Overview

• Sidi Ould Tah secured 76% of votes at the bank’s annual meeting in Abidjan to succeed Akinwumi Adesina after three rounds of polling on May 29, 2025.
• Under Akinwumi Adesina, the AfDB’s capital expanded from $93 billion to $318 billion and invested over $102 billion since 2015, benefiting 565 million Africans through infrastructure, energy, and integration projects.
• The bank faces a potential $555 million cut in US funding to its African Development Fund, prompting a push for alternative backers from Gulf countries, non-regional members, and increased contributions from African shareholders.
• Tah has pledged to fortify regional financial institutions, assert Africa’s financial independence in global markets, leverage demographic growth, and build climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Members aim to raise $25 billion in the current replenishment round by November and are establishing a financial stability mechanism to help heavily indebted nations avert debt crises.