Abidjan: The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the government of Côte d’Ivoire are set to hold a swearing-in ceremony for the incoming President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, on Monday, September 1, 2025, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the ceremony will be chaired by Ludovic Ngatsé, Chair of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group and Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Integration for the Republic of Congo. This event signifies a leadership transition for the continent’s most significant multilateral financial institution.
Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, a national of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, will assume office at 60 years old. He was elected on May 29, 2025, in Abidjan by the Bank Group governors representing 81 member countries (54 African and 27 non-regional), securing 76.18 percent of the votes. Tah succeeds the outgoing Nigerian President, Akinwumi Adesina, who concludes a decade-long mandate marked by reforms and achievements in Africa’s develo
pment.
Tah will be sworn in before the Bank’s governors, who are typically Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from member countries, becoming the institution’s ninth President. The ceremony will be attended by heads of state and government, including the Presidents of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, and Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. Representatives from international institutions, development partners, diplomats, private sector and civil society actors, members of the Board of Directors, and AfDB staff are also expected to be present.
The handover ceremony is a significant milestone in the governance of the African Development Bank Group. Tah, a renowned economist, brings extensive experience in development finance management and international cooperation. Before his election to the AfDB, he served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) since 2015.
His election reflects the shareholders’ desire to enhance the Bank’s role as a catalyst for development fina
nce, regional integration, and climate resilience in Africa.