Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko have been named among the four finalists for the 2025 African Political Leader of the Year award as announced by African Leadership Magazine (ALM) on Friday.
The two Southern African leaders join Benin’s President Patrice Talon and Cape Verde’s President José Maria Neves on the shortlist for the continent’s top political honour, part of the African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year (POTY) Awards.
Public voting is now open and will run until on 30 November via the ALM website.
Now in its 15th edition, the POTY Awards are widely regarded as Africa’s most respected public-choice leadership honours.
Organised annually by ALM, the awards recognise individuals whose bold leadership, innovation and measurable impact have helped reshape Africa’s development trajectory.
The 2025 edition spans 12 categories, including governance, education, peace and security, public health and philanthropy.
The awards follow a rigorous three-stage process: an open call for nominations across Africa and the diaspora, a shortlist curated by the ALM Editorial Board based on impact and relevance, and a continent-wide online vote.
Winners will be honoured at a high-level ceremony in Accra, Ghana, in February 2026 under the theme “Leadership for a New Africa: Forging Our Peace, Owning Our Narrative.”
Other notable nominees include Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey of Ghana for African Female Leader of the Year, South Africa’s Aaron Motsoaledi for Public Health Champion and Zimbabwe’s Tinotenda Mhiko for Agricultural Development Leader.
ALM describes the event as “the African Oscars of Leadership and Achievement,” spotlighting those who are not only transforming their nations but also redefining Africa’s global narrative.
The 2025 Persons of the Year nominees are as follows:
African Political Leader of the Year
1. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah — President of Namibia
2. Patrice Talon — President of Benin
3. Duma Gideon Boko — President of Botswana
4. José Maria Neves — President of Cape Verde
African Female Leader of the Year
1. Esperança da Costa — Vice President of Angola
2. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (Ghana)— Secretary-General, Commonwealth
3. Mandisa Maya — Chief Justice, South Africa
4. Hend El Sherbini — CEO, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings, Egypt
African Educationist of the Year
1. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir — Minister for Education, Culture & Higher Education, Somalia
2. Tetteh Nettey — Founder & President, Marshalls University College, Ghana
3. Barnabas Nawangwe — Vice Chancellor, Makerere University, Uganda
4. Owunari Georgewill — Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Africa Peace & Security Leader of the Year
1. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun — Inspector General of Police, Nigeria
2. Mbaye Cissé — Chief of the General Staff, Senegalese Armed Forces
3. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf — Chairperson, AU Commission, Djibouti
4. Mohammed Berrid — Inspector General, Royal Moroccan Armed Forces & Southern Zone Commander
African Industrialist of the Year
1. Samuel Dossou Aworet — Founder & Chairman, Petrolin Group (Benin) & Chair, African Business Roundtable
2. Yacoub Sidya — Founder & CEO, MSS Security, Mauritania
3. Edson R. dos Santos — Chairman & CEO, Etu Energias, Angola
4. Phuthuma Nhleko — Chairman/Co-Founder, Phembani Group, South Africa
5. Nassef Sawiris — Executive Chairman, Orascom Investment Holding, Egypt
African Philanthropist of the Year
1. Jim Ovia — Founder & Chairman, Jim Ovia Foundation
2. Dr. Mensa Otabil — Founder, International Central Gospel Church
3. Rali Mampeule — Founder, South African Housing & Infrastructure Fund
4. Samuel Tafesse — Founder, Sunshine Investment Group, Ethiopia
Young African Leader of the Year
1. Khalil Suleiman Halilu — Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NASENI, Nigeria
2. Darshan Chandaria — Group CEO, Chandaria Group, Kenya
3. Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit — Senior Presidential Envoy (Special Programmes), South Sudan
4. Azarel Ernesta — Speaker, National Assembly, Seychelles
5. Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo — Founder & CEO, Intratrek Zimbabwe
African Public Sector Leader of the Year
1. Charles Anosike — Director General/CEO, Nigerian Meteorological Agency
2. Monique Gieskes — Director General/CEO, Plantations & Oil Mills of the Congo, DRC
3. Ireneu Camacho — Chairman/CEO, ENAPOR, Cape Verde
4. Avomo Assoumou Paule Koki — Director General, Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority
5. Debele Kabeta — Commissioner, Ethiopian Customs Commission
African Public Health Champion of the Year
1. Esperance Luvindao — Minister of Health & Social Services, Namibia
2. Mekdes Daba Feyssa — Minister of Health, Ethiopia
3. Jean Kaseya — Director General, Africa CDC (DRC)
4. Aaron Motsoaledi — Minister of Health, South Africa
5. Paulin Basinga — Director of Health (Africa), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Rwanda)
African Agricultural Development Leader of the Year
1. Tinotenda Mhiko — CEO, Zimbabwe Agricultural & Rural Development Authority
2. Queta Baldé — Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Guinea-Bissau
3. Bruno Linyiru — Director General, Agriculture & Food Authority, Kenya
4. Girma Amente — Minister of Agriculture, Ethiopia
5. Alaa Farouk — Minister of Agriculture & Land Reclamation, Egypt
6. Arvin Boolell — Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy & Fisheries, Mauritius
African Government Minister of the Year
1. Lee Maiyani Kinyanjui — Cabinet Secretary, Investments, Trade & Industry, Kenya
2. Estevão Pale — Minister of Mineral Resources & Energy, Mozambique
3. Seedy K.M. Keita — Minister of Finance & Economic Affairs, Gambia
4. Nyesom Wike — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
5. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura — Minister of Finance, Sierra Leone
African Lawmaker of the Year
1. Celmira Sacramento — Speaker, National Assembly, São Tomé & Príncipe
2. Shirin Aumeeruddy Cziffra — Speaker, National Assembly, Mauritius
3. Austelino Tavares Correia — President, National Assembly, Cape Verde
4. Tlohang Sekhamane — Speaker, National Assembly, Lesotho
5. Benjamin Okezie Kalu — Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Nigeria
JN/APA