Overview:
Dr. Patricia Ojangole makes history as the first woman to chair AADFI, pledging to focus on creating prosperous African economies through strong development finance institutions.
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (May 28, 2025) — Dr. Patricia Ojangole, Managing Director of Uganda Development Bank (UDB), has been appointed Chairperson of the Association of African Development Finance Institutions (AADFI), the leading continental body for development finance institutions.
Dr. Ojangole’s historic elevation to the top leadership role was announced during AADFI’s 51st Ordinary General Assembly and 50th-anniversary celebration, held May 26 in Abidjan. She is the first woman to chair the association since its founding in 1975, a milestone noted by AADFI which stated her leadership “reflects UDB’s commitment to excellence, inclusion, and transformative development across Africa.”
She succeeds Thabo P. Thamane, CEO of Botswana’s Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency, who served as chairman since June 2019.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Ojangole expressed gratitude and challenged AADFI’s more than 91 member institutions to critically assess their impact on African prosperity. She urged them to consider whether they are creating enough jobs, fostering industrialization, boosting exports, and building local value chains.
Dr. Ojangole stated that her tenure will focus on “creating thriving, prosperous and advanced economies across Africa through strong national DFIs.” She emphasized the need for innovation, encouraging members to “not be afraid of doing new things, accepting big challenges and come out of our comfort zone.”
The AADFI Board oversees the association’s activities and its General Secretariat. Established under the African Development Bank, AADFI promotes cooperation for sustainable development and economic integration across the continent.
Dr. Ojangole, a professional accountant with over two decades of experience, has been instrumental in UDB’s growth, with its balance sheet expanding from 109 billion Ugandan shillings in 2013 to 1.78 trillion shillings in 2024 under her guidance.