The new man in charge of African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Mauritanian economist Sidi Ould Tah, believes the best days of the multilateral lender are still ahead.

He won a strong mandate from the bank's shareholders with a historic majority of 76.18% of the vote on Thursday during an election held at the bank’s annual meeting in Côte d'Ivoire.

Tah, a former Mauritian economy minister, becomes the ninth president of the AfDB. He will take office on September 1 for a five-year term following the end of Nigerian Akinwumi Adesina’s second term.

“The challenges ahead are many but exciting. Together, we will carry out this mission with determination and ambition to serve Africa’s transformation,” he said.

He came ahead of Zambian Samuel Maimbo (20.26%) and Senegalese Amadou Hott (3.55%).

The years ahead are expected to decisive for an institution expected to play a key role in the continent’s energy transition, infrastructure development and climate action.

Trained Economist

Tah is an economics graduate from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis in France and began his career in Mauritania’s public sector.

He brings decades of experience in Africa finance. Most recently until April, he led the Arab Bank for Development in Africa (BADEA) based in Khartoum, Sudan. There, he significantly increased the bank’s financial commitments by implementing a new strategic plan (2020–2030) aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The Mauritanian represents a new generation of African technocratic leaders dedicated to reform, transparency, and good governance.

His ability to balance financial market demands with African social realities earns him respect both on the continent and internationally.

Upcoming Challenges

He takes the AfDB’s helm in a world marked by conflicts, worsening climate events, tightened financing, declining official development aid and trade tensions—creating an especially unstable environment.

Global economic prospects remain uncertain, and though Africa’s outlook has slightly improved, it remains insufficient to meet the continent’s transformation needs.

Founded in 1964, the African Development Bank finances Africa’s economic and social development. It supports infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and poverty reduction projects, becoming a major player in sustainable development on the continent.