Akinwumi Adesina, CON, CGH

November 3, 2025 Nigerian CEO Leading Ceos, Top 100 CEOs Comments Off on Akinwumi Adesina, CON, CGH

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, CON, CGH – Former President, African Development Bank

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is a Nigerian economist and global development leader who served as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) from 2015 to 2025. He was the first Nigerian to hold this position, and during his tenure, he championed agricultural transformation, infrastructure development, and financial innovation across Africa. Prior to AfDB, he served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (2010–2015), where he introduced landmark reforms to modernize the sector.

Early Life & Education

  • Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, into a farming family.

  • Attended Ejigbo Baptist High School (EBHS).

  • B.Sc. Agricultural Economics (First Class Honours) – University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), 1981. First student to achieve this distinction.

  • Ph.D. Agricultural Economics – Purdue University, Indiana, 1988. Awarded Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis.

  • Founded the African Student Fellowship at Purdue with his wife and colleagues.

Career Journey

  • West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), Ivory Coast (1990–1995) – Senior Economist.

  • Rockefeller Foundation (1988–2008) – Rose from Senior Scientist to Associate Director for Food Security; represented Southern Africa (1999–2003).

  • Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) – Vice President, Policy & Partnerships.

  • Minister of Agriculture, Nigeria (2010–2015) – Introduced transparency in the fertilizer supply chain, promoted mobile technology for farmers, and earned recognition as Forbes African Man of the Year.

  • African Development Bank (2015–2025) –

    • Elected President in May 2015; re-elected in August 2020.

    • Advocated for agricultural transformation, energy access, and industrialization.

    • Awarded the World Food Prize (2017) for his contributions to food security.

    • Stepped down in September 2025 after two terms; succeeded by Sidi Ould Tah, former Mauritanian finance minister.

Awards & Honours

  • 2010 – Borlaug CAST Communication Award

  • 2013 & 2019 – Forbes Africa Person of the Year

  • 2015 – Named among Top 100 Most Influential Africans (New African magazine)

  • 2017 – World Food Prize

  • 2018–2024 – Multiple honorary doctorates from universities in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tunisia

  • National Honour (Nigeria) – Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (2012)

  • Foreign Honours:

    • Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (Kenya, 2025)

    • Grand Officer of the Order of Valour (Cameroon, 2017)

    • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Africa (Liberia, 2018)

    • Grand Officer of the National Order of Niger (2017)

    • Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion (Senegal, 2015)

    • Grand Commander of the Order of Mono (Togo, 2018)

    • Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit (Tunisia, 2019)

    • Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia (2023)

Key Legacy

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is celebrated as one of Africa’s foremost development economists. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to agricultural transformation, food security, and inclusive economic growth. At AfDB, he positioned the institution as a driver of Africa’s development agenda, while his ministerial reforms in Nigeria reshaped agricultural policy. His global recognition underscores his role as a visionary leader who bridged policy, innovation, and impact across Africa.

 

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