By May 2025, the tenure of African Development Bank (AfDB) President Prof. Akinwumi Adesina will come to an end, and a new President will be elected.
- The tenure of AfDB President, Prof. Akinwumi Adesina will end in May 2025
- Several candidates have expressed interest in succeeding Adesina
- Candidates from South Africa, Algeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Mauritania have declared interest in succeeding Adesina
Several candidates have already expressed their interest in succeeding Adesina, aiming to either build on his legacy or chart a new direction for the Bank.
Adesina, Nigeria’s former Minister of Agriculture was first elected President of the AfDB on May 28, 2015.
He was unanimously re-elected for a second term on August 27, 2020, and his tenure concludes in May 2025.
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The President of the AfDB is elected by the Board of Governors for a renewable five-year term and oversees the Bank’s daily operations under the guidance of the Board of Directors, supported by a Chief Economist and five Vice Presidents.
With 82 member countries (54 regional and 28 non-regional) the AfDB provides loans and grants to governments, funds development projects and technical assistance programs, and invests in private companies across Africa.
AfDB voting dynamics
The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) voting interests are indeed influenced by powerful regional blocs, especially when they have a candidate in the running.
These blocs wield significant influence and can shape the outcome of elections.
Some of the key regional blocs that play a significant role in AfDB’s voting power dynamics include:
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)
- Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
- Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
These regional blocs can significantly impact the voting power of AfDB member states, particularly if they have a candidate in the election.
By pooling their votes together, these blocs can increase their influence and shape the outcome of elections.
However, interests often supersede the agreements made by each bloc, as countries may decide to back a candidate who aligns more closely with their own economic future.
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Below is a list of candidates who have declared their interest in succeeding the incumbent President, Prof. Akinwumi Adesina, next year.
Abbas Mahamat Tolli
Country – Chad
Tolli made history by being the first to declare his candidacy in February 2024.
Tolli’s candidacy gained significant traction when he was endorsed as the sole candidate by the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) in January and later by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in February
Albert Zeufack
Country – Cameroon
Zeufack is the World Bank Country Director for Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sao Tome and Principe.
The Guardian Post Cameroon reports that his candidacy, however, is on shaky ground following the delay by his home country, Cameroon, in announcing support for his candidature..
Similar to the controversy brewing within the SADC between Zambia and South Africa, member countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC), to which Zeufack’s Cameroon belongs, have long endorsed the immediate past Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Abbas Mahamat Tolli, a Chadian national, for the same position.
Rabah Arezki
Country – Algeria
Rabah Arezki, a dual citizen of Algeria and France, was appointed as the Chief Economist and Vice President of Economic Governance and Knowledge Management at the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2020.
Prior to this role, he held prominent positions at the World Bank as Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa Region, and at the International Monetary Fund as Chief of the Commodities Unit in the Research Department
Amadou Hott
Country – Senegal
In September, Amadou Hott, the special envoy to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group for the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA), resigned from his position effective immediately to pursue his candidacy for the AfDB presidency.
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The African Development Bank confirmed his resignation, enabling him to officially begin his campaign to succeed Adesina in 2025.
Hott’s candidacy has garnered support from Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has reached out to the Heads of State of the Bank’s shareholder countries to rally backing for Hott’s bid to lead the institution
Samuel Munzele Maimbo
Country – Zambia,
Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo holds the position of Vice President for Budget, Performance Review, and Strategic Planning at the World Bank, where he has implemented significant reforms in business, planning, and budgeting processes. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to World Bank Presidents David Malpass and Ajay Banga, and as Senior Advisor to two Chief Financial Officers.
Maimbo’s candidacy has garnered strong support from the influential Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government.
Ousmane Kane
Country – Mauritania
Ousmane Kane, a former AfDB Vice-President, is reportedly running to succeed Adeshina.
With 15 years of experience at the AfDB, Kane is known for his commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, and is a close associate of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould El Ghazouani.
Bajabulile Swazi Thsabalala
Country – South Africa
Swazi Tshabalala, who joined the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2018 as Vice President for Finance and became Senior Vice President in November 2021, resigned from her position in October to pursue her candidacy for the presidency, following her endorsement by the South African government.
Her endorsement has sparked controversy within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a bloc of 16 countries from Southern, Central, and Island Africa that collectively hold over 14% of voting rights in the AfDB presidential election.
Traditionally, the SADC votes as a united bloc, but South Africa—holding more than 5% of the voting rights—has disrupted this alliance by backing Tshabalala, fracturing the coalition.
According to the Africa Report, South Africa did not find Zambia’s Maimbo’s candidacy favorable.
Romuald Wadagni
Country – Benin
Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance, entered the race for the AfDB presidency in July with strong backing from his government.
In a show of support, his government pledged $2 million to the upcoming replenishment of the African Development Fund, the concessional arm of the African Development Bank Group.
Wadagni announced the donation during the opening session of the Mid-Term Review of the Fund’s 16th Replenishment in October.
Challenges for the AfDB
The Africa Report highlights growing discontent among French-speaking African nations, alleging that the AfDB’s focus in recent years has primarily benefited Anglophone Africa.
However, the Bank has dismissed these claims, emphasizing that the majority of its staff are Francophone and that disbursements, particularly relative to shareholding, favor non-Anglophone countries.
This inclusivity is further evidenced by the number of non-English-speaking candidates vying for the presidency.
Among them are Abbas Mahamat Tolli of Chad, Amadou Hott of Senegal and Rabah Arezki of Algeria—all representing Francophone Africa.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) highlights that Article 1 of the amended Rules of Procedure Governing the Election of the President (“Election Rules”) mandates that the election for the Bank’s President occurs during the Annual Meeting nearest to the end of the incumbent’s term.
Consequently, the Board of Governors will elect Dr. Adesina’s successor on May 29, 2025, during the Bank’s Annual Meeting in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, scheduled from May 26 to 30, 2025.
