“The African Development Bank, which plays a major role in driving Africa’s development, is known to have a reputable standard globally. So the presence of external influence and interference, mistrusting the credibility of the bank’s governing principle might disrupt Africa’s continuous economic growth, infrastructure development and investment.
“Under the leadership of Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the African Development Bank’s presence and works have been highly visible and impactful across the continent in the last five years.
“His vision for Africa’s development through the bank’s High 5 transformative agenda has positively impacted over 333 million people, envisaging well-planned interventions ranging from access to electricity, improved food security, access to private sector finance, improved transport infrastructure and access to water and sanitation.
“He has always stood at the forefront of supporting Africa’s private sector, which is very important for economic and social development.
“In 2018, the bank launched the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in Johannesburg, which drew investors from the private sector, sovereign wealth funds, pension, and government. The forum attracted massive global investments into Africa with about $38.7 billion raised in investment after the forum.”
■ Words of the President Emeritus, African Business Roundtable, Bamanga Tukur, on behalf of Africa’s private sector.
