Stella Lyatuu is an Investment Officer at the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), with over 18 years of experience in subnational and local government finance.

She began her career at Tanzania’s Ministry of Local Government, where she advanced to senior roles providing municipalities with financial and investment advisory support in project finance, public–private partnerships, own-source revenue, and fiscal decentralization.

Since joining UNCDF in 2017, Stella has focused on advancing sustainable and municipal finance, domestic capital market development, and innovative financing instruments such as green and revenue bonds and credit enhancement tools. She has also supported the advisory and structuring of commercially viable private sector investments and was instrumental in coordinating the team behind Tanzania’s first subnational issuance, the Tanga Water Infrastructure Green Bond. This raised US$ 20.8 million to improve water access and climate resilience. Stella has also been central in enhancing national and local government capacity to attract investment and manage infrastructure finance, including the development of national investment guidelines for municipalities.

A Tanzanian national, she holds a Master’s degree in Financial Management from the University of Melbourne, a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Mzumbe University, and is a Certified Public Accountant.