close
Monday, September 1, 2025

New AfDB president vow to prioritise reforms, partnerships, youths in 100 days

Mr Tah said Africa is young, ambitious and restless with potential.

• September 1, 2025
Sidi Ould Tah
Sidi Ould Tah [Credit:TV360 Nigeria]

The new president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Sidi Ould Tah, said he will focus on reforms, strengthening partnerships and empowering youths and women across Africa in his first 100 days in office.

He made this known in his inaugural speech on Monday in Abidjan, pledging that the bank would move with urgency to reposition itself as a responsive institution capable of addressing Africa’s pressing development challenges.

He listed his four urgent priorities as listening with intent to stakeholders, launching a fast-track reform agenda, deepening partnerships and accelerating real solutions for inclusive growth.

According to him, listening to shareholders, partners, clients and staff will ensure that the bank’s agenda reflects real-world needs and ambitions.

He said that reforms would aim at boosting operational speed, sharpening execution and dismantling bureaucratic bottlenecks that often slow down delivery.

The new AfDB boss added that partnerships with African and global institutions, as well as private sector actors, would be deepened to mobilise resources at scale.

He said, “Empowering youths and women is central. It requires finance, mentorship and technology. By supporting our talents, we will build a bright future.”

The AfDB president further pledged to accelerate practical solutions to expand access to finance, create jobs and unlock Africa’s industrial and financial potential.

He assured that the bank under his leadership would bridge divides between regions, public and private actors, and between ambition and execution.

He said, “We will be the bank that bridges divides between regions, between ambitions and execution, between public and private, and between urgency and bureaucracy. The time for delivery has begun. Together, let us transform Africa’s promise into prosperity.”

According to Mr Tah, Africa is young, ambitious and restless with potential.

He noted, “This is the energy that should be harnessed as the engine of our transformation. It is with this conviction that I approach my new responsibilities. I intend to begin this journey anchored in humility, with a spirit of consultation and a commitment to pragmatism. The path ahead requires not only vision but also credibility that is built through early signals that the bank is attentive, responsive and capable of setting priorities that matter.”

Born on December 31, 1964, in Mederdra, Mauritania, the new AfDP president holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia-Antipolis and a Diplôme d’Études Approfondies (DEA) in Economics from the University of Paris VII.

He also has a postgraduate degree in economics and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Nouakchott.

Mr Tah was elected as the ninth president of the African Development Bank Group in May 2025 after securing 76.18 per cent of the total votes and 72.37 per cent of regional votes in the third round of voting, defeating four other candidates.

He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina.

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Abubakar Kyari

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang

States

80,000 children in Plateau to benefit from nutritional supplements: Gov. Mutfwang

The UNICEF representative acknowledged the state’s leadership for committing $200,000 in 2024 to the project, saying it was a significant amount of resources.

Recovered firearms

States

Police nab two suspected gunrunners, recover 1,295 ammunition in Katsina

Mr Adejobi said the suspects were intercepted on the Ingawa-Karkarku village road in Katsina State on Monday.

School Teachers used to illustrate the story

Education

Jigawa teachers laud UNICEF, EU’s pre-primary education training programme

Babayo Shuaibu described the training exercise as a new experience for the teachers, who are eager to return to schools with new teaching skills.

Nigerian Troops

States

Troops rescue 14 kidnapped victims, foil several terrorist attacks in 24 hours

According to the source, all rescued persons have since been reunited with their families or handed over to relevant authorities.

Nasarawa House of Assembly

States

Nasarawa assembly urges Gov. Sule to close manpower gap in environmental agency

Mr Omadefu said that closing the manpower gap was essential for optimal productivity and for the overall development of the state.

Nigerian police officers used to illustrate the story

States

Police detain sexagenarian for allegedly drugging, raping 24-year-old woman

The spokesperson said investigations revealed that the suspect drugged the survivor before raping her without her consent.