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Dr. Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), following a vote by the institution’s Board of Governors during its 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on May 29, 2025.

The Board of Governors, comprising Finance Ministers, Economy Ministers, and central bank governors from the Bank's 81 regional and non-regional member nations, serves as the Bank Group’s highest decision-making authority. Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chairperson of the Board of Governors, made the announcement.

According to the election guidelines, a candidate must secure a minimum of 50.01% of votes from regional and non-regional members to be declared the winner.

Mr. Tah brings more than 35 years of experience in African and international finance to the role. Most notably, he led the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for a decade, overseeing a significant transformation that resulted in a quadrupled balance sheet, a coveted AAA credit rating, and elevated BADEA into the ranks of top-tier development banks with a focus on Africa.

Upon confirmation of his election, Tah addressed the Governors and media, stating with enthusiasm, “Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!”

Before his tenure at BADEA, Tah served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance. He has also held high-level roles in multilateral financial institutions and is widely recognized for his work in economic reform, crisis management, and resource mobilization initiatives across the continent.

The selection process officially closed on January 31, 2025, with five candidates approved by the Board’s Steering Committee. The final list, released on February 21, included: Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Maimbo (Zambia), Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad), Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa), and Sidi Ould Tah (Mauritania).

Tah is set to begin his five-year term on September 1, 2025, succeeding the outgoing president, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, who served from 2015 to 2025. The African Development Bank Group has had a distinguished line of presidents since its establishment in 1964, including; Mamoun Beheiry (Sudan), 1964–1970, Abdelwahab Labidi (Tunisia), 1970–1976, Kwame Donkor Fordwor (Ghana), 1976–1980, Willa Mung’Omba (Zambia), 1980–1985, Babacar N’diaye (Senegal), 1985–1995, Omar Kabbaj (Morocco), 1995–2005, Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda), 2005–2015, and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria), 2015–2025.

Dr. Tah’s election comes at a pivotal time. As the AfDB marks six decades of development financing, the continent is navigating economic instability, climate disruptions, and evolving geopolitical dynamics. While Africa has demonstrated resilience, the urgency to accelerate progress toward the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals remains high. These ambitions are reflected in the Bank’s strategic framework known as the “High 5s.”

This year’s Annual Meetings, held from May 26 to 30 in Abidjan, are themed “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development,” underscoring the importance of financial innovation and regional investment to unlock growth.