AfDB: Adesina to Be Sworn-in Today

The re-elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, will today be sworn-in to serve a five-year term.

The ceremony, according to the AfDB in a statement yesterday, will be held virtually at 9a.m.

Adesina, Nigeria’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, was re-elected last week after getting 100 per cent votes of all regional and nonregional members of the bank.

The election took place on the final day of the 2020 Annual Meetings of the multilateral bank held virtually, and the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Bank, Mrs. Niale Kaba, Minister of National Planning of Côte d’Ivoire announced his victory, making him the first Nigerian to be elected and re-elected to serve as the bank’s president.

Adesina’s first term in office focused on new agenda for the Bank Group based on five development priorities known as the High 5s: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialise Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

During his initial five-year term, the bank was able to impact the lives of 335 million Africans, including 18 million people with access to electricity; 141 million people benefiting from improved agricultural technologies for food security; 15 million people benefiting from access to finance from private investments; 101 million people provided with access to improved transport; and 60 million people gaining access to water and sanitation.