Dr. Akinwumi Adesina’s decade-long leadership at the helm of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has been hailed as a defining legacy for Nigeria and the African continent. According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), his contributions have elevated the institution’s global standing and advanced the continent’s development agenda.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, delivered this praise in a video message aired during the closing ceremony of the AfDB’s Annual Meetings, which concluded this week in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
“President Akinwumi Adesina is leaving behind a strong legacy of leadership and service. Nigerians and all Africans should be proud,” Okonjo-Iweala stated, commending the outgoing president’s impactful tenure.
Reflecting on their shared history in Nigeria’s federal cabinet under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala spoke warmly of Adesina’s innovative reforms in agriculture, particularly his use of digital wallets to empower female farmers.
“I challenged him to reach an additional one to two million women farmers, promising performance-based budget support. He delivered, reaching two million more,” she recalled. “That’s the kind of leader Akin is. He brought uncommon passion to his work and made a difference to the lives of farmers in the country.”
The WTO chief, who once served as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, was instrumental in rallying support for Adesina’s first election to the AfDB presidency in 2015.
Under his stewardship, the Bank’s capital base witnessed exponential growth — from $93 billion to $318 billion — an achievement Okonjo-Iweala described as “remarkable.”
She further praised Adesina’s “High 5s” agenda, a development strategy targeting five key priorities: power, food security, industrialisation, regional integration, and improved quality of life for Africans.
“His leadership has significantly raised the profile of the AfDB to a new height of recognition and respectability,” she said. “With sustained commitment and strategic focus, Africa’s development goals remain achievable.”
Okonjo-Iweala also highlighted the significance of the African Investment Forum — a platform spearheaded by Adesina in collaboration with eight institutional partners to mobilise private capital for infrastructure development.
She linked the initiative to broader efforts by the WTO to encourage deeper economic integration and sustainable development across Africa.
Concluding her remarks, she extended gratitude to African leaders, shareholders, and AfDB staff for the support shown to Adesina during his tenure. She also acknowledged his wife, Grace Adesina, for her unwavering support.
Dr. Adesina, first elected in 2015 and re-elected for a second term in 2020, is preparing to step down after ten years as president of the AfDB. His term is widely viewed as transformative, both within the institution and across Africa.
