As his decade-long leadership of the African Development Bank (AfDB) nears its end, President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has called on his yet-to-be-elected successor to embrace the responsibility of defending Africa's interests on the global stage with boldness and integrity.

He was speaking at a media briefing at the start of the AfDB Group's 2025 Annual Meetings on Thursday, May 26, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

The five-day Annual Meetings, which run until May 30 under the theme "Making Africa's Capital Work Better for Africa's Development," bring together key stakeholders, including finance ministers, central bank governors, and representatives from development institutions and the private sector.

The meetings also include AfDB's 60th Annual Assembly and the 51st Meeting of the African Development Fund.

Among the five candidates shortlisted to succeed Adesina are Amadou Hott from Senegal, Samuel Munzele Maimbo from Zambia, Sidi Ould Tah from Mauritania, Abbas Mahamat Tolli from Chad, and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala from South Africa.

The elected candidate will serve a renewable five-year term.

Adesina, who was first elected President of the AfDB on May 28, 2015, and re-elected in 2020, reflected on what he described as a mission-driven decade of transformation.

Under his leadership, the Bank's capital increased from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion in 2024, an achievement he described as "unprecedented."

He also led efforts to raise $8.9 billion for the 16th replenishment of the African Development Fund.

According to Adesina, the Bank's High 5s strategy, aimed at lighting up and powering Africa, feeding Africa, industrialising Africa, integrating Africa, and improving the quality of life for its people, has transformed the lives of over 565 million people across the continent.

He noted the recent launch of the Mission 300 Energy Summit, a partnership with the World Bank and others, aiming to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Adesina urged his successor to recognise the immense responsibility that comes with the role.

"This is not a job. This is a mission. This is a position that demands courage to confront ideas and philosophies that may not promote Africa's interests," he said, adding that more often than not Africa finds itself in the middle of global challenges that require bold leadership.

Adesina emphasised the importance of resilience and solution-focused leadership in navigating global uncertainties such as unpredictable tariffs, unfair interest rates, and other export hurdles.

"One of the things we do very well at the Bank is to help countries navigate and get out of complexities. We mobilise capital internally because relying solely on neighbours won't send your children to school," he noted.

Addressing Africa's demographic challenge, he said that the continent's population is a potential asset rather than a problem, provided there are investments in skills and a strong middle class.

The president acknowledged Africa's rising debt challenges. Although he maintained that debt wasnecessity for the continent to grow, he warned of high cost of borrowing due to external biases.

"Africa pays three to four times more for capital than any other region. This costs us $75 billion more every year, money that could be better spent on development," he said.

To combat this, he said the Bank is working to establish the African Credit Union as a means to lower borrowing costs and improve financial sovereignty.