University of Juba. In addition to his academic role, he holds several key leadership positions in national institutions. He is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors at the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA), the Chairperson of the Board of Governors (BoG) at the Rombur National Teachers Training Institute (NTTI), and the Chairperson of the National Committee for the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of South Sudan. Previously, Dr. Othow served as the Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the South Sudan Pensions Fund (SSPF), contributing to the governance and oversight of the country’s pension system.
In May 2013, Dr. Othow completed his first doctoral thesis, titled “Impact of Political Stability on Economic Development: Case of South Sudan”, earning a PhD in Political Economy from Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan. His research, which explores the intersection of governance and economic progress, has been published as a book and is available online.
In December 2018, he achieved a second doctoral milestone by completing a thesis titled “The Role of Institutions in Achieving Financial Stability and Sustainable Economic Development in South Sudan”. This work earned him a PhD in Business Administration from the Faculty of Business and Economics at Atlantic International University, USA. This research, also published and available online.
To further enhance his leadership and managerial capabilities, Dr. Othow completed the Advanced Management Programme (AMP) in December 2019 at Strathmore University. This joint programme, conducted in collaboration with Lagos Business School (LBS) and IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain, is designed to equip business leaders with the professional and personal skills needed to effectively navigate complex organizational challenges and drive business success.
Dr. Othow began his tenure with Equity Bank in February 2015, joining the Nairobi headquarters as General Manager of Operations. Shortly thereafter, he was deployed to South Sudan to serve as Director of Operations and Deputy Managing Director at Equity Bank South Sudan Ltd (EBSSL). In 2018, he was promoted to Managing Director, a position he held until August 25, 2022, when he was appointed 1st Deputy Governor of the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS).
He served at the Central Bank until October 2, 2023, after which he returned to Equity Bank South Sudan on November 20, 2023, resuming his role as Managing Director. On February 21, 2025, Dr. Othow has been once again reappointed as 1st Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of South Sudan, with responsibility for Policy and Banking.
Dr. Othow has attended numerous professional programs, executive trainings, and seminars worldwide, including at Harvard Business School, Lagos Business School, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and MIT Sloan School of Management. These engagements have deepened his expertise in leadership, strategy development, governance, ethics, organizational transformation, and future readiness. His solid knowledge base in economics, finance, and leadership, coupled with his unwavering motivation to embrace new challenges, continues to drive his career.
Dr. Addis is the author of the following books: