Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the next President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), following a decisive vote by the Bank’s Board of Governors during its Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Tah will officially assume office on September 1, 2025, becoming the ninth president of the Bank Group. He will succeed Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose second five-year term concludes in August 2025. Tah’s tenure will begin with a renewable five-year mandate.
The announcement was made by Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chairperson of the AfDB Board of Governors. The election involved a rigorous voting process by ministers of finance, economy, and central bank governors representing the Bank’s 81 member countries—both regional and non-regional. To win, a candidate must secure at least 50.01% of the votes from both membership groups.
Tah brings more than 30 years of experience in African and international finance. Most recently, he served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) from 2015 until April 2025. Under his leadership, BADEA underwent a comprehensive transformation—its balance sheet quadrupled, it achieved a AAA credit rating, and became one of Africa’s highest-rated development banks.
A former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of Mauritania, Tah has also held senior positions in multiple multilateral institutions. He is recognized for leading efforts in financial reform, crisis response, and resource mobilization. Notably, he launched BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program for African Multilateral Development Banks, aimed at strengthening regional financial institutions.
His election followed a competitive process that began with five candidates shortlisted by the Board of Governors Steering Committee as of January 31, 2025. The final list, announced on February 21, included Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Maimbo (Zambia), Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad), Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa), and Sidi Ould Tah (Mauritania).
Tah’s emergence as AfDB President comes at a pivotal moment, as the Bank deepens its role in advancing sustainable development, infrastructure investment, climate action, and economic integration across Africa.
His leadership is expected to usher in a new phase for the institution, with a continued focus on inclusive growth and poverty reduction across the continent.
Nzubechukwu Eze
