Africa CEO Forum 2025: Navigating Energy, AI, and Infrastructure for Africa’s Future
Held on May 12–13, 2025, in Abidjan, the 12th edition of the Africa CEO Forum brought together over 2,800 leaders, including six African heads of state, to deliberate on the continent’s development trajectory. Key discussions centered on energy strategies, technological advancements, and infrastructure development.
Nuclear Energy: A Strategic Pillar for Africa’s Development
At the Africa CEO Forum 2025, nuclear energy emerged as a focal point in discussions about Africa’s energy future. Loyiso Tyabashe, CEO of South Africa’s Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), emphasized the necessity of integrating nuclear power with renewable sources to ensure a stable and affordable energy supply.
“Nuclear provides baseload power essential for industrialization,” Tyabashe stated. He highlighted the cost-effectiveness of nuclear energy, citing South Africa’s experience with its two nuclear units in Cape Town as among the cheapest electricity sources. Moreover, he underscored the environmental responsibility of nuclear power in reducing carbon emissions.
Addressing concerns about radioactive waste, Tyabashe assured that Necsa has maintained comprehensive records of all waste since the operation of its research reactor in 1965 and power reactor in 1984. “We can account for all the waste we’ve produced,” he affirmed.
The potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) was also discussed. Tyabashe noted that SMRs promise quicker deployment and lower capital costs, making them suitable for countries with smaller power grids. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all; we need to match generation technology to each country’s grid stability,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Necsa plans to develop nuclear fuel from raw uranium, leveraging South Africa’s and the continent’s uranium resources. Additionally, the corporation aims to build SMRs and explore multiple applications of research reactors, including power generation and isotope production for medical use.
The forum’s discussions reflected a growing consensus on the role of nuclear energy in Africa’s sustainable development. A poll conducted during the event indicated that 73% of attendees viewed nuclear as a viable energy solution for the continent.
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes global economies, Africa seeks to establish its own regulatory pathways. At the forum, experts debated models suitable for the continent, balancing innovation with sovereignty and local realities.
Franck Kié, founder of the Cyber Africa Forum, highlighted the progress made: “Several countries, including Benin and Rwanda, have adopted national AI strategies. The African Union also initiated a continental approach in 2024.”
Catherine Muraga from Microsoft Africa Development Center emphasized inclusivity: “We’re developing tools in Kiswahili, Amharic, Yoruba… to ensure no one is excluded. Africa has nearly 2,000 languages.” She stressed that responsible AI involves integrating security and privacy from the design phase.
The consensus underscored the urgency for Africa to accelerate its governance and investments in AI to avoid dependency on foreign technological decisions.
Infrastructure: The Backbone of Africa’s Industrialization
Infrastructure development remains pivotal for Africa’s industrial growth. At the forum, discussions centered on enhancing logistics, energy access, and connectivity to transform value chains.
Mohammed Diop, Deputy CEO Africa for AGL, pointed out the challenges: “In Africa, up to 30-40% of products are lost at the farm gate. We’re working on projects in Senegal and other countries to establish specialized warehouses near farms to reduce agricultural losses.”
Private sector initiatives, like AGL’s annual investment of €600 million in Africa, showcase the commitment to infrastructure improvement. However, energy remains a significant hurdle. In response, Schneider Electric signed strategic agreements with 3MD Energy and SmartEnergy to develop local industrial electrification solutions, integrating local production and digitalization.
These partnerships aim to secure energy access and generate employment, aligning with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade. For sustainable industrialization, states must streamline regulations, attract financing, and connect remote areas, ensuring that Africa fully leverages its resources.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm on the long-term health repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic in its newly released World Health Statistics Report 2025. The report reveals a staggering decline in global life expectancy, which dropped by 1.8 years between 2019 and 2021 – the sharpest fall in recent history, effectively reversing a decade of health gains.
The pandemic’s toll extended beyond direct mortality. Increased levels of anxiety and depression during the crisis shaved six weeks off the global healthy life expectancy, offsetting progress previously made in combating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
“The 2025 World Health Statistics report shows that the world is failing in its annual health checkup,” said Samira Asma, WHO Director of Data Analytics and Delivery for Impact. “But countries have shown that rapid progress is possible. What we really need to do is to recommit to the world with timely, reliable data where programmes are continuously improving and premature deaths become rare.”
Mixed Progress Towards WHO’s Global Health Goals
The report highlights mixed results in achieving WHO’s Triple Billion targets. While an estimated 1.4 billion more people were living healthier lives by the end of 2024 – surpassing the goal of one billion – progress in other key areas lagged behind.
Only 431 million additional people gained access to essential health services without financial hardship, far from the target. Additionally, just 637 million more people were better protected from health emergencies, underscoring significant shortfalls in resilience and preparedness.
Maternal and child health gains have also stalled. While maternal deaths dropped by over 40% and under-5 child mortality was halved between 2000 and 2023, recent years have seen this progress plateau. The WHO warns that without urgent action, the world could miss the chance to prevent an additional 700,000 maternal deaths and 8 million child deaths between 2024 and 2030.
NCDs on the Rise, Premature Deaths Escalate
Noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke, now account for more than half of deaths in people under 70.
“Mortality rates have improved in that age group, but the number of deaths due to NCDs has increased,” noted Haidong Wang, Acting Director of WHO’s Department of Data and Analytics. “Tobacco use remains a major factor, and although alcohol consumption has decreased in some regions, progress has stalled in others. Poor management of hypertension and diabetes, along with persistent air pollution, continues to endanger global health.”
The world is currently off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing premature NCD mortality by one third by 2030.
Key Challenges Undermining Health Progress
The WHO points to several compounding factors undermining global health efforts:
A projected shortfall of 11.1 million health workers by 2030, with the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions bearing nearly 70% of the gap.
Resurgence of malaria since 2015 and ongoing challenges with antimicrobial resistance.
Incomplete recovery in childhood vaccination rates, with coverage yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
A persistent burden from air pollution, malnutrition, and unsafe living conditions.
Furthermore, recent disruptions in international aid threaten to destabilize progress, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO is calling for sustained and predictable financing from both domestic and global sources to safeguard hard-won health gains and address emerging threats.
Despite the grim findings, the report also offers signs of hope: tobacco use continues to decline globally, and alcohol consumption fell from 5.7 to 5.0 litres per capita between 2010 and 2022. Improvements in air quality, access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene have contributed to healthier living conditions for millions.
The WHO urges urgent and coordinated global action to correct course and reignite progress toward 2030 health targets.
As the elections for the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approach, scheduled for May 29 in Abidjan, one of the notable candidates is Sidi Ould Tah, former Mauritanian minister and former Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
With extensive experience in public finance and development, Ould Tah has presented a vision to strengthen the AfDB’s role in the growth and development of the African continent.
A Career Dedicated to Africa’s Development
Sidi Ould Tah’s career has been built around several key roles in both African and international institutions. Holding a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, he has worked with the Islamic Development Bank, the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development, and as Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance. In 2015, he was appointed Director General of BADEA, where he oversaw significant transformation, increasing the bank’s assets from $4 billion to nearly $7 billion.
His tenure at BADEA is marked by a special focus on Africa’s economic integration and long-term development strategies aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. These experiences, he explains, give him a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities the continent faces.
Sidi Ould Tah’s Vision for the AfDB
In a recent interview, Ould Tah outlined his key priorities in the event of his election to the presidency of the African Development Bank. His vision is based on four main areas:
Increasing Funding Mobilization: Ould Tah emphasizes the importance of optimizing financial resources. His goal is to multiply the impact of every dollar invested, turning it into ten dollars for Africa’s development.
Reforming Africa’s Financial Architecture: He advocates for better coordination between African financial institutions to increase effectiveness and synergies in development efforts.
Harnessing Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Ould Tah sees the continent’s youth as a major asset. He believes that leveraging the potential of Africa’s young people will be a key driver of economic prosperity.
Building Resilient Infrastructure: A central element of his plan is to invest in sustainable infrastructure projects that can withstand the challenges of climate change while creating long-term economic value.
The Importance of Infrastructure and Economic Integration
Ould Tah also highlighted the crucial role of infrastructure development in facilitating economic integration across the continent. He referred to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a key step toward reducing intra-African trade barriers but noted that infrastructure gaps, particularly in transportation and energy, continue to hinder the full realization of AfCFTA’s potential.
“Today, to move a container from Mombasa in Kenya to Dakar in Senegal, the only possible route is maritime. We need to develop land corridors and explore other forms of transport such as waterways,” he said. He also advocated for increased electrification across the continent to support industrial growth.
Addressing Climate and Security Challenges
Climate change is also one of Ould Tah’s priorities. While some skeptics doubt the feasibility of green industrialization in Africa, Ould Tah believes that the continent can succeed by adopting an energy mix, combining renewable energy sources and conventional energy to meet its needs.
“We must use all available energy resources to support economic growth,” he asserted, emphasizing that Africa is the continent contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, thus presenting a unique opportunity to reconcile industrialization and sustainable development.
Finally, Ould Tah considers security and development to be closely linked. He insists that the AfDB’s efforts must take into account the stability of fragile states and work to create conditions conducive to peace, in order to strengthen the foundations for sustainable development.
“Security and development are inseparable. To reduce the risks of conflict and instability, the AfDB must focus on creating solid foundations for sustainable development, especially in fragile countries,” he explained.
A Decisive Election for the Future of the AfDB
With five candidates in the running for the presidency of the African Development Bank, the competition is expected to be particularly fierce this year. In addition to Sidi Ould Tah, the other candidates are: Amadou Hott, Senegal’s Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation, and former AfDB official; Samuel Munzele Maimbo, Zambian expert in development and infrastructure financing; Abbas Mahamat Tolli, Governor of the Central Bank of Chad; and finally, Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala, a key figure in the South African financial sector and former Deputy Director-General of the African Development Bank.
The results of this election will mark a decisive step for the future of the African Development Bank, a key institution in the continent’s development efforts.
Nearly 150,000km² of seafloor surveyed across the Mozambique Channel, Madagascar Ridge, Agulhas Plateau, and Cabo Verde
69 scientists from 31 countries and 29 institutions successfully conducted deep-sea dives, geological and biodiversity sampling, and oceanographic research in seven key regions around the African coastline
306 students, educators, and early-career professionals from across Africa and the world engaged through training, outreach, and capacity sharing initiatives on the OceanXplorer research vessel
Early Career Explorers Aghogho Kolawole-Daniles and Omaima Mouiret working on their independent research in the DNA lab on OceanXplorer off the coast of West Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 9th May 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – A transformational joint exploration led by OceanX and OceanQuest has officially concluded the ‘Around Africa Expedition’, a major ocean research and capacity-sharing mission advancing deep-sea research, oceanographic mapping, and scientific collaboration across Africa’s coastal waters.
The expedition navigated critical marine regions, starting from Moroni (Comoros Archipelago) and navigating through the Mozambique Channel, the southern Madagascar Ridge (Walters Shoal), Agulhas Plateau (Africana Seamount), Cape Town (South Africa), the Benguela Current System in the southeastern Atlantic, Walvis Bay (Namibia), Mindelo and the Nola Seamounts in Cabo Verde, and ending in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands (Spain).
Conducted between January and April, the expedition delivered significant insights and new valuable data about Africa’s marine ecosystems, surveyed vast areas of previously unexplored seafloor, and strengthened Africa’s leadership in ocean science through international collaboration and capacity sharing.
Scientists handle a sample from the sub in the wet lab
Expedition Scope and Key Achievements
Researchers conducted extensive fieldwork including remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives, oceanographic sampling, biodiversity surveys, and high-resolution seafloor mapping, unlocking new insights into Africa’s marine ecosystems.
OceanXplorer, the expedition’s advanced research vessel, completed eight ROV dives, totalling 21 hours underwater, including the first-ever visual surveys of the deep flanks of Walters Shoal and a newly mapped seamount at the southern Madagascar Ridge, as well as the Nola seamounts off Cabo Verde. Submersibles Neptune and Nadir executed nine dives, collecting 41 biological and geological samples across 32 hours of deep-sea exploration.
In total, nearly 150,000km² of seafloor was mapped across regions including the Madagascar Ridge, Agulhas Plateau, and Cabo Verde’s Nola Seamounts, providing vital data for deep ocean science and discovery, marine spatial planning, and conservation opportunities. “This is not just a scientific achievement, but a continental one,” says Vincent Pieribone, co-CEO and Chief Science Officer for OceanX. “The knowledge gained here belongs to Africa and will benefit research and scientific communities for generations to come.”
Group photo of the Young Explorers and OceanX Crew on the OceanXplorer, off the Coast of Southern Africa
Key Findings During the ‘Around Africa Expedition’
Two segments of the expedition were dedicated to deep-sea missions, designed to advance the understanding of the biological, geological, and oceanographic processes shaping the seafloor and ecosystems of the Southwest Indian Ocean and the eastern Atlantic. By investigating remote seamounts, surveying deep habitats, and analysing ocean dynamics, the teams generated critical baseline data to support marine conservation, sustainable resource management, and adaptation to climate change impacts.
As African nations increasingly recognise the critical importance of healthy ocean ecosystems for economic development, environmental security, this research provides essential knowledge and tools to inform more sustainable marine governance across the continent.
Key outcomes included:
The high-resolution mapping of seamounts and the surrounding seafloor, vital for fisheries, biodiversity, and habitat protection
Detailed analysis of ocean currents to better understand regional climate patterns
Analysis of marine microbes and aerosols, which play key roles in ocean food chains, carbon storage, and climate regulation, contributing critical data to global ocean health research
“The opportunity to conduct deep-sea research alongside an international team, with African scientists leading key legs, was a turning point,” said Dr. Lara Atkinson, Marine Offshore Scientist at NRF-SAEON. “For many of us, it was the first time we had access to this level of deep-sea technology and interdisciplinary collaboration among so many nations.”
“Being part of this expedition felt like reclaiming our own narrative in ocean science,” said Dr. Yara Rodrigues, Executive Vogal at Instituto do Mar. “We weren’t just collecting data, we were shaping the future of marine knowledge in Africa, based on our needs, in our waters.”
Their involvement was part of a broader collaboration between OceanX, OceanQuest, and leading African institutions. These included the National Research Foundation – South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), the University of Cape Town (UCT), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the Instituto do Mar (IMar) in Cabo Verde, the Ocean Science Center Mindelo (OSCM), and the Universidade Técnica do Atlántico (UTA). This strengthened scientific partnerships and promoted data sharing across the continent.
“These collaborations are the future of ocean science in Africa,” said Pieribone. “We’ve seen what’s possible when scientists, governments, and regional institutions align behind a common purpose-advancing knowledge, access, and opportunity.”
Researchers arriving aboard the OceanXplorer in Comoros, East Africa, pose for a photo on deck with the OceanX crew
Science Diplomacy and Regional Leadership
The expedition also marked a series of significant diplomatic milestones, with visits from South Africa’s Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Dion George and Minister of Tourism Patricia De Lille, Cabo Verde’s Minister of the Sea Jorge Santos and the President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, José Maria Neves. As Patron of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, President Neves reaffirmed Cabo Verde’s strong commitment and leadership in advancing ocean knowledge, marine conservation, and sustainable blue development.
‘These high-level engagements’, says Martin Visbeck, Chief Executive Officer of OceanQuest, ‘underscored regional commitment to ocean science and sustainability, enhanced cooperation across the continent, and demonstrated both Africa and Cabo Verde’s growing leadership in addressing the most pressing challenges facing our oceans.’
Local scientist Yara Rodrigues from IMar and OceanX Science Program Director, Mattie Rodrigue, process a sample of a coral colony full of brittle stars, Cabo Verde
Capacity Sharing and Education
A major pillar of the expedition, focused on strengthening African scientific and technical capacity through targeted education and professional development programmes. Led by OceanX education, the expedition was structured around three core components. These included two deep-sea science legs focused on seamount research, two youth-led investigator legs, and two ECOP training legs.
The mission featured outreach programmes at port stops to engage local communities:
Early Career Explorers (ECEs) Programme: 27 Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) from across Africa, including Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Cabo Verde, Tunisia, Morocco, and Tanzania, took part in multi-day, on-ship education programmes between Walvis Bay, Mindelo, and Las Palmas, gaining hands-on experience in oceanography, bathymetry, and environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Participants were selected by the Partnership for the Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) through a programme jointly run by OceanX, OceanQuest, and POGO.
Young Explorers: 29 university students who are interested in future ocean-related careers joined the multi-day, on-ship education programs from Maldives to Comoros and from Cape Town to Walvis Bay, learning about the multi-disciplinary career paths that can support ocean health and sustainability.
Science-Leg ECOP Participation: Four African ECOPs were embedded within research science legs, contributing directly to fieldwork in South African and Cabo Verdean waters.
Portside Ship Tours: 246 students and educators participated in shipboard tours and outreach events across Cape Town, Mindelo, and Las Palmas, introducing new generations to marine science careers and ocean stewardship.
Total engagement: 306 students, educators, and early-career professionals were reached through the expedition’s training and outreach programs.
“This wasn’t just about what we discovered in the ocean. It was also about who we empowered on the ground,” adds Martin Visbeck, CEO of OceanQuest. “By working together across borders, we have made this kind of world-class science possible right here in African waters and led by African scientists.”
The OceanX and OceanQuest Around Africa Expedition is officially endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development for its contributions to capacity sharing and scientific understanding of the ocean, providing valuable data for science and science-based ocean governance.
Next Steps
Although the expedition at sea has concluded, analysis of the collected data has only just begun. Scientists across Africa and globally will use the expedition’s findings to:
Inform environmental and ocean management policy
Support fisheries regulation and marine conservation, and
Strengthen Africa’s leadership in ocean science and sustainable development
“This is just the start,” said Pieribone. “We’ve built the foundation for a new age of African-led research, and now the real impact begins. Our goal is that the discoveries made, and the partnerships formed during this expedition will continue to shape policy, support conservation efforts, and inspire the next generation of ocean explorers.”
A full list of NGO, education, and government partners across the region and mission leg follows below:
Mindelo, Cabo Verde
Instituto do Mar (IMar), the Ocean Science Center Mindelo (OSCM),Instituto de Engenharias e Ciências do Mar (ISECMAR) – Universidade Técnica do Atlântico, Centro Universitário Cidade Verde (UniCV), Universidade do Mindelo, Escola Salesiana de Artes e Ofícios (Ilha de São Vicente), Escola Secundária Januário Leite (Ilha de Santo Antão), Escola Técnica João Varela (Ilha de Santo Antão).
Cape Town, South Africa
SANBI, National Research Foundation, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) – Science for Kids and Global Blue Schools Network, University of Cape Town, University of Western Cape, Stellenbosch University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain
Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), Consejeria de Educacion (Canary Islands Regional Government), IES Profesor Antonio Cabrera Pérez, ITS Jozef Stefan.
Global
UN Ocean Decade – Endorsed Decade Actions, Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO), Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network (OBON), Challenger 150, Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI)
Regional
Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, African Network of Deep-water Researchers, Challenger 150
United States
City College of New York (CCNY), Columbia University Climate School – Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO), US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), US State Department, US Office of Naval Research (ONR), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
Route-Specific Partnerships by Country/Transit locations:
Comoros to Cape Town, South Africa
National Research Foundation – South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), South African National Biodiversity Insitute (SANBI), South African National Space Agency (SANSA), National Research Foundation – South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB), University of Cape Town (UCT), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Université de Toliara – Institut D’Enseignement Supérieur D’Anosy (IES-Anosy) – Madagascar, Université de Toliara – Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (IHSM) – Madagascar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Madagascar, Universidade Lúrio – Mozambique, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – Mozambique, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES) – Brazil, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) – Kenya, Universidade de Aveiro – Portugal, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Columbia University – Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) – USA, Challenger 150
Namibia – Cabo Verde; Cabo Verde Science
Instituto Do Mar (IMar), Campus do Mar, Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA), Campus do Mar, Ocean Science Center Mindelo (OSCM), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research – Germany, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South African National Biodiversity Insitute (SANBI) – South Africa, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI) – Brazil, US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO)
Cabo Verde – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research – Germany, Columbia University Climate School – Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO)
About OceanX
OceanX is on a mission to support scientists to explore the ocean and to bring it back to the world through captivating media. Uniting leading media, science, and philanthropy partners, OceanX utilizes next-gen technology, fearless science, compelling storytelling, and immersive experiences to educate, inspire, and connect the world with the ocean and build a global community deeply engaged with understanding, enjoying, and protecting our oceans. OceanX is an operating program of Dalio Philanthropies, which furthers the diverse philanthropic interests of Dalio family members. For more information, visit www.oceanx.org and follow OceanX on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.
About OceanQuest
OceanQuest is a Saudi Arabian not-for-profit foundation, committed to unveiling the wonders of the ocean and exploring its secrets for the benefit of humanity. Its mission is to accelerate ocean discovery, drive innovation in the field, support global cooperation, and excite the public. OceanQuest and its global partners will launch a new era of deep ocean exploration and knowledge sharing. OceanQuest is based in the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) campus in Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To learn more visit www.OQFoundation.org.
The 2025 edition of the Awards will recognise and celebrate the strides being made by banks across the continent with a focus on innovation, transformation and also the promotion of inclusivity and gender equality. 58 nominees have made the shortlist for the 2025 awards, which has become a fixture on the African banking calendar.
LONDON, England 2 May, 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- African Banker magazine has announced the shortlist of nominees for this year’s edition of its annual African Banker Awards.
The winners will be made known during the official gala ceremony scheduled for May 28th in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as part of the official programme of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank.
The 2025 edition of the African Banker Awards is organised by African Banker magazine and IC Events under the patronage of the African Development Bank. The ceremony’s platinum sponsor remains the African Guarantee Fund, a fund created to share risks with commercial banks to encourage them to lend to the SME sector while ATIDI, which provides facilities to ensure against country risks and other associated insurance services, comes in as exclusive cocktail sponsor.
The African Banker Awards has, since its inception in 2007, sought to recognise and celebrate the exceptional individuals and organisations driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial services sector.
The shortlist of nominees for the African Banker Awards 2025 was selected from over 200 entries submitted in nine categories by banks spread across the African continent. This year, two female bank executives have emerged as nominees for the prestigious “Banker of the Year” award, underlining the leading role women continue to play in shaping Africa’s banking and finance landscape.
Speaking on the awards, Omar Ben Yedder, Chair of the Awards committee commented on the increasing focus on SME, sustainable banking practices and the role of fintechs in the ecosystem. “Banks have performed strongly last year despite headwinds and currency devaluations in major countries. We also received entries in the deals category that shows that there are numerous transformative transactions taking place. And yet, the message remains. Interestingly, SMEs proved to be a profitable asset class and one that banks are paying greater attention to. The advent of AI and other technological advancements are at the centre of bank strategies too. The continent needs even bigger banks to support our growth agenda.”
The nominees for the African Banker Awards 2025 are as follows:
Bank of the Year
Commercial International Bank Egypt (CIB)
Ecobank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB Group Plc.)
Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB Ltd.)
Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group)
Coris Bank International
Banker of the Year
Abdulmajid Mussa Nsekela – CRDB Bank Plc.
Jeremy Awori – Ecobank
Karim Awad – EFG Holding
Léon Konan Koffi – AFG Holding
Mukwandi Chibesakunda – Zanaco Inc.
Patricia Ojangole – Uganda Development Bank
Sidi Ould Tah – The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
Sustainable Bank of the Year
Commercial International Bank Egypt (CIB)
CRDB Bank Plc.
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB Group Plc.)
Nedbank
Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group)
Fintech of the Year
4G Capital
Inclusivity Solutions
Network International
Oze
ProfitShare Partners
Valu
DFI of the year
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
African Trade Insurance Agency
Bank of Industry
Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD)
ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID)
Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB)
Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group)
SME Bank of the Year
Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd.
CRDB Bank Plc.
Ecobank
Standard Bank
Uganda Development Bank
Deal of the Year – Infrastructure
US$83.35 MM Al Zahy Group For General Contracting (Ahmed El Zzahy & Co.) – National Bank of Egypt
US$646.64 MM (ZAR 12 Billion) Envusa Energy – Absa Bank Ltd. / Rand Merchant Bank
The African Banker Awards are prestigious awards that celebrate excellence and best practices in banking and finance in Africa. These annual awards honour outstanding individuals and remarkable financial institutions that are transforming the continent’s financial sector and contributing to economic development and financial inclusion in Africa.
Organised by African Banker magazine in partnership with IC Events, the Awards bring together industry leaders from across the continent to honour innovation, resilience and competitiveness in the African banking sector.
For more information about the African Banker Awards, please visit our website at www.AfricanBankerAwards.com.
About African Banker
African Banker is a pan-African publication dedicated to the banking industry across the continent. African Banker provides in-depth analysis and commentary on the trends shaping Africa’s financial landscape.
As a trusted source of information, African Banker offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the African banking sector.
For any further information, please contact Constance Haasz at the following address: c.haasz@icpublications.com
By Yossef Ben-Meir Marrakech One ought not to doubt the Kingdom of Morocco’s abiding sincerity in its commitment to the principles of multiculturalism and to the diverse identities that constitute the whole of this Islamic nation. This embracing on the part of the government and the general public is a real, constant, and codified one, even synonymous with what it means today to be Moroccan. However, the lived pluralistic experiences of the people must take new forms with every generation, and its translation into advancing development is now the nation’s foresighted call.
In the past decade, Morocco’s constitution backed by the people’s referendum has made the composition of diverse identities immutable. The public and civil actions to preserve the cultural past for the whole of the country have seen commendable acceleration, with a common desire being the norm to participate in restoration and knowledge-sharing activities when opportunities arise.
However, while discussing and teaching about the multi-faceted national identity is important, the outcome of intercultural dialogue and partnership must surpass this. If we are to be honest, and we must be, considering the harsh conditions (and worsening due to the pandemic) of poverty that impact most people and especially those in rural places, then we must admit that Moroccan multiculturalism is not reaching Morocco’s own standard of translation into sustainable development for all the people.
The magnificence of Moroccan policy is that it does not find its fulfilment by preserving, celebrating, and advancing religious and ethnic identities alone. Policies find their ultimate expression only when they are implemented in partnership with and in meeting the human development needs of local communities. And in this regard, the nation is falling too short. This is not because of lack of interest or potential, but more simply because the capacities of how interfaith dialogue can lead to, for example, improved public health, are not well built or understood. Let me provide a commendable rural example of how “intercultural dialogue becomes a bridge for human development” as King Mohammed VI encouraged the nation in 2008 and has repeatedly since.
Case in point: Farming communities of Morocco’s countryside combine to require some billions of fruit trees and medicinal plants as they transition away from the traditional practice of growing barley and corn. In order for communities to generate the trees they need, they require the gift of land to grow seeds in local nurseries because they cannot forego their own land and not harvest food every year to survive. The Moroccan Jewish community, next to their 600 cemeteries throughout the nation, has empty lands they are willing to lend without cost to local agricultural associations and cooperatives to help them meet their tree and plant needs.
Moved by the killings at houses of worship of different faiths in different parts of the world – having in common that their congregants unwittingly and warmly welcomed their murderers – I presented this interfaith agricultural opportunity in a letter to King Mohammed VI of Morocco. He instructed the government to fund (through the National Initiative for Human Development) the building of the proposed tree nursery on land lent in-kind by the Moroccan Jewish Community in Ouarzazate. On November 5, the nursery that will produce 200,000 fruit trees from native seeds opened on a new, one-hectare sized agricultural terrace built on a mountainside above the 1,000-year-old sacred burial site of Rabbi David-Ou-Moché.
Officials in Morocco’s cabinet of the Minister of Interior declined the opportunity to receive additional funds from abroad for this project, preferring instead that it be financed and implemented entirely based upon Moroccan partnerships. There is globally poignant meaning that the Kingdom of Morocco expended public resources in order to build a needed organic fruit tree nursery for and by its people on land provided without cost by the Moroccan Jewish community. If this interfaith collaboration were brought to national scale, tens of millions of trees can be generated annually, an essential contribution toward achieving the imperative of alleviating rural poverty. The showing of this form of social solidarity is timely for Morocco; agricultural development is now a cornerstone of the country’s economic recovery plan in the face of the pandemic. Morocco’s uniting of intercultural dialogue with human development is critical for its own sustainable future as is its self-determined message an example to the world.
As exceptional as this nursery project truly is, it is also as rare. Morocco’s faith leaders must find it uncomfortable and unacceptable that the preservation of houses of worship and cemeteries, and even the celebrations of their expansively rich cultures, along with their required financial investments, occur in the midst of dense and debilitating poverty. Morocco should, for example, mandate that all restored historical mosques, synagogues, and churches be not only for their own sake and for that of international visitors and worshipers, but also as ongoing meeting grounds for local communities to jointly plan their development future, to participate in workshops that strengthen their capacities to design and manage new projects and forge partnerships, and indeed to be working spaces for community development, mobilization, and action. Finally, public leaders should strongly encourage conferences, associations, and initiatives that promote appreciation of Morocco’s multiculturalism, to be fully dedicated as well to the fusion of human development as central to their cause.
These approaches should be reinforced, including by training Morocco’s diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural leaders in facilitating multi-stakeholder planning. Their dialogue and collaboration should necessarily result in poverty-alleviating initiatives and growth, especially with women and youth. In order for religious and ethnic group representatives to reach that cooperative position, though, will require them to first strengthen their relationships through their own honest sharing of stories of fears and doubts of the other, and offering expressions of regret stemming from past discriminations should they be felt and needed to be said and accepted. Only then will the broadened and enduring basis be formed for cohesive partnerships to achieve sustainable livelihoods and environments.
Even as Morocco has created a social and policy environment that sincerely encourages interfaith dialogue, partnership, and actions, it still requires the collective efforts of concerned people and organizations to manifest these opportunities that enhance local and national life. One of the barriers that keeps such projects from being implemented is the lack of third-party organizations that are simply dedicated to consensus building among the faith groups in order to forge the partnerships that result into jointly designed and managed cultural projects that are also educational and developmental. Civil society groups, with their flexibility to engage with people and agencies at all levels and sectors of society, can be exceptionally positioned and effective in this facilitative function.
It is for other nations to decide the lessons that can be informative from the Moroccan example. As an American, for example, now reflecting on the White House Faith Based office that coordinates community programs across nine federal agencies, I recommend – borrowing from the Moroccan case – requiring that funded activities incorporate interfaith collaboration to not only improve social sustainability and cohesion, but also to better secure protections of religious liberties for the people who receive social services from this government subsidy.
Working in what is actually the intended Moroccan way will not only be the truest safeguard of the multiplicity of the national identity, but enable its complete heralding of all the people of the nation because it indeed became the bridge to our highest selves.
Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir is President of the High Atlas Foundation in Morocco.
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