Adesina Vows to Champion Africa’s Growth Beyond AfDB Presidency

Adesina, often dubbed the “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief”, opened his speech by expressing deep confidence in Africa’s future.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the outgoing President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has declared that his mission to mobilize global capital for Africa’s development will endure long after his term ends on September 1, 2025. Speaking at the Standard Chartered Africa Summit 2025 in Lagos, Adesina delivered a compelling keynote titled “Tilting Global Capital for Unlocking Investment Opportunities in Africa”, where he vowed to remain a passionate advocate for Africa’s future.

“As I step into a new future, you can be sure this will be my focus! For I will always have Africa in my heart and in my sight,” he told a packed audience of business leaders, policymakers, and innovators.

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Driving Optimism, Innovation and Financial Transformation

Adesina, often dubbed the “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief”, opened his speech by expressing deep confidence in Africa’s future. The summit—held under the theme “Africa to the Globe: Innovation, Resilience, and Growth”—saw the convergence of top global and African influencers including Aliko Dangote, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Highlighting AfDB’s transformation over the last decade under his leadership, Adesina emphasized the bank’s bold financial innovations and impact:

• $102 billion in low-cost financing disbursed since 2015.

• Capital base increased from $93 billion to $318 billion — the highest in the bank’s history.

• $225 billion in investment interest mobilized through the Africa Investment Forum since 2018.

• $14 billion in social bond issuances, the largest among multilateral development banks.

• Issued $10 billion in global benchmark bonds in 2025 to finance African projects.

• Launched the first private sector hybrid capital transaction, with a book order of $5.1 billion.

• Created $2 billion in new sovereign lending headroom through the Room to Run initiative.

• Pioneered Panda Bonds, enabling Egypt to raise $500 million on the Chinese capital market.

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Partnerships with Impact

Dr. Adesina praised Standard Chartered Bank for its instrumental role in African financing. He specifically referenced the €533 million partial credit guarantee to Côte d'Ivoire, a deal that won the 2025 ‘Sovereign Syndicated Loan Deal of the Year’.

He also acknowledged Standard Chartered’s recognition as the Best Transaction Bank at the Asset Triple A Treasurise Awards in Hong Kong, applauding its 127 accolades as evidence of world-class banking excellence.

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A New Era of Capital Flow, Youth Investment and Agro Transformation

Calling for a seismic shift in global finance, Adesina urged international financial institutions to partner more deeply with multilateral development banks like the AfDB. His call to action emphasized:

• Increased risk mitigation and credit enhancement tools.

• Greater use of ESG-aligned investments.

• Scaled-up local currency financing solutions to drive sustainability.

• Leveraging Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) as hybrid capital to multiply impact by 4 to 8 times.

He also revealed that the AfDB will soon launch a Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank in Nigeria, as part of a larger continental plan to equip young Africans with the tools to build and fund their ventures.

Meanwhile, Phase 1 of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) has begun rolling out across eight Nigerian states, including Kaduna, Cross River, Oyo, and Ogun—with Phase 2 to extend to the remaining 28 states starting September 2025.

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Nigeria: A Strategic Development Anchor

AfDB’s current $5.1 billion portfolio in Nigeria is the bank’s largest. With an even split between public and private sector operations, it demonstrates AfDB’s dual approach to development: working with governments while also enabling private enterprise.

National operations account for 84% of projects, with 16% being multinational, reflecting Nigeria’s central role in regional development strategies.

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A Legacy Beyond Titles

As his presidency concludes, Adesina reaffirmed his commitment to Africa’s transformation. His next chapter, while undefined, will focus on redirecting the global financial architecture to better serve Africa’s vast opportunities.

“You can be sure this will be my focus,” he concluded. “I will always have Africa in my heart and in my sight.”

With visionary leadership, bold innovations, and unmatched passion, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina continues to chart a new course for Africa’s place in the global economic order.