Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), following a decisive vote by the Bank’s Board of Governors during the institution’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan.
Tah will become the ninth president of the Bank Group, succeeding Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose second five-year term ends in August 2025. Tah is expected to formally assume office on September 1, 2025, for a renewable five-year mandate.
His election was announced by Niale Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the AfDB Board of Governors, after a rigorous voting process involving finance and economy ministers or central bank governors from the Bank’s 81 regional and non-regional member countries. A candidate is required to secure at least 50.01% of the votes from both groups to be elected.
Tah brings to the role over three decades of extensive experience in African and international finance. 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 full-scale transformation—quadrupling its balance sheet, securing a coveted AAA rating, and emerging as one of the top-rated development banks dedicated to Africa.
He is also a former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of Mauritania and has held senior roles in several multilateral institutions. During his career, Tah has led initiatives focused on crisis response, financial reforms, and resource mobilization across the continent. He notably spearheaded the creation of BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program for African Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), aimed at boosting regional financial capacity.
The election followed a competitive process, with five candidates approved 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 election comes at a critical time as the African Development Bank continues to champion sustainable development, infrastructure financing, climate resilience, and economic integration across Africa.
His track record and leadership are expected to shape the next chapter of the Bank’s mission to promote inclusive growth and reduce poverty on the continent.
Chioma Kalu
Follow us on:
