The World Bank has announced three nominees to replace outgoing President Robert Zoellick with one from the United States and the others from developing countries.

The candidates considered for the position are Jim Yong Kim, a US national and President of Dartmouth College, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Colombian Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo Press TV reported.

The Dartmouth College president was nominated by the US President Barack Obama, whose move astonished many as Yong Kim was not mentioned as a hopeful over the recent weeks.

The head of the world body is tasked with chairing the meetings of the boards of directors as well as managing the 187-member international financial institution.

The World Bank has been led by US bosses since the beginning of its establishment in 1944, but developing countries have also eyed the position, calling for a change.

Earlier reports indicated that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had sought to replace Zoellick when her term ends in 2012.

The new president of the World Bank is expected to be selected by consensus in April.