Dr. Ould Tah on Monday, September 1st took the oath of office, taking over the leadership of Africa’s premier development finance institution. He succeeds Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, who completed two terms as President.
Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani graced the high-level ceremony at the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire. Also in attendance were former AfDB Presidents Dr. Adesina and Dr. Donald Kaberuka, members of the Board of Governors, Executive Directors, staff, and international dignitaries. The ceremony was presided over by Ludovic Ngatse, Minister of Economy of the Republic of the Congo and Chair of the AfDB Board of Governors.
Dr. Ould Tah, 60, from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, was elected on 29 May 2025 with more than 76% of shareholder votes—the highest margin ever for a first-term President in the Bank’s history.
President Ouattara described the transition as a “milestone which comes at a historic moment in the life of our pan-African institution” and one that “paves the way for a new era of hope for the Bank.”
In his remarks, President Ghazouani emphasized the weight of responsibility entrusted to Dr. Ould Tah: “He must ensure that the Bank strengthens its role in promoting Africa’s economic and social development, fulfilling the aspirations of our people for peace, prosperity, and progress.”
In his inaugural address, Dr. Ould Tah pledged that under his leadership, the Bank would be “the bridge between regions, between ambitions and execution, between public and private, between urgency and bureaucracy. Let us move forward together—with urgency, unity, and unwavering accountability.”
He laid out his “Four Cardinal Points” to guide his first 100 days in office: Listening intently; Launching a fast-track reform agenda; Deepening partnerships; and Accelerating delivery of real solutions.
“The Bank will be attentive, responsive, and capable of setting priorities that matter,” he said, stressing the importance of working closely with governments, the private sector, and international partners to “create a financial framework that serves Africa on its own terms.”
Acknowledging key development partners—including Finance in Common, the Alliance of African Financial Institutions, the International Development Finance Club, and the Arab Coordination Group—he pledged to broaden collaboration to include sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and other new actors. He further committed to “urgently revisit our investment models to include a dedicated pillar for investment in peace.”
Dr. Ould Tah also announced plans to host a town hall meeting with staff, describing them as “the institution’s most valuable resource.”
Positioning the Bank as a guide for Africa amid the 21st-century challenges of demographics, technology, and climate change, he remarked: “Africa must look North, South, East and West—not to imitate, but to draw wisdom and strength from every direction while defining its own course. Like a navigator guided by the compass, the Bank should help Africa navigate megatrends toward greater self-reliance, ambition, and agency.” However, he cautioned that the Bank “should not aim to be everything to everyone,” but rather focus where it can make the greatest impact, always in partnership.
Dr. Ould Tah previously served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), where he oversaw a landmark transformation that grew assets from $4 billion to nearly $7 billion, increased annual approvals twelvefold, expanded disbursements eightfold, and secured AA+/AAA credit ratings. He also served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance (2008–2015), and represented the country on the boards of the AfDB, the World Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank.
Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, with working proficiency in Portuguese and Spanish, Dr. Ould Tah holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France, and advanced degrees from Paris VII-Jussieu and the University of Nouakchott.
He assumes leadership of a Bank with strong fundamentals: $318 billion in capital, AAA credit ratings maintained for ten consecutive years, and the world’s highest transparency score for a sovereign portfolio at 98.8%. Over the past decade, the AfDB has approved $102 billion in development financing.
