Sidi OULD TAH, former Mauritanian Minister of Economy and Finance, has been elected as the next President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), following a vote held Thursday during the institution’s Annual General Meeting in Abidjan. He will assume office on September 1, 2025, succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, who concludes his second and final term after nearly a decade at the helm.
Tah Ould SIDI secured the required majority vote—over 50.01%—to emerge as the winning candidate in a race that featured four other contenders: Amadou Hott of Senegal, Samuel Munzele Maimbo of Zambia, Abbas Mahamat TOLLI of Chad, and South Africa’s Ms. Swazi Tshabalala.
The AfDB, owned by 54 African nations and non-regional members including the United States, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, is the continent’s largest multilateral lender. Nigeria remains its single largest shareholder.
According to a statement issued by the Bank, Sidi Ould Tah brings over 35 years of experience in African and global finance. Since 2015, he has served as President of the BADEA – Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa in Africa (BADEA), where he led a sweeping institutional transformation. Under his leadership, BADEA quadrupled its balance sheet, secured a AAA credit rating, and rose to become one of Africa’s top-rated development finance institutions. “His decade-long stewardship at BADEA saw the bank rise significantly in capacity, credibility, and regional impact,” the AfDB noted.
His election comes at a critical time. Many African countries face reduced aid flows, notably from Washington, and a decline in infrastructure lending from China. Protectionist trade policies and rising global interest rates have added pressure, driving up debt-servicing costs.
This week, the AfDB downgraded its growth forecast for the continent, citing “seismic shifts in the trade policies of major economies.” Still, it expressed confidence in Africa’s resilience amid climate shocks, economic disruption, and geopolitical instability.
During his campaign, Ould Tah pledged to focus on capital mobilization, financial architecture reform, resilient infrastructure, and tapping into Africa’s demographic potential. He was credited for establishing BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program to boost regional financial stability.
Ould Tah’s five-year term begins in September, with the option for renewal. His leadership is expected to shape Africa’s development financing in a rapidly evolving global landscape.