Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group during the institution’s 2025 Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
His election was announced by Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the Bank Group’s Board of Governors—the highest decision-making body of the institution, composed of Finance Ministers, Economy Ministers, and Central Bank Governors from the Bank’s 81 member countries (regional and non-regional).
In line with AfDB rules, a successful candidate must secure at least 50.01% of both the regional and non-regional votes. Tah emerged victorious from a competitive field of five candidates officially approved by the Board of Governors’ Steering Committee. The candidate list was finalized on January 31 and publicly released on February 21, 2025.
The other contenders were:
- Amadou Hott – Senegal
- Samuel Maimbo – Zambia
- Mahamat Abbas Tolli – Chad
- Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala – South Africa
Tah will officially assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term, succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, who has led the Bank since 2015 and is completing his second term.
A Seasoned Leader in African Development Finance
Tah brings over 35 years of expertise in African and international finance. He most recently served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) from 2015 to 2025. Under his leadership, BADEA underwent a major transformation—quadrupling its balance sheet, attaining a AAA credit rating, and becoming one of the highest-rated development finance institutions focused on Africa.
Prior to BADEA, he served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance and held senior roles in various multilateral organizations. Notably, he spearheaded crisis response efforts, fiscal reforms, and innovative funding strategies—including the creation of BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program to support African multilateral development banks.
A Critical Moment for Africa’s Development Agenda
Tah’s election comes at a pivotal time as the AfDB Group marks six decades of operations. Despite navigating climate shocks, economic volatility, and shifting global dynamics, Africa faces growing urgency to accelerate progress toward the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals—core pillars reflected in the Bank’s strategic “High 5s.”
The 2025 Annual Meetings, held from May 26 to 30 in Abidjan, are themed “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.” Discussions center around improving capital efficiency and mobilizing resources to drive inclusive growth across the continent.
A Legacy of Leadership
Since its establishment in 1964, the African Development Bank Group has been led by a distinguished roster of presidents:
- Mamoun Beheiry (Sudan), 1964–1970
- Abdelwahab Labidi (Tunisia), 1970–1976
- Kwame Donkor Fordwor (Ghana), 1976–1980
- Willa Mung’Omba (Zambia), 1980–1985
- Babacar N’diaye (Senegal), 1985–1995
- Omar Kabbaj (Morocco), 1995–2005
- Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda), 2005–2015
- Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria), 2015–2025
About the AfDB Group
The African Development Bank Group consists of three entities:
- African Development Bank (AfDB)
- African Development Fund (ADF)
- Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF)
Its membership includes 54 African countries (regional members) and 27 non-African countries (non-regional members), making it one of the most prominent and inclusive multilateral development institutions operating on the continent.
Credit: AfDB
