Abidjan: Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the outgoing President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), announced that during his 10-year leadership, the bank directly impacted the lives of over 565 million people. Speaking at a Media Welcome Breakfast to mark the beginning of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the Bank in Abidjan, C´te d’Ivoire, Adesina highlighted the accomplishments achieved under the AfDB’s ‘High 5s’ strategy.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adesina outlined that the High 5s strategy, introduced in 2015, concentrated on five key development priorities: Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. Through this strategy, the AfDB facilitated access to better healthcare for 128 million people, improved transportation for 121 million, and ensured food security for 104 million individuals.
In addition to these achievements, Adesina noted that 63 million people gained access to potable water, 34 million benefited from improved sanitation, and 28 million received electricity. He emphasized that these numbers represent tangible futures and hopes realized, underscoring that development should be measured not just by statistics but by its human impact.
Adesina also highlighted the bank’s significant contributions in regions such as Lesotho, Kenya, Egypt, and Senegal, where interventions have enhanced access to water, energy, and sanitation, while also bridging regional divides. He reaffirmed the importance of the High 5s as the foundation for transformation, which has evolved from strategic priorities into a widely embraced development movement across Africa.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Adesina will formally conclude his tenure at the end of the ongoing annual meetings, during which a new President of the African Development Bank Group will be elected.