In a pivotal leadership transition, Sidi Ould Tah has been elected as the ninth president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), marking a significant moment for the continent’s premier multilateral development finance institution. The Mauritanian economist will officially take over on September 1, 2025, succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, who has led the bank since 2015.
Tah’s election was confirmed during the AfDB’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. After three rounds of voting, he secured 76.18% of the vote from the Bank’s Board of Governors, which comprises representatives of its 54 African and 27 non-regional member countries.
His candidacy emerged victorious against strong contenders, including Senegal’s Amadou Hott, Zambia’s Samuel Maimbo, Chad’s Abbas Mahamat Tolli and South Africa’s Swazi Tshabalala. According to the results of the third round of the voting available, of the three top finalists for the top job, Amadou Hott of Senegal had 3.55 per cent of the total votes, Samuel Maimbo of Zambia had 20.26 per cent of the votes and Sidi Tah had 76.18 per cent of the votes to emerge as the president-elect of the Bank. The other two earlier shortlisted candidates, Bajabulile Tshabalala of South Africa and Abbas Tolli of Chad, seemed to have lost out in the race to yield to the three finalists.
With over 35 years of experience in development finance and international cooperation, Tah brings a wealth of expertise to the role. He most recently served as the president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), where he spearheaded strategic reforms that expanded the institution’s capital base and operational scope. His earlier roles include Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, and leadership positions in various multilateral and bilateral institutions focused on economic development.
Tah’s appointment comes at a critical time for the AfDB and the African continent. The Bank faces mounting pressure to scale up infrastructure investment, drive economic resilience, and support sustainable development amid global financial uncertainty. Africa currently faces a financing gap estimated at over $400 billion annually for infrastructure and structural transformation. The AfDB’s current replenishment round is targeting $25 billion in additional resources.
In his acceptance speech, Tah pledged to deepen partnerships with Gulf countries, expand climate-resilient infrastructure and foster formal employment opportunities, especially for Africa’s burgeoning youth population. He also emphasized the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and increase private sector participation in development finance.
His leadership will be instrumental in navigating headwinds, including reduced donor commitments, such as the $555 million cut from the United States and ongoing concerns over debt sustainability and capital adequacy.
Stakeholders across the continent and global financial circles will be watching closely as Sidi Ould Tah takes the reins at the African Development Bank, with expectations high for a renewed era of innovation, inclusivity and strategic partnerships.
