Adesina’s Decade of Impact: A Farewell to a Visionary Leader Who Changed the Continent

Nume Ekeghe writes on the remarkable legacy of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina whose 10-year presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB) reshaped Africa’s development landscape, reaching over 565 million lives and positioning the institution as a global leader in transformative finance

As the sun set on the 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, the atmosphere was charged with emotion, nostalgia, and pride. Delegates, partners, and leaders from across Africa and beyond came together not just to close another fiscal year, but to bid farewell to a man whose leadership left an indelible mark on the continent: Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

For me, as a journalist covering development finance and policy, I have seen many leaders take the stage. But few have carried the weight of vision, passion, and results quite like Dr. Adesina. I am proud and honored to have known and met a truly remarkable leader whose belief in Africa was not just rhetorical but deeply rooted in action and accountability.

The Beginning of a Bold Journey

When Dr. Adesina became President of the AfDB in 2015, Africa was at a crossroads. The continent was grappling with weak infrastructure, limited power supply, rising poverty, and a growing youth population with few opportunities. Adesina arrived with a farmer’s heart, an economist’s mind, and a reformer’s soul. A former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, he understood that Africa’s challenges were not a matter of potential, but of priorities.

He quickly set the tone for his presidency by unveiling the “High 5s” — five strategic priorities that would guide the Bank’s investments and partnerships: Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

Over the next decade, those High 5s became more than institutional goals. They became the lens through which AfDB evaluated impact, the framework for aligning government priorities, and the narrative that reshaped how the world perceived Africa.

Measured in Millions, Felt in Lives

In his closing speech, Dr. Adesina did more than list statistics—he delivered a legacy. The African Development Bank, under his leadership and through the High 5 agenda, reached more than 565 million people across Africa. These weren’t just numbers. They were lives transformed.

Some 128 million people gained access to improved health services, allowing mothers to safely give birth in hospitals and rural communities to combat diseases with dignity and strength. Another 121 million benefited from improved transport infrastructure, leading to thriving regional trade and the opening of new economic corridors that were once inaccessible.

Food security, once an elusive dream for many, became a reality for 104 million Africans. By empowering farmers with financing, technology, and better inputs, the Bank helped create food systems that are not just productive but sustainable. In regions once plagued by drought and scarcity, food is now being harvested with confidence and scale.

Water and sanitation—often the difference between dignity and despair—reached 63 million and 34 million people respectively. Clean water now flows through taps in villages that once relied on rivers and distant wells. Sanitation services have been extended, especially to women and children, with tangible improvements in public health.

Perhaps most symbolically, 28 million people were connected to electricity. That means 28 million Africans now live in communities where evening light is no longer a luxury. Children can study at night, businesses can run longer, and communities can thrive under streetlights instead of darkness.

These achievements were not theoretical metrics—they were real, human experiences made possible by infrastructure, finance, and commitment. They represent a woman in Dakar opening a hair salon with reliable electricity, a truck driver in East Africa delivering goods in half the time thanks to better roads, or a schoolgirl in Kano doing homework at night under a solar lamp.

Adesina’s numbers tell a story of hope grounded in practical delivery. They reflect a Bank that became more than a financier—it became a builder of dreams. Every borehole, road, clinic, and power line speaks of a decade where vision met execution.

Beyond the impressive reach of these interventions lies the ripple effect. As more people gain access to electricity, the digital economy is booming. As more roads are paved, intra-African trade strengthens. As agriculture becomes more productive, food prices stabilize and livelihoods improve. Each figure becomes a catalyst for even broader transformation.

In his farewell message, Adesina reminded the world that development isn’t about big speeches—it’s about better lives. And in that regard, his presidency delivered abundantly. The High 5s were more than policy—they were personal. They were about reconnecting Africans to possibility.

As he concluded his speech, the applause that followed wasn’t just for the numbers. It was for the dignity restored, the opportunities created, and the pride rekindled in a continent long told to wait for progress. Dr. Adesina proved that the future doesn’t have to wait. It can be built, one life at a time.

Abidjan: A City Reimagined

As part of the closing events, we joined a special media tour of AfDB-funded infrastructure projects in Abidjan — a testament to what visionary finance can achieve. The 4th Abidjan Bridge, spanning 1.4 kilometers, connects Plateau and Adjamé to Yopougon. It has reduced a three-hour commute to just ten minutes, with the potential to transform not just traffic, but time and productivity.

The larger Abidjan Urban Transport Project (PTUA) covers 88 km of highways, upgraded intersections, smart traffic control, and relocation housing for displaced communities. It is projected to cut over 900,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually starting in 2024.

Then there’s the Government Social Programme Support Project (PA-PSGOUV), which has provided jobs and training to over 10,000 youth, empowered 9,500 women entrepreneurs, built 36 health centers, and revitalized entire value chains from cassava to aquaculture.

These aren’t just projects; they are blueprints. They demonstrate what it means when a bank becomes a partner for people, not just governments.

Crises Met with Courage

Adesina’s leadership was tested not just by development hurdles, but by global crises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the AfDB responded swiftly with a $10 billion Crisis Response Facility. When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatened food security, Adesina launched the $1.5 billion Emergency Food Production Facility, helping 13 million farmers across 29 countries produce 44 million tonnes of food.

At every turn, he demonstrated that development finance was not just about numbers, but about urgency, courage, and results.

Rewriting the Rules of Development Finance

Perhaps one of Adesina’s most lasting legacies lies in what he did to reposition the Bank itself. Under his leadership, the African Development Bank underwent a financial transformation of unprecedented scale. The Bank achieved its largest-ever capital increase, growing from $93 billion to $318 billion—a powerful affirmation of global confidence in the institution’s governance and future direction. This expansion significantly increased the Bank’s lending capacity, enabling it to take on more ambitious, high-impact projects across the continent.

In parallel, the African Development Fund—the Bank’s concessional arm for low-income countries—secured a historic $8.9 billion replenishment, unlocking vital resources for fragile states and the poorest African countries. This remarkable boost in donor support reaffirmed the Bank’s role as a reliable and effective partner in delivering results where they matter most.

Beyond headline numbers, Adesina’s AfDB pioneered groundbreaking financial instruments. The Bank became the first multilateral development institution to successfully implement hybrid capital and synthetic securitisation structures. These innovations unlocked fresh capital by leveraging the Bank’s existing balance sheet, giving the institution new financial headroom without compromising its prudence or credit ratings.

Hybrid capital, long used in the private sector, was adapted to the development finance space through AfDB’s leadership. It allowed the Bank to strengthen its Tier 1 capital and expand its loan book while preserving financial sustainability. Synthetic securitisation, on the other hand, enabled AfDB to transfer credit risk from its loan portfolio, freeing up capital for new investments—particularly in underserved regions and climate-resilient infrastructure.

These tools were more than just accounting innovations; they signaled a shift in how Africa could finance its development. They provided the continent with leverage, fiscal flexibility, and resilience in the face of rising debt and declining aid flows. They demonstrated that Africa’s institutions could compete and collaborate on equal footing with the world’s best.

The cumulative effect of these reforms was not only improved credit ratings and greater investor confidence but also a repositioning of AfDB as a standard-setter in global development finance. The Bank was no longer just a regional lender; it had become a model for innovation and agility—redefining what it means to finance inclusive, sustainable development in the 21st century.

Bringing Africa to the Table

Adesina was also a tireless advocate for Africa on the global stage. He pushed for greater African representation in G20 decision-making, called for a fairer global financial architecture, and rallied support for Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to be reallocated to Africa.

He reminded the world, time and again, that Africa did not need pity. It needed partnerships. Not charity, but capital.

Legacy Through Leadership

Inside the Bank, Adesina was known for being both exacting and inspiring. He demanded excellence, but he gave respect. He traveled often, not just to meet presidents, but to listen to farmers, businesswomen, students, and engineers.

In his farewell address, he said:

“You, our Governors, put the wind behind our sails. You, our Board of Directors, ensured we sailed in the right direction. You, my staff, were the ones who trimmed the sails, steered the rudder, and kept the engine of this great ship running. I trusted you, and you never failed.”

He also expressed deep appreciation to his wife, Grace, for standing by him throughout the journey. It was a deeply human moment in a room filled with suits, statistics, and applause.

A Future Already in Motion

As the Bank transitions to a new president, Adesina’s impact is not fading. The policies he set in motion, the platforms he built, and the trust he restored have already created momentum. Just this year, Nigeria replenished the Nigeria Trust Fund with $500 million and extended its timeline to 2040. That’s not just support; it’s belief.

His successor, Sidi Ould Tah, inherits a strong institution with global respect, regional relevance, and continental reach. But more than that, he inherits a standard — a culture of excellence and purpose forged over ten years of tireless service.

A Personal Reflection

As a Nigerian, and as an African, I felt immense pride watching Adesina walk through the halls of the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan this week. Not because he is from my country, but because he is from our continent.

He showed us what African leadership can look like — bold, brilliant, and accountable. He reminded us that the job of leadership is not just to manage problems, but to imagine solutions.

From clean energy corridors in East Africa to irrigation farms in the Sahel, from women entrepreneurs in Lagos to cassava processors in Bouaké, the evidence of his work is everywhere. But perhaps the greatest proof is the renewed confidence Africans now have in their own future.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as President of the African Development Bank Group and to serve Africa,” he said in his final remarks. “I will forever value the shared moments we’ve had for the past ten years. I will keep precious memories of you all as treasures.”

The Beat Goes On

To borrow his words: the beat goes on. The heartbeat of the African Development Bank is stronger, louder, and more unified than ever. Not because of one man, but because one man chose to serve with everything he had.