Grace Ashiru
Mauritanian candidate Sidi Ould Tah was elected president of the African Development Bank on Thursday, securing a decisive victory over his Zambian opponent Samuel Munzele Maimbo in the third round of voting. Ould Tah succeeds Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina as the head of Africa’s leading financial institution.
Formerly the president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Ould Tah clinched the presidency with a commanding 76.18% of the vote. Maimbo received 20.26%, while Senegal’s Amadou Hott garnered 3.55%. The election concluded after just three rounds, narrowing the field from five initial candidates vying for the prestigious position.
Ould Tah’s triumph reflects his strong reputation across the continent and his deep experience in African development finance. His campaign effectively rallied support from African member states, drawing on his proven track record at BADEA and his strategic vision for the bank’s future.
“I would first like to thank Africa for this confidence. I thank you for this trust, and I fully understand the responsibility and duty that accompany it,” Ould Tah said following his election, acknowledging the weight of the mandate entrusted to him by the bank’s member nations.
As the newly elected president, Ould Tah takes the helm of an institution that experienced significant growth under Adesina’s decade-long leadership. During this period, the bank’s subscribed capital surged from $93 billion to $318 billion, greatly enhancing its capacity to finance development projects across Africa.
Recent African Development Bank initiatives include the construction of Africa’s largest wastewater treatment facility in Gabal el Asfar, Egypt; the building of a strategic bridge linking Senegal and Gambia; the expansion of the Lomé port in Togo; as well as sanitation efforts in Lesotho and electricity access programs in Kenya. These projects underscore the bank’s pivotal role in addressing Africa’s infrastructure needs and driving sustainable development throughout the continent.
