In a milestone celebration of African leadership, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina's decade-long impact on continental development has earned him the inaugural "African of the Decade" award. The African Development Bank Group President received this distinguished honor at last week's Africa Investment Forum in Rabat, marking a defining moment in the history of the All-Africa Business Leaders Awards.
The prestigious award, introduced by the ABN Group in collaboration with CNBC Africa, honors individuals who have made a lasting and profound impact on the continent. Dr. Adesina, who will conclude his 10-year tenure as head of the African Development Bank Group next year, is widely celebrated for his visionary leadership and achievements in improving the lives of millions across Africa.
ABN Group Chairman Rakesh Wahi presented the award to Dr. Adesina during the 2024 Africa Investment Forum in Rabat, Morocco. In a citation read by CNBC Africa Chief Editor Godfrey Mutizwa, the awards committee praised Adesina for his unwavering commitment to ethical and responsible leadership and his ability to drive meaningful change across Africa, particularly through the Bank’s High5 strategic priorities.
“Dr. Adesina has demonstrated a significant impact on the African continent through innovative solutions, projects, or initiatives that address the continent's pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges. He has consistently shown leadership, vision, and dedication, driving positive change in sustainable development in Africa,” Wahi said.
The awards committee highlighted Adesina’s innovative collaborations, including leading the African Development Bank in a groundbreaking partnership with the World Bank to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans.
The award also recognizes Adesina’s earlier role as Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister.
“Over ten years ago, Dr. Akinmumi Adesina's impactful tenure as Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture revolutionized the country's agro-industrial value chains and transformed the lives of millions of small-holder farmers,” Wahi stated.
Under Adesina’s tenure, Nigeria ended 40 years of corruption in the fertilizer sector by developing and implementing an innovative electronic wallet system, which directly provides farmers with subsidized farm inputs at scale using their mobile phones.
Since assuming leadership of the African Development Bank in 2015, Adesina, a World Food Prize laureate, has been instrumental in attracting global investment, championed innovative development strategies, and consistently positioned Africa as a continent of immense potential and opportunity.
Accompanied by his wife Mrs Grace Yemisi Adesina, the African Development Bank president expressed his gratitude for the honor, describing the award as a testament to what is possible in the transformative power of Africa’s potential. “I dedicate this recognition to the resilient people of Africa and all those working tirelessly to advance the continent’s development,” he said.
“God did not make a mistake when he made me an African…and I will do all I can, to my final breath, for Africa,” Adesina vowed.