The World Trade Organization has praised the legacy of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, describing his leadership as a source of pride for Nigeria and the African continent.
In a statement issued by the AfDB on Thursday, the Director-General of the WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, commended Adesina’s decade-long transformative leadership, which she said significantly elevated the Bank’s global standing and advanced Africa’s development agenda.
Okonjo-Iweala made the remarks in a video message to AfDB shareholders and delegates at the closing session of the Bank’s Annual Meetings 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 said. She recalled their time working together in the cabinet of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, where Adesina spearheaded groundbreaking agricultural reforms, including the digital wallet system that empowered women 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. 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,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance in 2015, played a pivotal role in Adesina’s election as AfDB President. She highlighted the remarkable growth of the Bank’s capital base under his leadership, which surged from $93 billion to $318 billion. She also lauded his “High 5s” strategic agenda—focused on energy, agriculture, industrialization, regional integration, and improving quality of life—as critical to achieving Africa’s Agenda 2063.
“His leadership has significantly raised the profile of the AfDB to a new height of recognition and respectability,” she noted. “With sustained commitment and strategic focus, Africa’s development goals remain achievable.”
The WTO chief urged African nations to take greater ownership of their development and convert growing global interest into tangible investment opportunities. She also commended the African Investment Forum, an initiative co-founded by Adesina and eight partners to accelerate infrastructure and development projects.
“The initiative complements the WTO’s efforts to promote economic integration and development in Africa,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala expressed gratitude to African leaders, shareholders, and AfDB staff for their support throughout Adesina’s tenure. She also paid tribute to his wife, Grace, for her “steadfast support for her husband’s demanding role” over the past decade.
Adesina, who assumed office in 2015, is concluding his second five-year term as AfDB President, leaving behind a legacy of institutional growth and impactful development programs across the continent.
