Sidi Ould Tah Elected New President of the African Development Bank

Observations By Ceaser Siwale (30.05.2025)

Mauritanian economist and seasoned development finance expert Sidi Ould Tah has been elected as the ninth President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), securing an overwhelming 76.18% of the vote at the bank’s annual meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He is set to succeed Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina and will officially assume office on 1 September 2025.

Born on 31 December 1964, in Mederdra, Mauritania, Sidi Ould Tah is a distinguished economist holding a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis and a Diplôme d’études approfondies (DEA) from Paris Diderot University. His professional journey extends over three decades, marked by significant contributions to economic policy and international development.

Ould Tah previously served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Development from 2008 to 2015. Under his ministerial leadership, he played a key role in driving strategic economic initiatives and reforms aimed at promoting sustainable development and growth in Mauritania.

Since 2015, he has served as Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). During his tenure, Ould Tah successfully quadrupled the bank’s financial capacity and guided it to a AAA credit rating, demonstrating his expertise in financial leadership and strategic institutional transformation.

In his new role at the AfDB, Ould Tah has outlined a visionary agenda centred on four key pillars:

1. Enhancing the Bank’s Financial Capacity: Ould Tah plans to mobilise between $50 billion and $60 billion annually through innovative financial instruments and strategic partnerships, particularly tapping into financial opportunities from Gulf states.
2. Reforming Africa’s Financial Architecture: Emphasising the need for structural financial reforms, Ould Tah intends to modernise the continent’s financial systems to support sustainable development better.
3. Harnessing the Demographic Dividend: Recognising Africa’s youthful population, he advocates significant investments in human capital development to drive economic transformation and innovation.
4. Promoting Sustainable Development: Ould Tah will prioritise projects and policies that emphasise sustainability, resilience, and long-term growth, aligning with global goals for climate and environmental stewardship.

His leadership comes at a critical time, as the AfDB faces funding challenges, including a $555 million cut from the U.S. under the Trump administration. Ould Tah is expected to play a crucial role in guiding the AfDB through this period of uncertainty, emphasising African resilience and innovation in the face of diminishing international support.

As he takes the helm, Sidi Ould Tah is poised to usher in a new era for the AfDB, leveraging his extensive experience and transformative vision to significantly impact the bank’s future and the continent’s broader economic prosperity.