Mauritanian elected as Africa's new 'super banker'

MAURITANIA'S former economy minister Sidi Ould Tah was on Thursday elected to succeed Nigeria's Akinwumi Adesina as president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and tackle the withdrawal of US financing from the institution.

- AFP

In 2015 Adesina took six rounds of voting to become Africa's "super banker" but Tah, 60, secured the prestigious post in only three, winning 76.18 percent of votes.

Zambian economist Samuel Munzele Maimbo trailed well behind in second on 20.26%, with Senegal's Amadou Hott third on 3.55%.

The winner had to secure both a majority of votes from all 81 member countries and a majority of votes from the 54 African nations who are part of the AfDB.

Tah, who headed the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for 10 years, secured 72.37% of African votes.

"I wish to congratulate Dr Sidi Ould Tah on his successful election as the President-elect of the African Development Bank Group," Maimbo said in a statement.