Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina is President of the African Development Bank Group, first elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2020. Known as “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief,” he previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, where he ended corruption and introduced an e-wallet system reaching 15 million farmers. A bold reformer, he led the Bank’s largest capital increase, from $93B to $208B. Dr. Adesina holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and is widely recognized for advancing development and economic transformation across Africa.