Akinwumi Adesina, former President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has declared that Africa’s rise is no longer a matter of speculation but a reality already unfolding, describing the continent as an “investable reality” and “inevitable” in a powerful acceptance speech after receiving a lifetime achievement award.
The recognition came at the 4th African Heritage Awards held in Accra, Ghana, where Adesina was honoured for decades of work in agricultural reform, economic transformation, and sustainable development across Africa.
The award was presented by Ghana’s President John Mahama.
The ceremony, hosted at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel, brought together African leaders, policymakers, and development advocates in what organisers described as a celebration of African excellence and leadership.
Adesina, who recently concluded his decade-long tenure at the helm of the AfDB, said his service to Africa has always been driven by purpose rather than personal recognition.
“I do not serve Africa for applause – I serve Africa as a mission,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.
He used the occasion to present a confident outlook on Africa’s economic future, insisting that the continent is entering a phase of structural growth rather than temporary recovery.
Citing projections from the International Monetary Fund, Adesina stated that Africa is expected to record about 4.2 per cent GDP growth in 2026, positioning it as one of the fastest-growing regions globally.
“This is not cyclical recovery. This is structural revaluation,” he said. “Africa is not just growing. Africa is compounding.”
He pointed to the emergence of major African companies as evidence of progress, including the Dangote Group, MTN Group, Safaricom, and Jumia, which he described as signals of resilience and scale in the continent’s private sector.
Adesina stressed that Africa is no longer a region defined by potential alone but one already participating in shaping global economic outcomes.
“Africa is no longer a promise. Africa is not potential. Africa is an investable reality. Africa is inevitable,” he declared.
The former AfDB chief highlighted what he described as a major imbalance in global capital flows, noting that Africa holds roughly 30 per cent of the world’s critical mineral resources but receives less than five per cent of investment in that sector.
“That gap is not risk. It is mispricing,” he said.
He argued that sectors such as energy, infrastructure, transport, digital systems, and ports represent vast untapped opportunities, but require stronger financial platforms and governance structures to attract large-scale investment.
To address this, he referenced the Global Africa Investment Summit (GAIS), an initiative he co-founded to connect African assets with global institutional investors, including pension and sovereign wealth funds.
“This is not aid. This is not charity. This is alpha,” he said, emphasising that the goal is structured, long-term capital rather than donor-driven support.
Adesina also reflected on his public service career, including his time as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, where he said reforms reached over 15 million farmers and helped modernise parts of the agricultural value chain.
At the AfDB, he noted that the bank’s capital base grew significantly under his leadership and that its projects impacted hundreds of millions of Africans across infrastructure, energy, and food security.
He credited African leaders, including past Nigerian presidents and international figures such as the late Kofi Annan, for their influence on his career and public service philosophy.
Adesina dedicated the award to Nigeria, describing it as the country that shaped his values and provided him early opportunities in public service.
“Nigeria gave me my beginning. It gave me opportunity when opportunity was not guaranteed, ” he said.
He added that his recognition should be viewed not as personal achievement alone but as a reflection of collective effort and African potential.
A message of continental identity
Closing his remarks, Adesina spoke in deeply personal terms about his identity and lifelong commitment to Africa.
“I will live as an African. I will die as an African,” he said, dedicating the award to the continent’s future generations.
He insisted that Africa is already on a trajectory of global influence.
“The question is no longer whether Africa will ascend,” he said. “The question is whether the world is ready for the Africa that has already ascended.”
