The accomplishments of Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, in revolutionizing Nigeria's agricultural sector during his tenure as the country's Minister of Agriculture have received praise. Mezuo Nwuneli, the Managing Partner of Sahel Capital Agribusiness Managers, expressed commendation in a report published by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). According to Nwuneli, Dr. Adesina effectively communicated the exciting opportunities in Nigeria's agricultural sector to the public, including the youth, during his time as Minister. His ability to generate enthusiasm and interest among the people resulted in a significant influx of young individuals entering the sector.
As Minister of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015, Dr. Adesina showcased his bold reformist approach by transforming Nigeria's agriculture sector within just four years. He successfully addressed 40 years of corruption in the fertilizer sector by implementing an innovative electronic wallet system. This system empowered farmers by providing them with subsidized farm inputs directly through their mobile phones. Within the initial four years of its launch, the electronic wallet system reached an impressive 15 million farmers, leading to a remarkable improvement in their lives.
Dr. Adesina's contributions have been recognized globally, as he was honored with the World Food Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for Agriculture," on October 19, 2017. Additionally, he was recently appointed as one of the global leaders to spearhead the fight against malnutrition, food, and nutrition security under the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. This movement involves representatives from 65 countries, 4 Indian states, numerous civil society organizations, businesses, UN agencies, and finance institutions. The aim is to combat malnutrition through a comprehensive, country-driven, multi-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder approach, with the ultimate goal of creating a malnutrition-free world by 2030.
Under Dr. Adesina's leadership, the African Development Bank Group achieved a historic milestone by experiencing the highest capital increase since its establishment in 1964. Shareholders from 80 member countries raised the general capital from $93 billion to an unprecedented $208 billion on October 31, 2019. This significant increase demonstrates the confidence and support placed in Dr. Adesina's vision and leadership at the helm of the African Development Bank Group.
