World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has hailed Dr. Akinwumi Adesina’s 10-year tenure as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
She recently praised Adesina’s leadership, describing it as historic and developmental.
Speaking via a video message delivered at the close of the Bank’s 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Okonjo-Iweala stated that Adesina has done well to steer AfDB through a period of unprecedented growth and relevance on the global development stage.
Highlighting the commendable expansion of the Bank’s capital under Akinwumi’s leadership, from $93 billion to $318 billion, she declared that his achievement clearly indicates the strength of his development vision.
Ngozi particularly appreciated the AfDB president’s signature “High 5s” development agenda – Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.
According to her, the priorities have offered a vital roadmap for African countries working towards the goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and they’ll go a long way towards delivering measurable impact across critical sectors.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also commended Adesina for his “extraordinary vision and dedication to the economic transformation of Africa.”
Underscoring his strategic leadership in implementing the High 5s agenda, Antonio disclosed that AfDB’s institutional expansion helped it to effectively respond to urgent crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Adesina Akinwumi wraps up his tenure at the end of August, he’ll be leaving behind a robust legacy of a revitalised AfDB that is set to keep shaping the continent’s development trajectory.
