Former African Development Bank Senior Vice President Swazi Tshabalala says she is ready to help transform Africa by prioritising infrastructure development and a greater role for the continent’s private sector if she is elected president next May.

South African Tshabalala is the only woman among the five candidates vying to lead the only financial institution rated triple AAA by the three major rating agencies. She is competing against Zambia’s Samuel Maimbo, Senegal’s Amadou Hott, Mauritania’s Sidi OuldTah and Chad’s Abbas Mahamat Tolli.

“Swazi Tshabalala is an exceptional leader with a proven track record in finance, infrastructure, and economic development,’’ South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said in a statement backing her candidacy. ‘’Her extensive experience at the African Development Bank and beyond makes her the ideal candidate to lead the institution into a new era of financial resilience and impact-driven growth.’’

Africa’s premier finance institution elects a new President on May 29 replacing Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina who completes his 10-year term later in the year. Under Adesina, the AfDB championed Africa’s agriculture as a unique investment opportunity and last month launched an $8 billion World Bank-backed drive to provide power to 300 million Africans.

Tshabalala had been with the AfDB since 2018, rising to the position of Senior Vice President from 2021. Before that she held leadership roles at Old Mutual Employee Benefits, Standard Bank Group and Transnet, South Africa’s transport parastatal. From 2006 to 2014, she served as the CEO of the Industrial Development Group.

“Africa stands at a pivotal moment, and the African Development Bank must rise to meet the continent’s ambitions with bold, strategic action,’’ Tshabalalala said in a statement. ‘’My vision is to build a financially strong, results-driven AfDB that prioritises infrastructure, expands innovative financing solutions, and strengthens partnerships to unlock Africa’s full economic potential.’’

To win the AfDB presidency, a candidate needs a majority vote of both the African shareholders, who own 60 percent of the bank, and non-African shareholders referred to as non-regional members, who hold the rest.