Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected President of the African Development Bank Group, succeeding Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose second term ends later this year. The announcement was made during the Bank’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Tah was elected by the Board of Governors, the Bank’s highest decision-making body, made up of finance ministers and central bank governors from the institution’s 81 member countries. To win, a candidate must secure more than 50 percent of both regional and non-regional votes.
A veteran in international finance, Tah brings more than 35 years of experience to the role. He served as president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) from 2015 to 2025, where he led a sweeping transformation that quadrupled the bank’s balance sheet, earned it a AAA rating, and elevated its role in Africa-focused development finance.
Tah is also a former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance in Mauritania and has held senior roles in multilateral institutions. His leadership at BADEA included crisis response initiatives and the creation of a $1 billion callable capital program to support African multilateral development banks.
His election followed a competitive process involving five candidates, including Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Maimbo (Zambia), Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad), and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa). The final list was confirmed earlier this year.
Tah will assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term. His appointment comes as the Bank navigates complex development challenges tied to climate change, economic volatility, and global geopolitical shifts. The institution’s strategy remains anchored in its “High 5” priorities, aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Founded in 1964, the African Development Bank Group includes the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Nigeria Trust Fund. Its shareholders comprise 54 African countries and 27 non-African member states.
This year’s Annual Meetings run from May 26 to 30 under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”
