Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah elected President of African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah has been elected as the ninth President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), gaining the backing of the institution’s top governing authority in the course of its ongoing Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah election was approved today by Niale Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and current Chairperson of the AfDB Board of Governors, which consists of Finance and Economy Ministers or Central Bank Governors from the Bank’s 81 member countries. To be named the winner a candidate must receive a minimum of 50.01 percent of both the regional and non-regional member votes.

The Mauritanian national brings to the position more than 30 years of expertise in African and international finance. In recent times, he occupied the post of President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for 10 years, during which he implemented a significant reforms that saw the bank quadruple its balance sheet and achieved a renowned AAA credit rating. His strategic direction transformed BADEA among the leading development finance institutions on the continent.

Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah successful career includes holding the role of Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance. He has also held influential roles within multilateral institutions, where he focused on crisis response, financial reform, and creative financing solutions. some of his significant accomplishments are is the establishment of BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital programme to support African multilateral development banks.

“This is a critical moment for Africa, and I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me to lead the African Development Bank Group,” Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah is expected to say as he is stepping into the leadership position from Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose 10-year term ends on 31 August 2025. Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah will take up the position on 1 September 2025 for a 5-year renewable term.

The AfDB presidency race started with five shortlisted candidates, including Samuel Maimbo of Zambia, Amadou Hott of Senegal, Mahamat Abbas Tolli of Chad, and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala of South Africa. Their candidacies were approved by the Bank’s Board of Governors Steering Committee, with the official list declared on 21 February 2025 after a 31 January due date.

Tah’s election arrives at a turning point for the African Development Bank Group AfDB, marking 60 years of operations under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.” While the continent has shown determination in circumstances of climate shocks, economic instability, and shifting global dynamics, the Bank has indicated the need  for accelerating progress to meet both the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the global develop targets.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) consists of the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Nigeria Trust Fund.