Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected the ninth President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), succeeding Nigeria’s Dr Akinwumi Adesina, whose decade-long tenure ends this year.
The announcement was made on Thursday via the Bank’s official website following the conclusion of its Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Tah will officially assume office on September 1, 2025, after emerging victorious in a competitive election conducted by the AfDB Board of Governors, comprising finance ministers and central bank governors from the Bank’s 81 member countries.
He secured the top job ahead of four other candidates: Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Maimbo (Zambia), Abbas Mahamat Tolli (Chad), and Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa).
A Rich Background in Economic Leadership
Born in Mederdra, Mauritania in 1964, Sidi Ould Tah brings a wealth of experience and academic credentials to the role. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis in France and has completed executive training at Harvard University and the London Business School.
His career highlights include serving as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and, more recently, as the Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
As he prepares to take over leadership at one of the continent’s most influential financial institutions, all eyes will be on how he builds on his predecessor’s legacy and drives inclusive economic development across Africa.