Zambia: SADC Nominates Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo to Contest for AfDB Presidency

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has nominated Zambia’s Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo as the candidate for the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Presidency ahead of the May 2025 elections.

The nomination decision was made on 17th August at the 44th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held in Harare, Zimbabwe following a competitive recruitment process

A Zambian national, Dr. Maimbo emerged the winner following a competitive recruitment process that considered seven other candidates.

According to Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Maimbo will be the sole SADC candidate participating in the Bank’s elections in May 2025.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Economic Community comprises 16 Member States: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The statement by Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, the Minister for Foreign Affairs , promised a spirited campaign in support of Dr. Maimab’s candidature, and noted that the nomination was in line with Zambia’s President Hichelema’s commitment to ensure that Zambia’s experts contribute to international development.

Dr. Maimbo has worked in various capacities within the World Bank since 2001, and is currently the World Bank’s Vice-President for Budget Performance Review and Strategic Planning. Before that, he held roles at the Bank of Zambia, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
He holds a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Manchester, an MBA in Finance from Nottingham University, and a Bachelors in Accounting from Copperbelt University.

Dr.Maimbo joins the list of aspirants seeking to succeed Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina who has steered the Bank since September 2015.

Founded in 1964, The African Development Bank is the continent’s multilateral development finance institution, and the premier financial provider to African governments and private companies investing in the regional member countries.