Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Tah was elected on Thursday, May 29, 2025, by the Bank’s Board of Directors at the bank’s annual meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The board comprises Finance and Economy ministers, Governors of Central Banks across Africa and the 81 regional and non-regional members of the Bank.
The keenly contested election saw Amadou Hott of Senegal scoring 3.5 per cent of the total votes casts, Samuel Maimbo of Zambia 20.26 per cent and Tah 76.18 per cent
The new president will take over from Dr Akinwumi Adesina, a Nigerian economist, who led the AfDB for 10 years following his election in 2015.
Niale Kaba, the Minister of Planning and Development for Cote d’ Ivoire and chairman of the board of Governors of AfDB, announced the results.
The president-elect is required to score about 50.1 per cent of regional and non-regional votes casts.
Tah has more than 35 years of experience both in African and International Finance.
He was president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for 19 years and transformed the bank’s balance sheet.
The president-elect also secured an AAA rating for the bank, positioning it as one of the tops on the continent.
He was also Mauritania’s former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance.
As senior personnel of multilateral institution, he mobilised huge resources for Africa.
Addressing the Bank Group’s governors and the media shortly after the announcement, Tah said, “Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!”
The other candidates in the election were:
- Amadou Hott (Senegal)
- Samuel Maimbo (Zambia)
- Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad)
- Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa)
Tah will assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term, following the end of the second mandate of current President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.
The African Development Bank’s past heads since its inception in 1964 are:
- 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
- Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria), 2015-2025.
The election of a new president comes at a crucial time in the Bank Group’s six decades of existence. Africa has remained resilient despite climate shocks, economic disruption, and a shifting geopolitical landscape, but needs to move faster or risk falling behind on delivering on the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, summed up in the Bank Group’s High 5’s.
The 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group are taking place from May 26 to 30 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”
The African Development Bank Group comprises three entities: the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund and the Nigeria Trust Fund. Its shareholder countries include 54 African countries or regional member countries, and 27 non-African countries or non-regional member countries.
The newly elected AfDB President has pledged to serve the continent with humility and a deep sense of duty.
Tah said this in his acceptance speech delivered before African finance ministers, governors of the Bank, and dignitaries at the AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
He expressed profound gratitude to African nations for the confidence reposed in him.
“It is with great humility and a sense of responsibility that I speak to you at this special moment.
“I would like to thank Africa for the trust it has placed in me. I fully appreciate the responsibility and duty that come with it,” he said.
He paid special tribute to his home country, Mauritania, and President Mohamed El-Ghazaouani, whose strong support and diplomatic outreach were instrumental in securing his election.
“I thank my country and President El-Ghazaouani, who supported my candidacy and made tireless efforts to ensure the success we have just witnessed,” he said.
The new AfDB president also acknowledged the unwavering solidarity shown by Africans across the continent and extended heartfelt appreciation to his campaign team for their commitment throughout the election process.
“I will like to make a special mention of my team, who did a remarkable job from beginning to end. I express my deepest gratitude to them,” he said.
While he recognised the many individuals and groups who supported his candidacy, Tah emphasised that the time for celebration was over and called for immediate action.
“Now, let us go to work! I am ready,” he said.
Tah succeeds Dr Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria.
Adesina had served two successful terms and was widely praised for expanding the Bank’s capital base and amplifying its development impact across the continent.
Experts say Tah’s tenure begins at a time when the continent was grappling with multiple economic challenges, including climate shocks, debt distress, and the urgent need for sustainable infrastructure financing.
As he steps into this pivotal role, expectations are high that Tah will continue to strengthen the AfDB’s role as a cornerstone institution for Africa’s development and integration.
By Ese Williams