As the African Development Bank (AfDB) prepares to elect its next president this Thursday during its annual meetings in Abidjan, five candidates from across the continent are making their case to lead one of Africa’s most influential financial institutions.
With global aid budgets shrinking and borrowing costs climbing, AfDB’s $318 billion capital base is more vital than ever. The next leader will play a key role in shaping how Africa mobilizes resources, builds climate-resilient infrastructure, and achieves economic sovereignty. Here’s a closer look at the contenders—and the visions they bring.
Swazi Tshabalala: Championing infrastructure and innovation
The only female candidate in the race, South Africa’s Swazi Tshabalala brings three decades of banking experience, most recently as AfDB’s Senior Vice President. Her candidacy is rooted in transformation—both inside the bank and across Africa.
She believes that a restructured internal system is needed to unlock long-term impact, especially in infrastructure. “We need a structure that enables sustained focus and execution,” she says. Her priorities include creating new financial instruments that build on the bank’s recent hybrid capital model—opening up innovative funding avenues to power Africa’s growth through its own rich resource base.
Amadou Hott: Mobilizing Africa’s financial muscle
Senegal’s former Minister of Economy, Amadou Hott, is a seasoned financier with experience from Lagos to London. His message is clear: Africa must harness its own resources.
“The money is out there,” he insists—but Africa must create investment-ready projects and significantly improve revenue collection. With the continent’s average tax-to-GDP ratio at 16%—far below the OECD average—Hott argues that better tax systems could enhance credit ratings, cut borrowing costs, and fund key areas like energy and infrastructure.
His mission is to position AfDB as a catalyst for private sector confidence and homegrown financing.
Samuel Munzele Maimbo: Connecting African Economies from Within
Zambian development finance veteran Samuel Maimbo, currently on leave from his role as a World Bank Vice President, wants to tackle Africa’s internal trade and financial systems.
With support from regional blocs like SADC and COMESA, Maimbo proposes a behind-the-scenes overhaul: harmonizing regulations, aggregating data, and enabling countries to trade—and finance—each other more efficiently. “If only 15% of our trade is intra-African, it means our goods are either wasted or undervalued,” he points out.
He’s calling for a continental approach to everything from debt management to infrastructure planning—enabling Africa to rise as a cohesive economic force.
Sidi Ould Tah: Advocating for Economic Sovereignty
Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah, who has spent the past decade at the helm of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, wants to unshackle AfDB from outdated models and drive Africa’s economic self-determination.
Tah’s strategy revolves around four pillars: unlocking wider capital pools, reforming financial systems, formalizing the informal economy (which employs over 80% of Africans), and building infrastructure that withstands climate shocks.
For every dollar AfDB raises, Tah believes the bank can unlock $10 in productive capital—if it deepens partnerships with regional banks, private investors, and multilateral agencies.
Abbas Mahamat Tolli: Building resilience from the ground up
From tending goats in war-torn Chad to leading regional financial institutions, Abbas Mahamat Tolli’s life story is one of resilience—much like the continent he hopes to serve.
The former Finance Minister and regional bank president envisions an AfDB that focuses on self-sufficiency. His vision includes overhauling the bank’s operational model, boosting public-private partnerships, and digitizing financial tools. He also wants stronger governance to reduce leakages through fiscal mismanagement and inefficiency.
“We lose too much through poor management,” he says. “Africa deserves better.”
As Africa faces a future shaped by climate change, global financial uncertainty, and the pressing need for inclusive growth, the role of the AfDB is more critical than ever. These five candidates offer diverse experiences, bold ideas, and ambitious strategies.
Whichever direction the bank takes, one thing is clear: the next AfDB president will shape how Africa builds its future—from the ground up.
