Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania officially assumed office today as the 9th President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. The swearing-in ceremony took place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, marking the start of his five-year term at the helm of the continent’s premier development finance institution.
Tah was elected by the Bank’s Board of Governors on May 29, 2025, during the AfDB’s Annual Meetings. He secured a decisive victory with 76.18% of the total vote, reflecting a strong mandate from the bank’s 81 member countries.
A seasoned economist with over 35 years of experience in African and international finance, Ould Tah previously served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) since 2015.
Tah takes over from the highly successful tenure of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who served two five-year terms. Adesina’s presidency was defined by his “High 5” priorities, which focused on “light up and power Africa,” “feed Africa,” “industrialize Africa,” “integrate Africa,” and “improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.”
Under his leadership, the AfDB’s capital base grew from $93 billion in 2015 to $319 billion in 2025, and he has been widely praised for his transformative impact on the institution and the continent.
