Mauritanian finance expert Sidi Ould Tah, at the ongoing African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Abidjan, has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank Group, succeeding Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.
The announcement was made by Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development, Niale Kaba, who chairs the Bank’s Board of Governors.
Tah secured the position after obtaining the required 50.01 per cent majority vote from both regional and non-regional member countries.
Tah brings 35 years of distinguished experience in African and international finance to the role. His most recent position was as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, where he served from 2015 to 2025. During his tenure, he engineered a remarkable transformation that quadrupled BADEA’s balance sheet and earned it a coveted AAA credit rating.
The Mauritanian national previously served as his country’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance and has held key positions in multilateral institutions. He is credited with pioneering innovative resource mobilization strategies for Africa, including establishing BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program for African multilateral development banks.
The election followed a rigorous process that began with five candidates shortlisted by the Board of Governors Steering Committee by January 31, 2025. The final candidates included:
– Amadou Hott (Senegal)
– Samuel Maimbo (Zambia)
– Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad)
– Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa)
Tah will assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term, taking over from outgoing President Dr. Adesina who completes his second term.
The new president takes the helm at a critical juncture for the 61-year-old institution. Despite facing climate shocks, economic disruptions, and geopolitical challenges, Africa must accelerate progress to achieve the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals – priorities encapsulated in the Bank’s High 5s agenda.
The AfDB Group, comprising the African Development Bank, African Development Fund, and Nigeria Trust Fund, has 81 member countries (54 African and 27 non-African).
The 2025 Annual Meetings, themed “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development,” continue through May 30 in Abidjan, where Tah’s election marks a new chapter for the continent’s premier development finance institution.
Tah becomes the 9th President in the Bank’s history, following a lineage of distinguished leaders:
1. Mamoun Beheiry (Sudan) 1964-1970
2. Abdelwahab Labidi (Tunisia) 1970-1976
3. Kwame Donkor Fordwor (Ghana) 1976-1980
4. Willa Mung’Omba (Zambia) 1980-1985
5. Babacar N’diaye (Senegal) 1985-1995
6. Omar Kabbaj (Morocco) 1995-2005
7. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda) 2005-2015
8. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria) 2015-2025