NEWS
Adesina Bows Out After Transformational Decade at AfDB: 565 Million Lives Touched, $318bn Capital Base Secured
In a valedictory moment laced with emotion, data, and vision, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, outgoing President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), declared that more than 565 million Africans directly benefited from the Bank’s strategic interventions under his 10-year leadership.
Speaking at the opening breakfast of the 2025 AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Adesina reflected on what he called a “decade of relentless purpose and tireless service,” underscoring the deep developmental impact of the Bank’s flagship High 5s agenda—a results-driven strategy focused on five transformative pillars:
👉 Light Up and Power Africa
👉 Feed Africa
👉 Industrialise Africa
👉 Integrate Africa
👉 Improve the Quality of Life for Africans
“These are not just numbers—they are hopes realised, futures secured, and dignity restored,” Adesina stated.
“Development must ultimately be measured not just in GDP growth but in human uplift.”
From Vision to Movement: The High 5s Legacy
What began in 2015 as a strategic framework quickly evolved into a continental development doctrine, embraced by policymakers, regional blocs, and international partners. Under the High 5s:
- 128 million people gained access to improved healthcare
- 121 million accessed safer and more efficient transport
- 104 million achieved food security
- 63 million secured access to clean water
- 34 million benefitted from better sanitation
- 28 million were connected to electricity
From rural Lesotho to urban Egypt, and across infrastructure corridors in Senegal and Kenya, the Bank’s interventions under Adesina helped bridge the infrastructure-financing gap, regional inequalities, and quality-of-life disparities.
Banking on Scale: From $93bn to $318bn in Capital Strength
Adesina’s tenure was not just development-focused; it was financially historic. Under his watch, the AfDB achieved:
✅ The largest capital increase in its history—growing from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion in 2025
✅ A record $8.9 billion replenishment for the African Development Fund (ADF)
✅ Breakthroughs in global financial innovation—becoming the first multilateral development bank to launch hybrid capital instruments and synthetic securitization
“We didn’t just change the numbers—we redefined Africa’s development banking narrative globally,” Adesina said.
“Today, the AfDB is not only Africa’s bank—it is one of the world’s most respected multilateral financial institutions.”
A President, A Purpose, A Legacy in Grey
With trademark humility and humour, Adesina noted the grey hairs he had acquired over his decade at the helm—not from age, but from the weight of purpose.
“When I started, there was no grey hair. Now, they are a testimony to the battles, the breakthroughs, and the belief that Africa can rise,” he said.
“Grey from holding nothing back in the service of the continent.”
His leadership was defined by a focus on inclusive growth, agricultural transformation, youth entrepreneurship, and a deep commitment to lifting millions out of poverty, values consistent with his earlier work as Nigeria’s reformist Minister of Agriculture (2011–2015).
AfDB’s Next Chapter: Mobilising Capital for Africa’s Growth
The 2025 Annual Meetings, themed “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development”, come at a critical time. Amid fiscal constraints and global capital tightening, AfDB is now positioning itself to lead the charge on capital mobilisation, institutional strengthening, and green financing.
Key highlights from this year’s sessions include:
- The Presidential Dialogue on Sovereign Capital Efficiency
- The launch of the 2025 African Economic Outlook
- Strategic engagements with global and regional investors
As Adesina prepares to hand over the baton, the Bank faces both an opportunity and an obligation—to build on a legacy of impact and continue engineering Africa’s structural transformation.
BRANDECONOMY Insight
Adesina didn’t just lead AfDB—he remade it. In an era of rising populism and shrinking development aid, he made the case for Africa as a credible investment destination. His departure marks the end of an era—but his blueprint will likely guide Africa’s next decade of growth.
Adesina’s Impact in Figures
- Lives Impacted: 565 Million
- Capital Raised (AfDB): $318 Billion
- ADF Replenishment: $8.9 Billion
- Loan Innovations: First multilateral bank to deploy hybrid capital tools
- Tenure: 2015–2025
