African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (2)
    • President Adesina (center in blue suit), Vice President Kashim Shettima (to his left in beige traditional attire) lay the foundation for the $538 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Adiabo, Cross River State, on April 10, 2025, marking a milestone in Nigeria’s journey to become a food export leader through agro-industrialization
    • Vice President Kashim Shettima, African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Governor Bassey Out, and other dignitaries unveil the plaque for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Adiabo, Cross River State, on April 10, 2025, harnessing the state’s ports to boost global trade in cocoa and cassava
  • All (2)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

Nigeria’s Cross River State second to commence construction of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone

The African Development Bank Group has committed $934 million to SAPZs in 11 African countries

Nigeria’s Cross River State became the second to mark construction of a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone after the country’s Vice President Kashim Shettima and African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina broke ground at the project site on Thursday 10 April. The SAPZ aims to tackle food insecurity, enhance…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (2)
    • Members of the African Development Bank team and other participants who worked on Senegal's award-winning $500 million sustainable term loan in Cape Town, South Africa
    • Members of the AfDB team that participated in Rwanda's €200 M award-winning ESG loan in Cape Town
  • All (2)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

CORRECTION: African Development Bank-Supported Projects in Senegal, Rwanda Clinch Top Honors at 2025 Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards

The awards celebrate Africa’s most innovative and transformative financial deals, highlighting exemplary execution, effective mobilization of new liquidity pools, and innovative deal structuring

Two African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org)-supported projects have garnered top honours at the 2025 Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards (https://apo-opa.co/4lvavcK) conference. A $500 million sustainable term loan facility in Senegal (https://apo-opa.co/4i1gUt8) was named Sovereign Syndicated Loan Deal of the Year, while Rwanda’s €200 million ESG loan (https://apo-opa.co/3RxvfTd) was awarded ESG…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (2)
    • Representatives of the African Development Bank and other participants in Senegal's award-winning $545M sustainable term loan facility in Cape Town
    • Members of the AfDB team that participated in Rwanda's €200 M award-winning ESG loan in Cape Town
  • All (2)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

African Development Bank-Supported Projects in Senegal, Rwanda Clinch Top Honors at 2025 Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards

The awards celebrate Africa’s most innovative and transformative financial deals, highlighting exemplary execution, effective mobilization of new liquidity pools, and innovative deal structuring

Two African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) -supported projects have garnered top honours at the 2025 Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards (https://apo-opa.co/4li4foE) conference. A $545 million sustainable term loan facility in Senegal (https://apo-opa.co/4ldg7rV) was named Sovereign Syndicated Loan Deal of the Year, while Rwanda’s €200 million ESG loan (https://apo-opa.co/4lf3cpd) was…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (4)
    • During an official visit to Lesotho, African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina met with His Majesty King Letsie III to discuss expanding the Bank's investments in Lesotho
    • L-R: African Development Bank's Executive Director for Lesotho, Dr. Nomfundo X. Ngwenya; Bank President Akinwumi Adesina; the King of Lesotho, His Majesty King Letsie III; AfDB's Deputy Director General for Southern Africa, Moono Mupotola
    • L-R: Senior Advisor to the AfDB President for Communication and Stakeholder Engagement, Dr. Victor Oladokun; AfDB Executive Director for Lesotho, Dr. Nomfundo X. Ngwenya; Bank President Akinwumi Adesina; the King of Lesotho, His Majesty King Letsie III; Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Retselisitsoe Matlanyane
    • During Dr Adesina's visit to Lesotho, Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane presented him with the country's 'Seanamarena' blanket, which kings historically wore
  • All (4)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

African Development Bank Group to expand investment in Lesotho to $331 million

“We will continue to support Lesotho very strongly through our new focus on infrastructure for industrial competitiveness" Akinwumi Adesina

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) plans to invest $331 million in key strategic sectors in Lesotho as part of its proposed Country Strategy Paper for 2025-2030 to boost economic growth and industrial competitiveness.  During an official visit to Lesotho -- the first by an African Development Bank President --…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

World Water Day 2025: Preserving Africa’s Water Resources (By Mtchera Johannes Chirwa and Anthony Nyong)

On the continent, approximately 411 million people – almost one-third of the total population – lacked basic drinking water services as of 2020

By Mtchera Johannes Chirwa, Director for Water Development and Sanitation, and Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth, African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org). Each year, World Water Day highlights the pressing challenges surrounding global water resources and the actions needed to address them. Nowhere is this more critical…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (1)
    • Africa’s Green Growth Agenda: Unlocking Opportunities for a Climate-Resilient Future
  • All (1)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

Africa’s Green Growth Agenda: Unlocking Opportunities for a Climate-Resilient Future

By leveraging platforms like AGES, Africa can strengthen partnerships, unlock funding, and implement policies that drive a sustainable and resilient future

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) participated in the third edition of the Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) (https://apo-opa.co/4izmWCf) in Cape Town, South Africa, from 18 – 21 February, 2025. The annual Summit, hosted by the African Union, brought together policy makers, stakeholders, private sector and experts who discussed Africa’s…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (1)
    • African Development Bank, African Water Facility, Association of European Development Finance Institutions to hold Investment Event for Water and Sanitation in Africa
  • All (1)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

African Development Bank, African Water Facility, Association of European Development Finance Institutions to hold Investment Event for Water and Sanitation in Africa

Taking place on 18 March 2025 in Brussels, the event will bring together development finance institutions, private sector investors, and philanthropic organizations

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), African Water Facility (www.AfricanWaterFacility.org), and the Association of European Development Finance Institutions (https://EDFI.eu/) will host a high-level event to generate investment for water and sanitation services in Africa. Taking place on 18 March 2025 in Brussels, the event will bring together development finance institutions,…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (2)
    • African Development Bank and Standard Bank Unite to Support Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and Boost Trade (1)
    • African Development Bank and Standard Bank Unite to Support Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and Boost Trade (2)
  • All (2)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

African Development Bank and Standard Bank Unite to Support Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and Boost Trade

The social bond investment promotes inclusive economic development, particularly for SMMEs with a turnover below R300 million and loan sizes under R40 million

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and Standard Bank Group (SBG) on Monday signed a landmark financial agreement to enhance funding for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and expand trade across Africa. The agreement includes a R3.6 billion investment in a social bond and a $200 million Risk Participation…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (8)
    • African Union Summit: African Development Bank President Highlights a Decade of Economic Transformational Impact
    • African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who is also the Chairman of the Group’s Boards of Directors, underscored the impact of the Bank’s operations, which have impacted more than half a billion lives over the past decade
    • African Heads of State and Government display copies of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration at the closing session of the Africa Energy Summit, 28 January 2025
    • The African Development Bank accelerated food production in Africa. Over 101 million people became food secure. We mobilized $72 billion to implement the food and agriculture delivery compacts across the continent,” said Dr. Adesina
    • The Africa Investment Forum, a joint effort with eight other partner institutions, has mobilized over $200 billion in infrastructure investment commitments. (Picture: Africa Investment Forum Founding Partners and other officials during the Opening Session of the Africa Investment Forum 2024 Market Days, Rabat, 4 December 2024.)
    • UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated calls for reform of the international financial architecture
    • Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley emphasized Africa’s strategic role in shaping global economic trends, as the continent controls 40% of the world’s minerals
    • Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed urged continued unity in addressing Africa’s challenges
  • All (8)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

African Union Summit: African Development Bank President Highlights a Decade of Economic Transformational Impact

During the final day of the assembly, several African governments and AU officials paid tribute to Dr. Adesina for his exceptional leadership of the Bank and strong global advocacy for Africa, He ends his tenure as the Bank Group’s president on 1st September 2025

“It’s been my greatest honor to serve you and Africa”—Adesina tells African leaders Governments across Africa pay tribute to Adesina’s exceptional leadership UN Secretary General Guterres says global financial architecture hampering Africa’s development, calls for reforms African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org/en) President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, delivered a compelling farewell address…

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Multimedia content

  • Images (1)
    • At the launch of the "Africa's Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook 2025" report, African Development Bank Group leaders and senior officials present copies of the report. In the front row, from left to right, Albert Muchanga, Commissioner of the African Union, Kevin Urama, Vice President of the Bank Group, Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance of Ethiopia (far right), and Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President of the Bank Group (2nd from left). In the second row (center), Beth Dunford, Bank Group Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development; Alemayehu Taffesse of the International Food Policy Research Institute (far left); Mothae Maruping, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Risk Capacity Group (far right)
  • All (1)
Source: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |

African Development Bank: New report highlights Africa’s strengthening economic growth amid global challenges

The continent also continues to grapple with geopolitical tensions, structural weaknesses, climate-related disasters, and prolonged conflicts in regions such as the Sahel and the Horn of Africa

Growth rates above 5 percent expected in close to half of the continent’s countries in 2025; 12 of world’s 20 fastest growing economies will be African Africa’s economic performance is showing signs of improvement but remains vulnerable to global shocks, according to the 2025 Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook (MEO) report…