Akinwumi Adesina, often hailed as “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief,” is a distinguished Nigerian economist and expert in agricultural development. Since 2015, he has been serving as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), a role in which he was re-elected for a second term in 2020. Adesina is celebrated for his visionary leadership and significant contributions to transforming agriculture and economic growth across Africa.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina |
| Date of Birth | February 6, 1960 |
| Place of Birth | Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (some sources say Ogun State) |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| State of Origin | Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Spouse | Grace Adesina |
| Occupations | Economist, Agricultural Development Expert, President of African Development Bank, Former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development |
| Net Worth | Approximately $90 million |
Early Life and Education
Born on February 6, 1960, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, Akinwumi Adesina grew up in a modest farming family. His father and grandfather worked as farm laborers, and his father later became a civil servant after learning to read at the age of 14.
Adesina attended a local village school to gain firsthand insight into the lives of small-scale farmers, an experience that profoundly shaped his future career.
He earned a first-class degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1981, becoming the first student to achieve such honors at the university.
He then pursued graduate studies at Purdue University in the United States, where he obtained a master’s degree in 1985 and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics in 1988.
His doctoral research was recognized with the Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Merit Award at Purdue.
Career
Adesina started his professional journey as a senior scientist at the Rockefeller Foundation in 1988 and later worked as a senior economist at the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) from 1990 to 1995. He also held leadership positions at the Rockefeller Foundation, focusing on food security initiatives in Southern Africa.
Between 2010 and 2015, Adesina served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
He introduced groundbreaking reforms, notably eradicating corruption in the fertilizer distribution system by implementing an innovative electronic wallet platform that delivered subsidized inputs directly to farmers via mobile phones. This initiative benefited 15 million farmers within four years, boosting agricultural productivity and transparency.
In 2015, Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank, becoming the first Nigerian to hold this prestigious position.
He was re-elected in 2020. Under his guidance, the AfDB has prioritized food security, industrialization, and economic transformation throughout Africa.
He has also been appointed to several global leadership roles, including by the United Nations to advance the Millennium Development Goals and the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement.
Personal Life
Akinwumi Adesina is married to Grace Adesina, and together they have two sons, Rotimi and Segun. The couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2024, marking a long-lasting and supportive partnership. They are also grandparents to a granddaughter named Neomi.
During their time at Purdue University, Akinwumi and Grace founded the African Student Fellowship, a Christian organization.
Akinwumi Adesina Net Worth
Dr. Adesina’s estimated net worth is approximately $90 million, accumulated through his various professional roles and business ventures. His annual salary as President of the African Development Bank is reported to be around $163,089.
Honors and Awards
Adesina has been honored with numerous awards, including:
- Forbes African Man of the Year for his agricultural reforms in Nigeria.
- The 2010 Borlaug CAST Communication Award, named after Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug.
- The 2017 World Food Prize for his efforts in enhancing food security.
- Kenya’s highest national honor, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (CGH), awarded in 2025 for his outstanding contributions to African development.
- The 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Leadership Award, presented in Lagos in March 2024.
These accolades highlight his global reputation as a transformative leader in agriculture and development.
