Sidi Ould Tah Takes Office as AfDB Prez: A Historic Moment and a Test of Africa’s Economic Future

A new era begins today at the African Development Bank (AfDB) as Dr. Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania officially assumes office as the institution’s ninth president. His swearing-in marks not only a personal milestone but also a historic moment: he is the first Mauritanian to lead the Bank, succeeding Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina after a decade in charge.

The road ahead is both promising and daunting. The AfDB stands financially sound, having reported €310 million in net profit last year and approved a record €10.6 billion in projects in 2024. Yet, challenges loom large. 

The Bank must scale its operations to meet Africa’s $200 billion annual infrastructure gap, and it must do so at a time when the continent’s most vulnerable countries face mounting debt, while the U.S. has withdrawn $555 million in aid from the African Development Fund. 

For Tah, the test will be whether his diplomatic skill and financial expertise can mobilize fresh resources, restore confidence, and help the Bank lead Africa’s transformation with renewed ambition.

A Swift and Strategic Election Victory

Tah’s rise to the AfDB presidency was anything but accidental. Entering the race late, he drew on Mauritania’s diplomatic momentum, including its 2024 African Union chairmanship under President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, and built crucial alliances across the Arab world. Backing from Saudi Arabia and Arab League states proved decisive, cementing his image as a bridge between Africa and the Middle East.

The voting process underscored his strength. After three rounds, Tah secured 76.18% of the vote, far ahead of Zambia’s Samuel Maimbo (20.26%) and Senegal’s Amadou Hott (3.55%). 

Chad’s Mahamat Abbas Tolli and South Africa’s Swazi Tshabalala were eliminated earlier, with 0.88% and 5.9% respectively. In sharp contrast to 2015, when Adesina needed six rounds and scraped through with 58.1%, Tah’s election was swift, consensual, and decisive.

The Making of a Development Banker

If Tah’s campaign rested on diplomacy, his credibility rests on results. Since 2015, he has served as Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). Under his leadership, the bank was transformed: approvals rose twelvefold, disbursements increased eightfold, and non-performing loans dropped from over 10% to below 0.5%. Just days before his AfDB election, credit agency S&P upgraded BADEA to AA+, placing it among the highest-rated development banks globally.

Before BADEA, Tah was Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance, a role that gave him a “360° view of development,” as he often puts it. His career blends policymaking, diplomacy, and finance, the very mix required to lead a continental institution that sits at the intersection of politics and economics.

Carrying Forward and Reimagining AfDB’s Vision

Tah inherits the AfDB’s 2024–2033 ten-year strategy, rooted in Adesina’s “High 5” priorities: Feed Africa, Light up and Power Africa, Integrate Africa, Industrialize Africa, and Improve Quality of Life for Africans. He has pledged to build on these foundations, but with an elevated ambition.

His roadmap, crafted with the help of former AfDB and World Bank vice president Frannie Léautier, is centered on four key pillars: reforming Africa’s financial architecture, harnessing the demographic boom, driving sustainable industrialization, and unlocking large-scale capital for development. Initiatives like Mission 300 and Desert to Power, he says, will be central to positioning Africa not only as a recipient of aid but as a driver of global economic opportunity.

Will He Be the Next Optimist-in-Chief?

Tah follows in the footsteps of Adesina, who became known as Africa’s “Optimist-in-Chief” for his infectious belief in the continent’s potential. Observers are already asking whether the new Mauritanian president will bring a similar spirit. 

With his proven track record at BADEA, his ability to straddle African and Arab worlds, and his emphasis on ambitious reform, Tah arrives with both the credibility and the momentum to inspire.

But optimism alone will not be enough. His success will be measured by how quickly the AfDB can adapt to Africa’s growing demands: financing climate resilience, expanding energy access, industrializing sustainably, and keeping pace with a rapidly expanding youth population.

A Historic Moment, A Heavy Mandate

As he takes office today in Abidjan, Sidi Ould Tah steps into one of the continent’s most demanding roles, Africa’s chief development banker. The symbolism of a Mauritanian leading the Bank for the first time is powerful, but the real test lies in delivery. 

For a continent hungry for transformation, the question is whether Tah can convert his decisive election victory and formidable profile into tangible progress.

The eyes of Africa, and the world, are now on him.

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