Sidi Ould Tah

Sidi Ould Tah is a Mauritanian economist and development-finance executive who has served as President of the African Development Bank Group since September 2025. His earlier career included a decade leading the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and senior economic-policy roles in Mauritania's government.

Star Mover ranking

Not ranked in News yet

0 points

Sign in to Move Up

Profile

About Sidi Ould Tah

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Mauritania · Economist, Development-finance executive, Public finance and economic-policy official · 3 affiliations

Show full profile Hide full profile

Also known as: Dr. Sidi Ould Tah
Known for: African development finance; Economic policy and public finance; Multilateral development institutions
Country: Mauritania

Economist
Development-finance executive
Public finance and economic-policy official

At a glance

He became the ninth President of the African Development Bank Group on 1 September 2025.
Before joining the African Development Bank Group, he served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa from 2015 to 2025.
His public-service career included senior Mauritanian ministerial responsibilities in economic and development policy.
He has represented Mauritania at several development-finance institutions, including the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, and Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

African Development Bank leadership

Ould Tah was elected ninth President of the African Development Bank Group by its Board of Governors on 29 May 2025 at the institution's Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. He took office on 1 September 2025 for a five-year term and was identified by the institution as its current President as of 22 August 2026.

Mauritanian public service

Before moving into development-bank leadership, Ould Tah held senior economic and development responsibilities in Mauritania's government. Institutional records from 2009 through 2014 identify him as Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, while a later African Development Bank account describes his broader 2008–2015 service as Minister of Economy and Finance. The evidence confirms sustained ministerial responsibility for economic policy, but not one consistent portfolio title across the entire period.

Development-finance career

Ould Tah served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa from 2015 to 2025. BADEA also records that he represented Mauritania as a governor at the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, and Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. The African Development Bank Group credits his BADEA tenure with substantial growth in assets, approvals, and disbursements and with the institution obtaining AA+/AAA credit ratings, although those performance figures were not independently audited within the supplied evidence.

Education and languages

He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis and a DEA in Economics from Paris VII University. The African Development Bank Group describes him as fluent in Arabic, English, and French, with working proficiency in Portuguese and Spanish.

Affiliations

African Development Bank Group President 2025-09-01–present
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa President 2015–2025
Government of Mauritania Minister in economic and development-related portfolios 2008–2015

Timeline

2008 Began Mauritanian ministerial service in economic and finance-related portfolios.
2015 Began serving as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
2025-05-29 Was elected ninth President of the African Development Bank Group by its Board of Governors at the institution's Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
2025-09-01 Took the oath of office and assumed the African Development Bank Group presidency for a five-year term.

Additional verified details

Current context

African Development Bank Group materials identify Sidi Ould Tah as the institution's current President. This current-status assertion should be rechecked if used after the stated as-of date.

Biographical facts

He is a Mauritanian economist whose career has included development banking, economic policy, and public finance.
He held senior Mauritanian ministerial responsibilities in economic and development-related portfolios before joining BADEA.
He represented Mauritania as a governor at development-finance institutions including the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, and Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.
He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis and a DEA in Economics from Paris VII University.
The African Development Bank Group describes him as fluent in Arabic, English, and French, with working proficiency in Portuguese and Spanish.
The African Development Bank Group reports that during his BADEA leadership, the institution's assets grew from about US$4 billion to nearly US$7 billion, annual approvals increased twelvefold, disbursements increased eightfold, and BADEA obtained AA+/AAA credit ratings.