President Bola Tinubu has congratulated President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania on the election of Dr. Sidi Ould Tah as the ninth President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group. In a statement, Special Adviser to the President, Bayo Onanuga, said President Tinubu commended the transparent process that led to Dr. Tah’s emergence.

Bayo Onanuga further stated that President Tinubu believed Dr. Tah would bring a wealth of experience to the role, given his track record in former positions. “President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong partnership with the AfDB, emphasizing its status as the institution’s largest shareholder among its member countries,” Bayo Onanuga said.

President Tinubu also restated his commitment to working closely with the incoming AfDB president to advance shared priorities, including infrastructure development, agricultural transformation, energy access, and climate resilience. Bayo Onanuga mentioned that Nigeria recently approved a $500 million capital replenishment for the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF) in May 2025, extending the fund’s operations by another 15 years.

Bayo Onanuga quoted President Tinubu as pledging Nigeria’s full support for Dr. Tah in implementing his vision for the institution, including strengthening regional financial institutions, promoting Africa’s economic independence, leveraging population growth for development, and building climate-resilient infrastructure. President Tinubu also thanked the outgoing President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and wished him success in his future endeavors.

Dr. Tah, the former Mauritanian Finance Minister and Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), will succeed Dr. Adesina in September after completing two five-year terms.