Sidi Ould Tah elected president of African Development Bank as Adesina era ends

Sidi Ould Tah, an accomplished Mauritanian economist and reformer, has been elected the new President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

His election comes at a pivotal time, as the Bank faces mounting financial and geopolitical challenges amid the departure of outgoing President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria.

The decision was announced during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Tah secured the presidency after receiving the required majority from both regional and non-regional member countries, a process overseen by the Bank’s Board of Governors, the institution’s highest decision-making body.

The Board consists of finance ministers and central bank governors from all 81 shareholder countries.

Addressing delegates shortly after his victory, Tah declared:
“Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!”

A Leader with Proven Experience

Tah enters the role with over 35 years of experience in African and global finance.

For a decade, from 2015 to 2025, he served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), where he led an ambitious institutional overhaul.

Under his leadership, BADEA’s balance sheet quadrupled in size, and the bank earned an AA+ credit rating, a rare distinction among African-focused development institutions.

Before that, he was Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, where he guided macroeconomic reforms and helped restructure national debt.

He has also held high-level roles in multilateral finance, managing programs focused on crisis recovery, resource mobilization, and cross-border development strategies.

Tah is widely seen as a technocrat who blends operational expertise with a long-term vision for Africa’s growth.

The Bank Today: Strengths and Challenges

His predecessor, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, led the Bank from 2015 to 2025 and leaves behind a strong but demanding legacy.

During his tenure, the AfDB significantly expanded its capital base from $93 billion to more than $318 billion and gained global prominence for its bold financing in energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and digital sectors.

Adesina’s hallmark was the introduction of the “High 5s” development priorities:

• Light Up and Power Africa
• Feed Africa
• Industrialize Africa
• Integrate Africa
• Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa

These five pillars guided lending and development programs during his two terms, aligning closely with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

However, Tah inherits a different financial landscape.

Donor fatigue and shifting foreign policy priorities have placed the African Development Fund (ADF), the Bank’s concessional lending window, under strain.

A proposed $555 million funding cut by the United States, a key contributor, threatens to reduce financing options for more than 30 low-income African countries.

Simultaneously, global interest rate hikes have driven up borrowing costs.

Several African nations now face mounting debt stress.

Climate shock, including droughts, floods, and food insecurity, ty further threatens fragile economies, increasing demand for climate-resilient infrastructure and development safety nets.

Tah’s Vision: Resilience, Capital, and Reform

Experts expect Tah to focus on expanding the Bank’s funding base through strategic partnerships, particularly with sovereign wealth funds and development finance institutions in the Gulf and Asia.

His track record at BADEA, where he deepened ties with Gulf states, could prove a key advantage.

He is also expected to prioritize the establishment of an African Financial Stability Mechanism, an initiative designed to help African economies withstand external shocks and reduce dependency on international bailouts.

This mechanism would aim to improve macroeconomic resilience across the continent.

Climate finance is expected to be another top priority.

As countries face intensifying environmental pressures, the Bank is under increasing pressure to scale up investments in clean energy, water systems, and food security.

Tah is likely to strengthen AfDB’s access to international climate finance, enabling African nations to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies at scale.

Shortly after his election, Tah shared his reflections on social media:

“I am humbled and honoured to be elected President of the @AfDB_Group. I extend my deepest gratitude to all who supported, regional and non-regional members of the Bank, and the leaders and countries that they represent. This marks the beginning of a challenging yet inspiring journey—together, we will drive Africa’s transformation with unity, ambition, and purpose.”

A Competitive Race

Tah’s election followed a rigorous selection process. The Bank’s Steering Committee received five candidates by the January 31, 202,5, deadline. Besides Tah, the contenders were:

• Amadou Hott (Senegal)
• Samuel Maimbo (Zambia)
• Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad)
• Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa)

The final result was announced by Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the Board of Governors. Tah won in the third round with 76.18% of the vote.

A Historic Institution

Since its founding in 1964, the AfDB has played a pivotal role in Africa’s development. It comprises three entities:

• The African Development Bank
• The African Development Fund
• The Nigeria Trust Fund

It is jointly owned by 54 African nations and 27 non-African countries.

Tah now becomes the ninth president in the Bank’s history, joining a distinguished list of predecessors:

1. Mamoun Beheiry (Sudan), 1964–1970
2. Abdelwahab Labidi (Tunisia), 1970–1976
3. Kwame Donkor Fordwor (Ghana), 1976–1980
4. Willa Mung’Omba (Zambia), 1980–1985
5. Babacar N’diaye (Senegal), 1985–1995
6. Omar Kabbaj (Morocco), 1995–2005
7. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda), 2005–2015
8. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria), 2015–2025

A Defining Moment

The 2025 Annual Meetings, held under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development,” emphasized the urgency of unlocking domestic and global capital for structural transformation.

As Tah prepares to take office on September 1, his leadership marks a new chapter for the AfDB—one that will test his experience, diplomacy, and vision.

And with that, his call to action remains clear:
“Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!”