As A Decade Of Dr Akinwunmi Adesina’s Leadership Ends At AfDB, By Victor Oladokun

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As the sun rises on September 1, 2025, a pivotal chapter will unfold at the #AfricanDevelopmentBank Group. After a transformative decade, Dr. #AkinwumiAdesina, the visionary Nigerian agricultural economist and eighth President, will pass on the baton to Dr. #SidiOuldTah, the Mauritanian trailblazer who is poised to steer Africa’s premier development institution into its next era.

The handover is not merely a change of guard. It is a testament to Africa’s relentless march toward prosperity, where innovative leadership bridges the triumphs of the past with the enormous promises of the future.

Dr. Adesina, a globally recognized Economist, was born in Nigeria and forged in the fields of agriculture. He rose from Minister of Agriculture to become #AfDB President in 2015. Under his leadership and his ‘#High5’ strategic agenda to Light up Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the lives of Africa’s 1.2 billion, the #AfDB has impacted the lives of 565 million Africans, including 231 million women. Under his stewardship, the Bank’s capital soared from $93 billion to $318 billion, the largest increase in its history, fueling infrastructure, agriculture, and resilience amid crises. Major initiatives such as the #AfricaInvestmentForum, #AFAWA, #FeedAfricaSummit, #SAPZs, and the #Mission300 Africa Energy Summit, are some of the hallmarks of his Presidency.

He once said, “The legacy of a good leader is built on kindness.” His compassionate drive to uplift the vulnerable and turn Africa’s potential into transformative progress is what drives him.

As Shakespeare once said, “The world is a stage, and all men and women have their exits and entrances.”

Enter Dr. #SidiOuldTah, born in 1964 in Mederdra, Mauritania, with a Ph.D. in Economics from France’s Nice-Sophia-Antipolis University. His career spans public service as Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance, and a decade leading the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (#BADEA), where he orchestrated institutional reforms, expanded financing, and fostered Arab-African partnerships.

Elected AfDB’s ninth President in May 2025, Tah brings a legacy and spirit of unity and acceleration to his new task. His words, “Africa’s moment is now. Let’s not manage development; we must accelerate it,” already signal his commitment to bold and inclusive growth.

As all roads lead to Abidjan this weekend, continuity and acceleration will be imperative as Adesina’s foundations propel Tah’s innovations.

To Dr. Adesina, may your next adventure and journey amplify your significant global impact and continue to inspire generations to come.

To Dr. Ould Tah, may the sage wisdom that has come to characterize your career, take Africa’s premier development institution to greater heights of accomplishment and impact. I wish you great success and Godspeed as you unlock Africa’s boundless horizons.

Together, Africa’s destiny is in African hands.

Onward always!