Abbas Tolli

Abbas Mahamat Tolli
Abbas Mahamat Tolli
5th Governor of Bank of Central African States
	In office; 6 February 2017 – 6 February 2024
Vice Governor	Dieudonné Evou Mekou; Michel Dzombala
Preceded by	Lucas Abaga Nchama
Succeeded by	Yvon Sana Bangui
Minister of Finance and Budget of Chad
	In office; 2005–2008
Preceded by	Gata Ngoulou
Succeeded by	Ngeyam Djaibe
Personal details
Born	April 1972 (age 54); Abéché, Chad

Abbas Mahamat Tolli is an economist who served as the 5th Governor of the Bank of Central African States from February 2017 to February 2024.

Background and education

Tolli was born in Abéché, Chad, in 1972. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Quebec.

Career

2001-03: Director-General of the Customs Department
2003-05: Director, Office of the President
2005 Secretary of State for Finance
2005-08: Minister of Finance and Budget of Chad
2008-10: Secretary-General, BEAC
2011-12: Minister of Infrastructure
2012: Secretary-General, COBAC. Tolli oversaw the introduction of a new IT master plan, as well as introducing new banking regulations, notably new capital requirements and new internal control procedures.
2015-16: President, BDEAC: in 2015, the regional bank supervisor, the COBAC, conducted an audit that showed that the Bank's resources were insufficient to meet its loan commitments. An interim action plan was approved by the BDEAC Board of Directors in December 2015. The Action Plan included the modernization of the BDEAC's software and accounting systems; a capital increase; modernizing the governance structure and recruiting new staff; and a focus on loan collections.
2017-24: Governor, BEAC: When Tolli assumed office, the BEAC's international reserves were low, member countries were in recession, and there was some discussion of the possible need for a devaluation of the CFA franc. An operational audit in 2017 laid the groundwork for a reform plan, implemented in the succeeding years, covering monetary operations, macroeconomic management, financial sector reform, and internal management.

On December 13, 2024, the Government of Chad formally nominated Tolli as a candidate in the May 2025 election to the Presidency of the African Development Bank. He had previously received the endorsement of the Economic Community of Central African States.

Controversy

In April 2022, the Central African Republic passed a law adopting the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender, only the second country in the world to do so. Tolli opposed this move as contrary to the regional treaties governing the BEAC. The CAR was eventually compelled to suspend the new law pending the issuance of BEAC regulations governing cryptocurrency in the region.

References

↑ "BEAC : Lumière sur Abbas Mahamat Tolli, le prochain gouverneur". La Tribune (in French). 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
↑ "Five Candidates Vie for the African Development Bank Presidency". Climate Business. 2025-05-28. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
↑ "BCAS's Tolli: Can he help stop a CFA franc devaluation?". The Africa Report.com. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
↑ "REGLEMENT COBAC R-2016/03 RELATIF AUX FONDS PROPRES NETS DES ÉTABLISSEMENTS DE CREDIT" (PDF). Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale. March 8, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
↑ "REGLEMENT COBAC R-2016-04 RELATIF AU CONTRÔLE INTERNE DANS LES ÉTABLISSEMENTS DE CREDIT ET LES HOLDINGS FINANCIERES" (PDF). Banque des États de l'Afrique centrale. March 8, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
↑ Mbadi, Omer (March 1, 2016). "Afrique centrale : la BDEAC sommée de se réformer". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
↑ "Afrique centrale : la BDEAC sommée de se réformer - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
↑ "Central African States Development Bank Annual Report 2015" (PDF). BDEAC.org. September 19, 2024. p. 21. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
↑ Nsom, Blaise Eugene, ed. (September 19, 2024). "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). BEAC.int. pp. 13–17. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
↑ Mounkala, Evrard Ulrich, ed. (September 19, 2024). "Annual Report 2020" (PDF). BEAC.int. pp. 13–16. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
↑ "L'héritage d'Abbas Mahamat Tolli à la Beac en 12 points". EcoMatin (in French). 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
↑ Banque des États de l'Afrique centrale, Bilan de la mandature du Gouverneur de la BEAC, S.E.M. Abbas Mahamat Tolli, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2024, 17 pp.
↑ Ledy, Nephthali Messanh (2018-06-22). "BEAC: Abbas Mahamat Tolli defends his balance sheet". Kapital Afrik. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
↑ Nsoesie, Peter (2024-12-16). "Abbas Mahamat Tolli submits Candidacy for African Development Bank Presidency". CEMAC ECO FINANCE. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
↑ Rédaction, La (2024-03-18). "ECCAS Member states support Candidacy of Abbas Mahamat Tolli for the African Development Bank Presidency". CEMAC ECO FINANCE. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
↑ "Central African Republic adopts bitcoin as an official currency". Reuters.com. April 28, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
↑ "Loi sur les cryptomonnaies : la Centrafrique revoit sa copie". RFI (in French). 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2024-09-14.

[:0-1] "BEAC : Lumière sur Abbas Mahamat Tolli, le prochain gouverneur". La Tribune (in French). 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2024-09-19.

[2] "Five Candidates Vie for the African Development Bank Presidency". Climate Business. 2025-05-28. Retrieved 2025-08-20.

[3] "BCAS's Tolli: Can he help stop a CFA franc devaluation?". The Africa Report.com. Retrieved 2025-08-20.

[4] "REGLEMENT COBAC R-2016/03 RELATIF AUX FONDS PROPRES NETS DES ÉTABLISSEMENTS DE CREDIT" (PDF). Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale. March 8, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2024.

[5] "REGLEMENT COBAC R-2016-04 RELATIF AU CONTRÔLE INTERNE DANS LES ÉTABLISSEMENTS DE CREDIT ET LES HOLDINGS FINANCIERES" (PDF). Banque des États de l'Afrique centrale. March 8, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2024.

[6] Mbadi, Omer (March 1, 2016). "Afrique centrale : la BDEAC sommée de se réformer". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-19.

[7] "Afrique centrale : la BDEAC sommée de se réformer - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-13.

[8] "Central African States Development Bank Annual Report 2015" (PDF). BDEAC.org. September 19, 2024. p. 21. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[9] Nsom, Blaise Eugene, ed. (September 19, 2024). "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). BEAC.int. pp. 13–17. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[10] Mounkala, Evrard Ulrich, ed. (September 19, 2024). "Annual Report 2020" (PDF). BEAC.int. pp. 13–16. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[11] "L'héritage d'Abbas Mahamat Tolli à la Beac en 12 points". EcoMatin (in French). 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-09-14.

[12] Banque des États de l'Afrique centrale, Bilan de la mandature du Gouverneur de la BEAC, S.E.M. Abbas Mahamat Tolli, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2024, 17 pp.

[13] Ledy, Nephthali Messanh (2018-06-22). "BEAC: Abbas Mahamat Tolli defends his balance sheet". Kapital Afrik. Retrieved 2024-09-19.

[14] Nsoesie, Peter (2024-12-16). "Abbas Mahamat Tolli submits Candidacy for African Development Bank Presidency". CEMAC ECO FINANCE. Retrieved 2025-01-02.

[15] Rédaction, La (2024-03-18). "ECCAS Member states support Candidacy of Abbas Mahamat Tolli for the African Development Bank Presidency". CEMAC ECO FINANCE. Retrieved 2025-01-02.

[16] "Central African Republic adopts bitcoin as an official currency". Reuters.com. April 28, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2024.

[17] "Loi sur les cryptomonnaies : la Centrafrique revoit sa copie". RFI (in French). 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2024-09-14.

Abbas Mahamat Tolli


5th Governor of Bank of Central African States
In office 6 February 2017 – 6 February 2024
Vice Governor	Dieudonné Evou Mekou Michel Dzombala
Preceded by	Lucas Abaga Nchama
Succeeded by	Yvon Sana Bangui
Minister of Finance and Budget of Chad
In office 2005–2008
Preceded by	Gata Ngoulou
Succeeded by	Ngeyam Djaibe

Personal details
Born	April 1972 (age 54) Abéché, Chad