Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, a highly respected Mauritanian economist and development finance expert, has been elected as the ninth president of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). His election marks a pivotal moment in the Bank’s history as it looks to scale up development financing to meet Africa’s urgent infrastructure, industrialization, and sustainability needs. He is set to assume office in September 2025, succeeding Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose tenure brought significant attention to the Bank’s High 5 priorities.

Dr. Tah brings to the AfDB over two decades of experience in development finance, economic governance, and international cooperation. Most notably, he served as president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) from 2015 to April 2025. Under his transformative leadership, BADEA underwent a remarkable evolution in scale, capacity, and influence. During his tenure, the bank’s assets grew from $4 billion to nearly $7 billion, project approvals quadrupled, and the institution earned AA+/AAA credit ratings from major global agencies an exceptional achievement for an Africa-focused development institution.

BADEA’s development impact under Dr. Tah was substantial. The bank disbursed over $11 billion in development financing, nearly 75% of its total disbursements since its inception 50 years ago. He pioneered the bank’s first long-term strategic plan, BADEA 2030, and an ambitious institutional vision known as BADEA 2074, aligning its goals with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Under his direction, BADEA invested in 400 megawatts of solar power across several Sahelian countries, bringing electricity to over 200,000 homes and small enterprises. His focus on job creation and SME financing led to the generation of over 50,000 jobs continent-wide.

Dr. Tah is known for championing innovative finance mechanisms. He introduced climate finance instruments, promoted environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance across BADEA operations, and leveraged blended capital models to attract private investment into high-impact sectors. His deep understanding of development finance, paired with practical experience in policy reform and institutional restructuring, positions him to lead AfDB into a new phase of bold, high-leverage development action.

At AfDB, Dr. Tah has already outlined a vision to mobilize between $50 billion and $60 billion annually in financing without significantly increasing shareholder capital. His proposals include the introduction of hybrid capital instruments, expanding the Bank’s use of credit guarantee schemes, launching diaspora-linked concessional products, and optimizing the Bank’s Africa Investment Forum platform to attract syndicated financing for large-scale infrastructure projects. He emphasizes capital efficiency, operational flexibility, and the importance of preserving the Bank’s strong credit ratings.

Before his tenure at BADEA, Dr. Tah served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Development. He has also held key positions in various multilateral institutions, including the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), where he worked on public-private partnership strategies and regional cooperation programs. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in economics, with research focused on development policy, financial systems, and inclusive growth strategies.

Dr. Tah’s election has been widely welcomed by African leaders, economists, and the development community. Many see him as a pragmatic yet visionary leader capable of steering AfDB toward deeper African economic integration, financial sustainability, and global competitiveness. His bilingual fluency in Arabic, French, and English also enhances his diplomatic appeal across diverse African and international contexts.

As he prepares to take office, Dr. Tah inherits an institution at a crossroads, one that has expanded its influence in global climate finance and development partnerships but faces mounting pressure to help Africa recover from post-COVID economic challenges, global trade disruptions, and mounting debt vulnerabilities. With his proven track record at BADEA and a deep commitment to Africa’s long-term development, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah is poised to lead the AfDB Group with purpose, pragmatism, and innovation.

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