When Akinwumi Adesina became president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2015, he vowed to make it more than just a lender. “Not just numbers, but lives,” he told his board. Ten years on, as he bows out of office, the visionary economist leaves behind a legacy that reflects Africa’s own journey of transformation—hard-fought, imperfect, yet filled with hope.
“I see myself as an instrument of change,” he once said. “My life only matters to the extent that it is used by God to transform the lives of people.”
Adesina’s story begins in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he grew up in a farming family and attended a village school. Poverty was not abstract but lived reality. “When the agriculture sector worked, the children of farmers were in school. When it failed, they were out of school,” he recalled. He remembered asking his father why he sent him to a village school. His father replied, “Akin, I don’t know what God is ever going to make of you, but when you live in a village, you see the reality of life. Whatever God makes of you, you’ll know exactly what to do.” That became his guiding light.
It carried him through academic excellence—graduating with first-class honours in agricultural economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, earning a PhD at Purdue University, and winning awards for his research. But even then, Adesina was clear: economics was never about charts or models. “For me, inequality is not a theoretical concept,” he said. “It’s a reality I lived as a kid.”
As Nigeria’s agriculture minister from 2010 to 2015, Adesina transformed a sector long crippled by inefficiency, earning the title of African Man of the Year from Forbes. But it was at the AfDB that his vision reached its fullest expression. With the launch of the Bank’s “High 5s”—light up and power Africa, feed Africa, industrialise Africa, integrate Africa, and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa—he charted a bold course for the continent.
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The results were staggering: 565 million lives touched across Africa. “These are not just figures,” he stressed. “They are futures. They are hopes realised.”
His greying hair, the 65-year-old joked, was evidence of a decade spent in relentless service. “When I was elected in 2015, I did not have any grey hair. Now, my hair has turned several shades of grey—from ten years of unrelenting drive to push Africa forward. Grey from holding nothing back in service of the people of Africa.”
The numbers speak for themselves. Under his leadership, the AfDB’s capital base expanded from $93 billion to $318 billion. Its coveted AAA credit rating was preserved. The Bank secured the largest-ever replenishment of the African Development Fund, raising $8.9 billion. He also launched the African Investment Forum, mobilising billions in private capital for projects across the continent.
It was not without turbulence. In 2020, anonymous allegations of misconduct threatened his re-election. “I maintain my innocence with regard to trumped-up allegations that unjustly sought to impugn my honour and integrity,” he declared. An internal inquiry cleared him of all charges, and he was unanimously re-elected. “Just because you are African doesn’t mean you are corrupt,” he said defiantly, turning a potential downfall into a powerful affirmation.
Through it all, Adesina remained anchored in faith, family, and mission. His wife, Grace, stood by him through the sacrifices of leadership. “This is not a job,” he often said. “If anyone is looking for a job, please don’t take it. This is not a job. This is a mission. For ten years, I had no life—completely zero. I worked every single day. Every single step.”
His mission at the AfDB may be over, but his story—of vision, grit, and faith—will continue to inspire generations across Africa.
