The African Development Bank (AfDB) says its flagship ‘High 5s’ strategy has positively impacted over 565 million people across the continent since its launch in 2015.
The bold development blueprint, introduced by AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, focuses on five priority areas: Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.
Speaking at the opening media breakfast of the Bank’s 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Dr. Adesina described the results as the outcome of a people-centered transformation agenda that has turned the Bank into “Africa’s development solutions institution.” From electricity access to sanitation, food security, and transportation, the numbers offer a snapshot of tangible change:
- 128 million people now have access to improved health services
- 121 million benefit from better transport infrastructure
- 104 million have gained food security
- 63 million now access safe drinking water
- 34 million enjoy improved sanitation
- 28 million have electricity for the first time
“These are not just figures. They are futures,” Dr. Adesina said. “They are hopes realized.”
Beyond the numbers, the AfDB president shared stories from Lesotho, Kenya, Egypt, and Senegal that showcased how projects funded by the Bank are transforming everyday life. In Lesotho, a water and sanitation project improved school attendance and health outcomes. In Kenya, electrification initiatives brought power to remote villages. Egypt now hosts the largest wastewater treatment plant in Africa, while a once-arduous ferry journey in West Africa was cut from two days to 15 minutes with the opening of the Senegambia Bridge.
Launched in 2015 during Adesina’s first year in office, the High 5s have become the cornerstone of AfDB’s operations and its forthcoming 10-year strategy (2024–2033). Extensive consultations with all 81 shareholder countries reaffirmed the High 5s as the Bank’s guiding pillars.
Under Adesina’s leadership, the AfDB also secured the largest capital increase in its history, raising capital from $93 billion to $318 billion, and delivered the highest-ever replenishment of the African Development Fund.
As the Bank prepares to elect a new president later this week, the AfDB’s current leadership is positioning the institution as a forward-looking partner in Africa’s journey, especially in areas such as energy transitions, food systems, and climate finance.
“We are leading global financial innovation,” Dr. Adesina told media representatives. “But we need partners. We need storytellers. We need the media.”
With over 5,000 delegates gathered in Abidjan, the 2025 Annual Meetings are expected to set the tone for the Bank’s next chapter, one anchored in continuity, ambition, and renewed commitment to Africa’s development.
