Akinwumi Adesina

Akinwumi "Akin" Ayodeji Adesina (born February 6, 1960) is a Nigerian agricultural economist and development expert who currently serves as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group. He is globally recognized for his work in transforming African agriculture and promoting food security, having held high-profile roles in both the public and private sectors. Early Life and Education Adesina was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, into a family of farmers. His father was a farm laborer who encouraged education as a path out of poverty, a value that profoundly shaped Adesina's worldview. He attended a village primary school before completing his secondary education. Adesina pursued higher education at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Agricultural Economics in 1981. He was the first student to achieve this academic distinction in the faculty. Adesina then moved to the United States to continue his studies, earning his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in 1988. Career Progression Adesina began his career in academia and research. From 1990 to 1995, he served as a Senior Economist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). He later spent a decade (1998–2008) at the Rockefeller Foundation, starting as a Principal Scientist and rising to the position of Associate Director for Food Security. His work at the foundation focused on agricultural policy and strategic partnerships across Africa. From 2008 to 2010, Adesina was Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an organization founded by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2010, Adesina was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development by then-President Goodluck Jonathan. During his tenure (2010–2015), he spearheaded major reforms, most notably the implementation of the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) and the introduction of the electronic wallet system (e-Wallet), which successfully eliminated corruption in the fertilizer distribution process and delivered farm inputs directly to millions of farmers via mobile phone technology. Major Achievements and Notable Works Adesina’s leadership has been defined by transformative policy and institutional reform. As Minister of Agriculture, the e-Wallet system was globally recognized as a model for promoting transparency and efficiency in public service delivery. In May 2015, Adesina was elected as the 8th President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group. His presidency has centered around the "High 5s" agenda (Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa), which are aimed at accelerating the continent’s development. Under his leadership, the AfDB achieved a historic general capital increase in 2019, growing its capital base from $93 billion to $208 billion. Adesina is a recognized global figure and recipient of numerous honors. In 2017, he was awarded the World Food Prize for his dedication to food security in Africa. In 2019, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has also been recognized by Forbes as the African Person of the Year. Current Status Akinwumi Adesina was unanimously re-elected for a second five-year term as President of the African Development Bank Group in August 2020. He continues to lead the AfDB in its mission to finance and support economic development and social progress across the continent. His current focus includes climate resilience, digital transformation, and leading the bank's efforts to mobilize resources for post-pandemic economic recovery in Africa.