Akinwumi Adesina is handing the reins of the African Development Bank (AfDB) over to Sidi Ould Tah, closing a decade chapter that earned him the tag of ‘Africa’s optimist-in-chief.’
Known for his bright bow ties and even brighter smile, he has become one of Africa’s most recognisable champions of transformation, insisting that the continent must shift from aid dependency to harnessing its own vast potential.
Born in Ibadan to a farming family, Adesina’s early years were steeped in agriculture. A first-class graduate in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ife, he went on to pursue university studies in the United States.
His career began with research roles in Côte d’Ivoire, before he returned to Nigeria as minister of agriculture in 2010. There, he introduced transparency into the fertiliser supply chain and earned global recognition, including Forbes’ African of the Year in 2013.
When he was elected AfDB president in 2015, being the first Nigerian to do so, Adesina wasted no time redefining the bank as ‘a solutions bank for Africa.’
Read also: Cote d’ Ivoire to swear in Sidi Ould Tah as 9th AfDB president
His ‘High 5s Agenda’, including Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa, became the institution’s compass.
By 2024, AfDB could point to more than 500 million lives improved across the continent, while maintaining its AAA rating from global agencies.
Energy, food security remained his deepest passions
Through the ‘Desert to Power’ initiative, AfDB set out to build the world’s largest solar zone across 11 Sahel countries, with potential to connect 250 million people. His background as an agricultural economist shaped the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation programme, which spread climate-smart seeds like drought-tolerant maize and heat-resistant wheat to millions of farmers.
Adesina also launched the Africa Investment Forum in 2018, designed to close deals, rather than host speeches. By the 2024 edition in Morocco, billions of dollars in commitments had been mobilised. “Investments, not aid, will drive Africa’s growth,” he declared.
Women and youth were central to his vision. The Jobs for Youth in Africa initiative targeted 25 million jobs by 2025, while the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa worked to close a $42 billion financing gap, unlocking over $1 billion in loans for women entrepreneurs and aiming higher.
His presidency was also tested. In 2020, allegations of misconduct threatened his re-election, but an independent probe cleared him, and he secured a unanimous second term.
During COVID-19, AfDB launched a $10 billion facility and issued a record $3 billion ‘Fight COVID-19’ social bond. He later set up the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation to help Africa produce its own medicines.
He leaves with some medals under his belt, including the World Food Prize in 2017 and Sunhak Peace Prize in 2019 when he donated his $500,000 share to fighting hunger. “There cannot be peace in a world that is hungry,” Adesina said during the ceremony. He was also named the African of the Year by African Leadership Magazine readers, and most recently, the Obafemi Awolowo Leadership Prize in 2023.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan praised him for ‘extraordinary dedication and commitment,’ while Tony Blair, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, lauded his ‘bold interventions to address some of the greatest challenges of our time.’
As Adesina bows out, his legacy stands in. he was a leader who preached resilience and proved that Africa’s future could be shaped from within.
