Cote d’ Ivoire to swear in Sidi Ould Tah as 9th AfDB president

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and the Government of Cote d’Ivoire will hold a swearing-in ceremony for incoming President, Sidi Ould Tah, on Monday (today) as the 9th President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) Group.

The handover ceremony, which will mark a major milestone in the governance of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is to be chaired by Ludovic Ngatsé who is Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Integration for the Republic of Congo and Chair of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.

A statement by the bank said the event would hold at the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where Tah will take the Oath of Office before the Bank’s governors—typically Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors of member countries — becoming the ninth President of the institution.

“The incoming President, 60 years old, is a national of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

“He was elected to the post on May 29, 2025, in Abidjan by Bank Group governors representing the 81 member countries (54 African and 27 non-regional) with 76.18% of the votes. He succeeds the outgoing Nigerian Akinwumi Adesina, whose ten-year mandate concludes following a decade of reforms and major achievements for the continent’s development”, the statement indicated.

The statement noted that the ceremony would mark a leadership transition for the continent’s most important multilateral financial institution, the statement added.

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Heads of State and Government, notably the Presidents of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, and of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, representatives of international institutions, development partners, diplomats, as well as private sector and civil society actors, members of the Board of Directors, and staff of the African Development Bank Group are also expected to attend.

A renowned economist, Tah has extensive experience in development finance management and international cooperation. Prior to his election to African Development Bank president, he was President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), a position he held since 2015.

He also held several senior government positions in Mauritania, including Minister of Economy and Finance.

His election reflects the shareholders’ desire to further strengthen the Bank’s role as a catalyst for development finance, regional integration, and climate resilience in Africa.

The ceremony will also be broadcast live across the Bank’s official digital platforms.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.