By Adonis Byemelwa
In a historic decision that underlines a pivotal moment for Africa’s development agenda, Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania was today 29th May, 2025 elected President of the African Development Bank Group during the institution’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The announcement, made by Niale Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the Bank Group’s Board of Governors, followed a rigorous electoral process that saw Tah secure the required majority from both regional and non-regional member countries.
With more than 35 years of experience in African and international finance, Tah enters this role with a reputation for transformative leadership and strategic foresight.
His election comes at a critical juncture—Africa faces the double bind of accelerated economic ambition and mounting global challenges.
The continent remains determined to push forward on the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the African Development Bank has been at the heart of these efforts.
Tah’s candidacy was anything but passive. He ran on a platform of deep institutional reform, promising to modernize the Bank’s structure, unlock greater capital flows for infrastructure and green energy, and champion more inclusive development financing for fragile and underrepresented economies.
His track record at the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) gave his campaign both credibility and momentum. Under his stewardship, BADEA underwent a sweeping transformation, quadrupling its balance sheet and earning an AAA rating, placing it among Africa’s most trusted development finance institutions.
But beyond the numbers, what propelled Tah to the top was his narrative—a story of resilience, regional experience, and a hands-on understanding of Africa’s financing gaps.
His prior roles, including Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance in Mauritania, as well as leadership in crisis response and resource mobilization, have made him a figure who knows how to navigate both boardrooms and political tightropes.
The five-person race was closely watched. Candidates like Amadou Hott of Senegal and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala of South Africa brought impressive credentials to the table, and their loss today signals the highly competitive nature of the election.
For many observers, Tah was always poised to win—but only because he had done the hard work of building bridges across ideological and regional divides. His victory is not just a personal one, but also a statement on the kind of leadership the continent is hungry for: pragmatic, reform-driven, and rooted in African realities.
The election also marks the end of an era. Tah will succeed Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who steps down after a decade of dynamic leadership.
Under Adesina, the Bank advanced its “High 5s” priorities—light up and power Africa, feed Africa, industrialize Africa, integrate Africa, and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa. Now, Tah inherits that legacy and a growing expectation to accelerate progress.
The backdrop of the 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan—held under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development”—amplifies the symbolism of Tah’s election.
As the continent grapples with climate shocks, geopolitical shifts, and financial constraints, his vision offers a recalibration of how African capital, both human and financial, can be better mobilized for development.
With the mantle now passed to him, Tah is set to begin his five-year term on September 1, 2025. The journey ahead will be demanding, but if his past is any indication, the African Development Bank is in the hands of a leader ready to challenge convention, deepen partnerships, and reimagine the role of development finance in Africa’s future.