Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah has been elected the ninth president of the African Development Bank Group.
His election was announced on the website of the AfDB on Thursday.
He will assume office on September 1, 2025, taking over from Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, whose 10-year tenure ends this year.
Tah emerged winner after rounds of voting conducted by the AfDB Board of Governors during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The Board comprises finance ministers and Central Bank Governors from the Bank’s 81 member countries.
He defeated four other contenders, including Amadou Hott of Senegal, Zambia’s Samuel Maimbo, Abbas Mahamat Tolli of Chad, and Swazi Tshabalala of South Africa.
Born in Mederdra, Mauritania in 1964, Tah holds a doctorate in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia-Antipolis, France.
He has also undergone executive training at Harvard University and the London Business School.
He previously served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and later as Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
During his tenure at BADEA, the bank’s balance sheet quadrupled and it secured a AAA credit rating.
Tah’s campaign focused on mobilising private capital, integrating the informal sector into the formal economy, and improving Africa’s infrastructure to boost growth.
He also pledged to deepen partnerships with the private sector and enhance the Bank’s response to climate change.
The African Development Bank plays a key role in financing infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and industrial projects across the continent.
Tah’s election comes at a time when the continent is grappling with multiple challenges, including high debt levels, limited fiscal space, and the effects of climate change.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania on the election of Sidi Ould Tah as the ninth President of the African Development Bank Group.
In a telephone conversation from Lagos with the Mauritanian leader on Thursday afternoon, after Tah’s election at the AfDB’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, President Tinubu commended the transparent process that led to the emergence of the former Mauritanian Finance Minister.
President Tinubu believed that Tah would bring a wealth of experience to the role, given his track record in former positions.
President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong partnership with the AfDB, emphasising its status as the institution’s largest shareholder among its member countries, comprising 54 African nations and 27 non-African states.
The President restated his commitment to working closely with the incoming AfDB president to advance shared priorities, including infrastructure development, agricultural transformation, energy access, and climate resilience.
Nigeria recently approved a $500 million capital replenishment for the Nigeria Trust Fund in May 2025, extending the fund’s operations by another 15 years.
Established in 1976, the NTF is a special AfDB fund fully financed by Nigeria to support development projects across Africa.
This renewed commitment underscores Nigeria’s continued dedication to the Bank’s mission of driving inclusive growth and poverty reduction on the continent.
President Tinubu pledged Nigeria’s full support fo Tah in implementing his vision for the institution, including strengthening regional financial institutions, promoting Africa’s economic independence, leveraging population growth for development, and building climate-resilient infrastructure.
President Tinubu thanked the outgoing President, Adesina, and wished him success in his future endeavours.
Also, former President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Akinwumi Adesina for what he described as a “spectacular performance” at the helm of the African Development Bank as his second and final term comes to an end this August.
Buhari hailed Adesina’s leadership and his unmatched achievements on Thursday in a statement, noting with pride the role he played in securing Adesina’s appointment during both terms.
“I have seen Dr. Adesina, a son of Nigeria, put up a spectacular performance in the African Development Bank after two terms.
“As his tenure ends and a successor is emerging, records show that he has set such a great, unmatched record of excellence, leaving shareholders far happier than they had ever been.
“I am happy with the role I played in bringing his talent forward,” Buhari stated.
Buhari attributed the economist’s success to a combination of personal grit and divine grace.
The former president added,” He is blessed with a special talent, combined with hope, faith, a firm resolve, and confidence, with which he overcame all odds to stand out as a beacon of inspiration to others.”
Buhari concluded his statement by wishing Adesina greater strength and success in his future endeavours.
Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria, assumed office as AfDB President in 2015 and was re-elected in 2020 for a second term, becoming the first Nigerian to hold the position.