LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — President Bola Tinubu on Thursday congratulated Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani on the election of Dr. Sidi Ould Tah as the next President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.
In a phone call from Lagos following the announcement at the AfDB’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Tinubu praised the “transparent process” that led to Tah’s election and expressed confidence in his leadership.
“Sidi Ould Tah brings a wealth of experience to the AfDB presidency, and I am confident in his ability to lead the Bank through the next chapter of Africa’s development journey,” Tinubu said.
Tah, a former Mauritanian finance minister and director general of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), will succeed Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose second five-year term ends in September.
Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s close ties with the AfDB, noting that the country remains the Bank’s largest shareholder among its 81 member countries, including 54 African and 27 non-African states.
The Nigerian leader said he looks forward to working with Tah to promote regional development in key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and climate resilience.
“Nigeria is fully committed to supporting Dr. Tah in advancing the Bank’s mission of inclusive growth and poverty reduction,” Tinubu said.
Earlier this month, Nigeria approved a $500 million capital replenishment for the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF), extending its operations for another 15 years. The NTF, established in 1976 and solely financed by Nigeria, supports development projects across Africa.
Tinubu also expressed appreciation for the outgoing AfDB president, Dr. Adesina, and wished him success in future endeavors.
