Published: May 29, 2025
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire — Sidi Ould Tah, a former Mauritanian Finance Minister and current head of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), has been elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the institution’s Board of Governors announced Thursday.
Tah will begin a five-year term on Sept. 1, 2025, succeeding Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who led the continent’s premier multilateral development bank for two consecutive terms beginning in 2015.
His election follows a vote by the Bank’s Board of Governors, which includes Finance Ministers and representatives from the 81 AfDB member states.
Tah’s leadership at BADEA earned praise across Africa, particularly in Liberia, where the Arab bank co-financed major infrastructure projects, including the refurbishment of the Roberts International Airport runway in 2016 and the Gbarnga-Salayea segment of the critical Gbarnga-Mendikorma highway.
In April 2025, during the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, Tah played a pivotal role in securing commitments from the Arab Coordination Group — including the Saudi Fund and Kuwaiti Fund — to support the Salayea-Voinjama extension of the same corridor, further deepening his development legacy in Liberia.
Following the vote, Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan welcomed the announcement.
“We extend tons of congratulations to Mr. Tah on his election as President of the AfDB and look forward to increased mutually beneficial partnerships between the AfDB and Liberia during his tenure,” Ngafuan said.
The minister also acknowledged the contributions of the other four candidates in the race, applauding their dedication to Africa’s growth and integration.
Tah is expected to bring a strong blend of development finance experience, regional cooperation, and infrastructure investment advocacy to the helm of the AfDB at a time when African economies are working to rebound from overlapping global crises.
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