Angolan President João Lourenço has been named the winner of the 2025 edition of the "Africa Road Builders" award, which recognizes African leaders who have invested in infrastructure development.
He succeeds the leaders of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, and the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, co-winners in 2024.
At a meeting held on April 25 in Dubai, the selection committee of the prestigious Babacar Ndiaye Grand Builder Award chose President Lourenço for his achievements in major transport infrastructure projects in Angola.
These include the Lobito Corridor, a strategic regional railway line linking Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The construction of the new Dr Agostinho Neto International Airport, inaugurated in November 2023, the paving of 2,000 kilometers of roads, the rehabilitation of more than 2,000 additional kilometers, and the planned construction of a light metro system in Luanda were among the key factors that contributed to this choice, according to the committee.
"We have noted that Angola has undertaken a major transformation of its transport infrastructure in recent years, aiming to strengthen its strategic position in Southern and Central Africa and diversify its economy. All these projects and achievements have had immediate impacts, including the creation of several services, particularly through the use of new information and communication technologies," explained the selection committee of Africa Road Builders.
The new recipient of the Babacar Ndiaye trophy will receive the award on May 28 in Abidjan, during the 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group.
Sponsored by the African Development Bank Group, the Babacar Ndiaye Trophy for "Africa Road Builders" is awarded by Acturoutes, an information platform on infrastructure and road networks in Africa, and the organization "Media for Infrastructure and Finance in Africa" (MIFA), a network of African journalists specializing in road infrastructure.
The award was established in honor of Babacar Ndiaye (1936-2017), president of the African Development Bank Group from 1985 to 1995. Each year, the selection committee of the "Africa Road Builders" evaluates ambitious and tangible projects that have a real impact on the mobility of people in Africa.
Since its launch in 2016, the Babacar Ndiaye Trophy has awarded several heads of state, including His Majesty King Mohamed VI (Morocco), Edgar Lungu (Zambia), Alassane Ouattara (Ivory Coast), Ali Bongo Ondimba (Gabon), Macky Sall (Senegal), and Paul Kagame (Rwanda).
