Mauritanian Economist Sidi Ould Tah Elected AfDB President

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has elected Mauritanian economist Sidi Ould Tah as its next president following a three-round vote held Thursday afternoon during the Bank’s annual meetings in Abidjan.

Four men and one woman contested the election. Tah, the former head of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (Badea), secured a decisive victory with 76% of the total votes cast. He defeated his closest rival, World Bank Vice-President Samuel Maimbo of Zambia, who garnered 20%. Former Senegalese Economy Minister Amadou Hott received 3.5% of the votes. 

Tah succeeds outgoing President Akinwunmi Adesina, whose second five-year term concludes in September. Addressing his victory, Tah stated, “This marks the beginning of a challenging yet inspiring journey—together, we will drive Africa’s transformation with unity, ambition, and purpose.”

Upon taking office, Tah will become the ninth president of the 60-year-old institution. The AfDB, crucial for financing large-scale infrastructure projects across the continent, partly through its African Development Fund (ADF), boasts a unique shareholder structure. All 54 African nations hold stakes, alongside non-regional members including G7 powers, the United States, and Japan. Nigeria is the single largest shareholder.

Tah has pledged to collaborate more deeply with Gulf states on infrastructure development. However, this comes as the AfDB faces significant financial pressure: the Trump administration plans to cut U.S. funding to the bank by $555 million (£411m) to refocus on domestic priorities.

This funding reduction forces the AfDB to find creative solutions, doing more with less or securing new donors, especially as Africa contends with broader cuts in U.S. foreign aid. Adesina confirmed thate AfDB’s current capital stands at $318 billion, yet the incoming president faces a daunting task: navigating a fractured donor landscape, potentially requiring greater reliance on Gulf states and private capital.

For the U.S., this decision risks alienating African partners amid intensifying geopolitical competition. African nations, responding to reduced Western support, are increasingly diversifying their alliances towards China and Russia.