The ninth African Development Bank Group (AfDB) president, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, was sworn in on Monday. He succeeds Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who served two successful and influential terms.
In a historic victory, he received over 76 per cent of shareholder votes on May 29, 2025, the most significant margin ever attained by a Bank’s first-term president.
This strong mandate shows that AfDB’s stakeholders believe in his vision, experience, and leadership to guide the organisation into its next phase of expansion and change.
Dr. Ould Tah’s portfolio
Dr. Ould Tah, a Mauritanian, has a wealth of experience as a former president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). Under his direction, BADEA saw exponential growth, with its assets growing from $4 billion to almost $7 billion, yearly approvals doubling, and disbursements doubling.
Additionally, the institution received the esteemed AA+/AAA credit ratings, highlighting the strategic execution and financial discipline he promoted during his time there.
His background puts him in a good position to further AfDB’s objective of spearheading Africa’s development agenda.
He has a unique perspective on African and global development dynamics because of his prior positions as Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance and as a Governor on the Boards of the AfDB, World Bank, and Islamic Development Bank.
President Ould Tah is fluent in Arabic, English, and French and has advanced degrees from the University of Nouakchott and Paris VII-Jussieu. He also has a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France.
Dr. Ould Tah’s “Four Cardinal Points” objectives
The 60-year-old Ould Tah outlined his “Four Cardinal Points” in his inaugural address, which will serve as a roadmap for his presidency during the critical first 100 days: listening carefully, accelerating real solutions, strengthening partnerships, and implementing a fast-track reform agenda.
He underlined how AfDB serves as a bridge across regional, public, and private divides, as well as between ambition and execution, urgency and bureaucracy. His speech emphasised the value of cooperation, responsibility, and promptness in producing measurable outcomes for African countries dealing with urgent development issues.
In addition to his institutional duties, Dr. Ould Tah emphasised that Africa must chart its path while learning from other continents.
His tenure at AfDB ushers in a new era based on ambition, reform, and Africa’s progress toward increased resilience and self-sufficiency.
Ould Tah’s inaugural address
“We will be the bank that bridges divides between regions, between ambitions and execution, between public and private, between urgency and bureaucracy. Let us move forward together – with urgency, unity, and unwavering accountability.” Ould Tah said in his well-received inaugural speech.
The new president reaffirmed that the Bank will be “attentive, responsive, and capable of setting priorities that matter. “ He continued by saying that the Bank will strengthen collaborations by collaborating closely with international partners, governments, and the private sector “so that together we create a financial framework that serves Africa on its own terms.”
Dr. Ould Tah expressed his willingness “to expand the Bank’s partnership to new players such as sovereign funds, pensions funds and others” and acknowledged the presence of the Bank’s partners, which include Finance in Common, the Alliance of African Financial Institutions, the International Development Finance Club, and the Arab Coordination Group.
President Ould Tah reiterated his plan to host a town hall for Bank employees, whom he called the “institution’s most valuable resource,” in the coming days.”
Ould Tah envisioned the Bank playing a crucial role as a guide for a continent facing the twenty-first century’s demographic, technological, and climate change challenges. He stated: “Africa must look North, South, East, and West—not to imitate, but to draw wisdom and strength from every direction while defining its own course.”
“The Bank should help Africa navigate the megatrends toward increased self-reliance, ambition, and agency,” he stressed.
Presidents Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire and Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania attended the high-level, elaborate ceremony at the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire.
The Board of Governors of the Bank Group, which includes Executive Directors, employees, foreign dignitaries, and former African Development Bank Group Presidents Dr. Akinwumi A.
Adesina and Dr. Donald Kaberuka, were present to observe the leadership transition. The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by Ludovic Ngatsé, the economy minister of the Republic of the Congo, who serves as the Bank’s chair of the board of governors.