Overview

• Tah secured the presidency on May 29 with 76.18% of votes, defeating Zambia’s Samuel Maimbo and Senegal’s Amadou Hott after three voting rounds.
• He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina, under whose decade in office the bank’s capital grew from $93 billion to $318 billion and whose projects improved the lives of 565 million Africans.
• The AfDB faces a planned U.S. cut of $555 million to its African Development Fund and is exploring new backing from Gulf states and increased contributions from member nations.
• Tah’s agenda emphasizes strengthening regional financial institutions, asserting Africa’s market independence, leveraging demographic growth and building climate-resilient infrastructure.
• The bank aims to raise $25 billion in its November replenishment round to help close a financing gap of more than $400 billion and support economies under debt and climate pressure.