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.

The African Development Bank Group consists of three constituent institutions, namely: The African Development Bank (AfDB), The African Development Fund (ADF), and The Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Together, these entities serve 54 African countries (regional members) and 27 non-African countries (non-regional members), making the Bank Group a globally significant development finance institution.

Who is  Dr. Sidi Ould Tah?

Dr. Sidi Ould Tah has an impressive resume and has built a remarkable portfolio worthy of emulation. The Board of Governors of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) in its 40th Annual Meetings held on April 7th, 2015 in Kuwait unanimously elected Dr. Sidi Ould Tah as President of the Bank, where he served before his election as the President of the African Development Bank on 29 May 2025. 

Before taking the helm at the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Dr. Sidi Ould Tah built an impressive public service record in his home country of Mauritania. From 2008 to 2015, he served as the country’s Minister of Economy and Finance, and earlier as Minister of Economic Affairs and Development. His government service also included high-level advisory roles to both the President and the Prime Minister between 2006 and 2008.

Throughout his tenure, Dr. Tah was deeply involved in shaping Mauritania’s economic policy and strategic direction. He contributed to several high-profile national and international platforms. Domestically, he chaired the National Statistics Council and acted as the Permanent Secretary for the Presidential Council on Investment. He also served on the board of Mauritania’s Central Bank, reinforcing his role in shaping macroeconomic stability.

On the international stage, Dr. Tah represented Mauritania as Governor at several key financial institutions, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, among others.

Dr. Tah holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Nice-Sophia Antipolis University in France, as well as a postgraduate degree (DEA) in Economics from Paris VII University. His academic journey has been complemented by executive education at some of the world’s top institutions. He has completed advanced programs in Investment, Financial Engineering, Asset Management, and Leadership at the Harvard Institute for International Development (USA), London Business School (UK), and the Swiss Finance Institute (Switzerland).

Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, with working knowledge of Spanish and Portuguese, Dr. Tah is recognized not only for his technical expertise but also for his cross-cultural communication skills.

His leadership and service have earned him numerous honors, including the Knight Medal of the National Merit Order of Mauritania, Senegal’s prestigious National Order of the Lion, and the Officer of the National Order of Chad. Dr. Tah will assume office on 1 September 2025, for a five-year term, following the end of the second mandate of the current President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.