Top 25 African Finance Leaders 2025: Visionaries Shaping Africa’s Economic Future

African Leadership Magazine unveils transformative leaders steering fiscal innovation and macroeconomic stability across the continent.

African Leadership Magazine (ALM) is proud to announce the release of its highly prestigious Top 25 African Finance Leaders 2025 list — a powerful acknowledgment of the continent’s most impactful finance executives, policymakers, and institution heads who are driving a new era of economic prosperity and resilience.

This annual editorial recognition shines a spotlight on Africa’s foremost champions of fiscal responsibility, economic innovation, and strategic leadership. This year’s distinguished honorees include finance ministers, central bank governors, and CEOs from some of Africa’s leading financial institutions, each selected for their trailblazing efforts in shaping the continent’s evolving economic landscape.

“These finance leaders have not only surmounted formidable challenges but are actively shaping a new era of economic growth, transparency, and resilience,” said Dr. Ken Giami, Publisher and CEO of African Leadership Magazine. “Their bold and visionary leadership is redefining Africa’s financial narrative and positioning the continent as a rising global financial powerhouse.”

Celebrating Visionary Financial Leadership

The Top 25 list stands as a testament to excellence, highlighting individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in navigating macroeconomic complexities, implementing inclusive financial reforms, and advancing digital innovation in financial services. These leaders are actively strengthening their national and regional economies, fostering investor confidence, and laying down solid foundations for sustainable development.

From initiating structural reforms and stabilizing inflation to promoting cross-border trade and pioneering fintech ecosystems, these finance professionals are setting benchmarks in governance and institutional development.

A Rigorous Selection Process

The selection of the Top 25 was the result of a meticulous two-step process. First, nominations were gathered from a global pool of experts in finance, banking, and economic development, recognizing individuals making measurable impact in their respective fields. Following this, ALM’s editorial board conducted an exhaustive review, assessing candidates based on:

• Leadership and strategic vision

• Tangible impact on the financial sector

• Commitment to fiscal responsibility

• Advocacy for financial inclusion

• Long-term influence on regional or continental economic policies

This process ensures that only the most deserving and transformational figures make the final cut — those whose work transcends borders and inspires systemic growth.

Recognition at a Global Stage

The formal recognition of these finance leaders will take place during the African Finance Leadership Forum, to be held on April 22, 2025, at the United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C., alongside the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Forum will serve as a platform for high-level engagement between African leaders, global investors, and development partners on strategies for advancing Africa’s financial systems and economic integration.

Meet the 2025 Honorees

Here are the 25 African finance leaders whose exceptional contributions have earned them a place on ALM’s exclusive 2025 list:

1. Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah – President/Chairman, African Export–Import Bank

2. Mthuli Ncube – Minister of Finance, Economic Development & Investment Promotion, Zimbabwe

3. Abdellatif Jouahri – Governor, Bank Al-Maghrib (Morocco)

4. Jeremy Awori – Group CEO, Ecobank Transnational Inc.

5. Situmbeko Musokotwane – Minister of Finance, Zambia

6. Johnny Ohisa Damian – Governor, Bank of South Sudan

7. Paul Russo – CEO, KCB Group PLC, Kenya

8. Samaila Zubairu – President/CEO, Africa Finance Corporation

9. Johnson Asiama – Governor, Bank of Ghana

10. Olusegun Alebiosu – CEO, FirstBank Group, Nigeria

11. Rindra Rabarinirinarison – Minister of Economy and Finance, Madagascar

12. Mary Vilakazi – CEO, Firstrand Limited, South Africa

13. Mamo E. Mihretu – Governor, National Bank of Ethiopia

14. Kennedy Bungane – Group CEO, African Bank, South Africa

15. Rama Krishna Sithanen – Governor, Bank of Mauritius

16. Idrissa Nassa – CEO, Coris Bank Group, Burkina Faso

17. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura – Minister of Finance, Sierra Leone

18. Carolina Abel – Governor, Central Bank of Seychelles

19. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin – MD/CEO, Rokel Commercial Bank, Sierra Leone

20. Ferdinand Ngon Kemoum – Group CEO, Oragroup SA, Cameroon

21. Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina – President, African Development Bank Group

22. Sheikh Diba – Minister of Finance and Budget, Senegal

23. Abdulmajid Mussa Nsekela – CEO, CRDB Bank Plc, Tanzania

24. Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdullah – Minister of Finance, Libya

25. Hon. Henry F. Saamoi – Governor, Central Bank of Liberia

Impact Beyond Numbers

These leaders are not only managing public and private financial institutions with outstanding competence, but they are also catalysts for transformation — bridging the gap between policy and people. Their efforts in promoting fintech, sustainable financing, and equitable growth models are helping to redefine Africa’s engagement with global markets.

Looking Ahead

As Africa continues to emerge as a significant force in global finance, the ALM Top 25 African Finance Leaders 2025 list serves as both a celebration of excellence and a beacon for the next generation of economic leaders. The honorees’ commitment to transparency, inclusion, and innovation stands as a guiding light for the future of African economic governance.

To learn more about the Top 25 African Finance Leaders and the upcoming African Finance Leadership Forum, visit www.AfricanLeadershipMagazine.co.uk.