![AfDB President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah [CREDIT: AfDB/X]](https://www.theheritagetimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG-20250901-WA0012.jpg)
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has retained its position as the world’s most transparent major development institution for the third consecutive time, reinforcing its commitment to openness and accountability in development financing.
The bank emerged first in the 2026 Aid Transparency Index, released in London by Publish What You Fund, scoring 98.8 out of 100.
According to a statement released by AfDB on Wednesday in Abuja, the biennial ranking assessed 33 development institutions, with the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank’s International Development Association jointly ranking second with 97.1 points each.
The ranking recognised AfDB’s publication of comprehensive, high-quality and timely open data on its public sector operations and financial flows.
The bank maintained its 2024 score despite changes in leadership, management and strategic direction, reflecting the integration of transparency into its institutional operations.
The Chief Executive Officer of Publish What You Fund, Gary Forster, said the bank’s sustained performance demonstrated its commitment to openness and accountability.
Forster also commended improvements to the bank’s website and data dashboards, noting that the enhancements had made information more accessible and useful to stakeholders.
AfDB President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, described transparency as critical to achieving Africa’s development priorities, building public trust and strengthening accountability.
“Transparency is currency. It enables us to deliver the transformation that Africa needs. It builds trust and improves information,” Tah said.
He explained that the bank’s transparency initiatives also extended to Mission 300, its partnership with the World Bank aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
According to him, the programme’s results are published and updated quarterly through the Mission 300 dashboard, providing stakeholders with access to information on progress.
The bank however noted that its commitment to transparency was designed to improve public access to development information, promote accountability and strengthen confidence in development financing across Africa.
