Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), following a vote by the Bank’s Board of Governors at its 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The announcement was made by Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the Bank’s Board of Governors, which comprises finance ministers and central bank governors from the Bank’s 81 regional and non-regional member countries — its highest decision-making authority.
Shortly after his election, Tah addressed the governors and members of the media, declaring, “Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!”
Tah’s election required a majority of at least 50.01% of both regional and non-regional votes. He will officially assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term, succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, who has served two terms since 2015.
Tah brings over 35 years of experience in African and international finance. From 2015 to 2025, he was President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), where he led a sweeping transformation that quadrupled the bank’s balance sheet, secured a AAA rating, and positioned BADEA among the highest-rated development institutions focused on Africa. Previously, he served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance and held senior roles in multilateral institutions, steering financial reforms, crisis response strategies, and resource mobilization initiatives.
The 2025 presidential race saw five candidates approved by the Board of Governors Steering Committee by the January 31 deadline. In addition to Tah, the other contenders were:
Tah becomes the ninth president of the African Development Bank since its founding in 1964. His predecessors include:
His election comes at a critical juncture for the AfDB, as Africa faces mounting pressures from climate change, economic headwinds, and global uncertainty. The Bank plays a vital role in advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly through its “High 5” priorities: Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.
The theme for the 2025 Annual Meetings is “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development”, underscoring the urgent need to mobilize and deploy financial resources more effectively for the continent’s transformation.
The African Development Bank Group consists of three institutions: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF), and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Headquartered in Abidjan, it operates in 41 African countries and has an external office in Japan. Its 81 shareholders include 54 African and 27 non-African countries.
