New AfDB president inherits a bigger bank — and tougher challenges – Devex

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Sidi Ould Tah takes over the African Development Bank presidency with promises of reform, new partnerships, and a focus on jobs, even as the bank confronts tight budgets and a looming African Development Fund replenishment.

By Ayenat Mersie // 02 September 2025

Sidi Ould Tah, a Mauritanian economist and former president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, was sworn in on Monday as the new president of the African Development Bank.

He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina, who spent 10 years at the helm and oversaw a period of major growth for the institution.

“The African Development Bank Group cannot aim to be everything to everyone. It has to focus on where it can move the needle most, always with the spirit of partnership,” Tah said at his inaugural address in Abidjan, the home of AfDB’s headquarters, which drew high-level guests including the presidents of Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania, French Development Agency CEO Rémy Rioux, and African Finance Corporation CEO Samaila  Zubairu.

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