Abidjan, May 28, 2025 – The race to lead the African Development Bank (AfDB) has entered its final 48 hours with no definitive frontrunner among the five candidates vying for the presidency. The election, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to go into multiple voting rounds as member states weigh their options.
The five candidates in contention are:
- Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad) – Governor of the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC)
- Sidi Ould Tah (Mauritania) – Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa
- Amadou Hott (Senegal) – Former Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation
- Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa) – Acting Senior Vice President and CFO of the AfDB
- Samuel Munzele Maimbo (Zambia) – Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank
Over the past 12 to 18 months, all candidates have actively campaigned across Africa and held consultations with non-regional shareholders to garner support.
The election is conducted using a weighted voting system based on each member’s shareholding in the bank. As a result, countries with significant shares—including Nigeria (8.2%), the United States (6.6%), Egypt (5.6%), Japan (5.5%), and South Africa (5.2%)—are expected to play a decisive role in determining the outcome.
According to individuals familiar with the election process, Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah and Zambia’s Samuel Munzele Maimbo are currently considered front-runners. However, South Africa’s Swazi Tshabalala and Senegal’s Amadou Hott remain in contention and could advance to the second round of voting. Chad’s Mahamat Abbas Tolli is considered less likely to move forward.
The new president will take office in September 2025 and will face immediate challenges, including the need to secure alternative funding sources for the African Development Fund (ADF), following a reduction in support from the United States.
The AfDB presidency is a critical leadership position in African development finance, with the bank playing a pivotal role in infrastructure investment, regional integration, and economic growth across the continent.
