Mauritanian economist Sidi Ould Tah has been elected as the ninth President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) following a decisive vote by the Bank’s Board of Governors on Thursday, May 29, 2025, during the AfDB’s Annual General Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The announcement was officially made by Niale Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the Board of Governors.

To win the presidency, a candidate must secure at least 50.01% of both regional and non-regional votes. Tah emerged victorious from a competitive field of five high-profile candidates.

Tah brings to the role over 35 years of experience in African and international development finance. Since 2015, he has served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), where he led a significant transformation of the institution — quadrupling its balance sheet and elevating its credit rating to AAA.

Prior to that, he was Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, and played a key role in economic policy reform and resource mobilisation. Notably, he led the launch of BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program to support African multilateral development banks.

The race for the AfDB presidency featured four other prominent candidates:


  • Amadou Hott – Senegal


  • Dr. Samuel Maimbo – Zambia


  • Abbas Mahamat Tolli – Chad


  • Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala – South Africa

Their nominations were confirmed by the Board of Governors’ Steering Committee, with the final list of candidates officially announced on February 21, 2025, after a vetting process that concluded on January 31.

Tah will officially assume office on September 1, 2025, succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose second term as AfDB President ends later this year. His election marks a new chapter for the Bank, which plays a critical role in financing infrastructure, economic development, and poverty alleviation across the continent.