According to a report by the College of Cardinals, there are currently 252 cardinals worldwide, but only those under 80 years old are eligible to vote.
Also out of the electors, Europe has the largest share with 53, followed by Asia with 23, Africa with 18, South America with 17, North America with 16, and Central America and Oceania with four each.
22 of the electors were appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and five by Pope John Paul II.
The African candidates include John Njue, Dieudonne Nzapalainga , Nakellentuba Ouedraogo, Protase Rugambwa.
The rest are Robert Sarah, Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, Desire Tsarahazana, Peter Turkson, Jean-Paul Vesco, Cristobal Lopez Romero, Stephen Mulla, Fridolin Besungu, Ignace Dogbo and Jean-Pierre Kutwa, Stephen Brislin, Arlindo Furtado, and Antoine Kambanda.
Here are brief profiles of the cardinal electors of African origin
Peter Okpaleke (Nigeria)
Peter Ebere Okpaleke has been a Bishop of Ekwulobia since 2020. He was appointed Bishop of Ahiara in 2012 and consecrated in 2013, but after the local clergy and laity insisted on an Mbaise bishop, instead he was installed as bishop of Ekwulobia.
He was elevated to Cardinal by Pope Francis on August 22, 2022.
John Njue (Kenya)
John Njue was the fourth Archbishop of Nairobi from 2007 to 2021. He previously served as Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri from 2002 to 2007 and Bishop of Embu from 1986 to 2002. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2007.
Dieudonné Nzapalainga (Central African Republic)
Dieudonné Nzapalainga has been the Archbishop of Bangui since 2012, where he served as apostolic administrator from 2009 to 2012. He has been president of the Central African Episcopal Conference since 2013. He is a member of the Spiritans.
Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédraogo (Burkina Faso)
Phillipe was ordained a priest of the diocese of Kaya on July 4, 1973. After serving for five years as vicar of the cathedral parish, he studied at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome from 1979 to 1983, earning a doctorate in canon law.
Protase Rugambwa (Tanzania)
Protase Rugambwa is a Tanzanian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been metropolitan archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tabora since November 2023, after serving as coadjutor there for seven months.
Robert Sarah (Guinea)
Robert Sarah served as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from November 23, 2014, to February 20, 2021.
He previously served as secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples under Pope John Paul II and was made a cardinal in 2010.
Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda)
Antoine Kambanda is a Rwandan prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Archbishop of Kigali since 2019. He was Bishop of Kibungo from 2013 to 2018.
Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal on November 28, 2020, making him the first cardinal from Rwanda.
Jean-Pierre Kutwa (Ivorian)
Jean-Pierre Kutwa (born December 22, 1945) is an Ivorian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Abidjan from 2006 to 2024. Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2014.
Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel (Ethiopia)
Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel is an Ethiopian prelate of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015.
Désiré Tsarahazana(Madagascar)
Désiré Tsarahazana has been Archbishop of Toamasina since 2010 but served in that see prior to its elevation since 2008. Pope Francis appointed him a cardinal in 2018.
Jean-Paul Vesco (Algeria)
Jean-Paul Vesco, is a French cardinal of the Catholic Church who serves as the Archbishop of Algiers. He has spent most of his clerical career in Algeria.
Cristóbal López Romero (Morrocco)
Cristóbal López Romero is a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as the Archbishop of Rabat since March 2018. He is a member of the Salesians and before becoming a bishop devoted himself to pastoral work in Latin America while taking on administrative responsibilities within his order.
Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal in 2019.
Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla (South Sudan)
Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla has served as Archbishop of Juba since 2020, after serving less than a year as Bishop of Torit. Pope Francis made him a cardinal in September 2023.
Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Congo)
Fridolin Ambongo Besungu was previously Bishop of Bokungu-Ikela from 2004 to 2016, Apostolic Administrator of Kole from 2008 to 2015. Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal in October 2019.
Ignace Bessi Dogbo (Cote d’Ivoire)
Ignace Bessi Dogbo previously served as Bishop of Katiola from 2004 to 2021 and Archbishop of Korhogo from 2021 to 2024, having served there as apostolic administrator since 2017. He was made a cardinal in December 2024 by Pope Francis.
Stephen Brislin (South Africa)
Stephen Brislin was the archbishop of Cape Town from 2010 to 2024. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023.
Arlindo Furtado (Cape Verde)
Arlindo Gomes Furtado, has served as Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde since 2009 Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2015, the first from Cape Verde.
Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (Ghana)
Peter Appiah Turkson was Archbishop of Cape Coast from 1992 to 2009. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, following a cerebral stroke which led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
