UDSM Honours AfDB President Dr Akinwumi Adesina for Transformational Leadership in Africa
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has conferred an honorary Doctor of Science degree honoris causa on the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, in recognition of his extraordinary and enduring contributions to Africa’s socio-economic transformation, including his significant support to Tanzania’s development.
The honorary degree was awarded during UDSM’s 55th Graduation Ceremony (Cluster 1), held on Friday, 13 June 2025, in Dar es Salaam. The accolade was presented by UDSM Chancellor and former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, who recalled Tanzania’s early support for Dr Adesina’s candidacy as AfDB President.
“The President of Nigeria flew to Tanzania and urged us to support Adesina, saying, ‘He is a great guy.’ I agreed—and looking back, that was a decision well made. Under his leadership, Tanzania has gained immensely,” said Dr Kikwete.
UDSM Council Chairperson Ambassador Mwanaidi Maajar hailed Dr Adesina as one of the most visionary and impactful development leaders of our time. “This award celebrates not just a man, but a movement—a powerful force of ideas and action that has uplifted millions across Africa. This recognition is rooted in UDSM’s proud tradition of honouring distinguished individuals whose work transcends borders and disciplines”.
Reading the citation before the conferment, former UDSM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala, presented a compelling case for the award, citing Dr Adesina’s remarkable journey from modest beginnings in Nigeria to his current position as a globally respected economist, agricultural policy expert, and pan-African leader.
He emphasized that Dr Adesina is no stranger to Tanzania, having visited often on official missions and even traveling to Chato to pay respects following the death of President John Pombe Magufuli—an act that underscored his deep solidarity with the Tanzanian people.
Accelerating the AfDB’s engagement with Tanzania
Prof. Mukandala explained how Dr Adesina, upon assuming the presidency of AfDB, accelerated the Bank’s engagement with Tanzania by implementing a country strategy focused on sustainable infrastructure and improving the business environment for job creation.
Under this strategy, the Bank co-financed major national projects such as the 112.3 km Dodoma Outer Ring Road, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and the Msalato International Airport. In agriculture, the AfDB’s investments helped Tanzania surpass 128% food self-sufficiency, with youth and women benefitting through initiatives like the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Adesina expressed heartfelt appreciation to the University and reaffirmed his deep personal and professional ties to Tanzania. “I am deeply honoured to receive this honorary doctorate from Tanzania’s most prestigious university. I thank the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, University Council, faculty, and staff for this incredible recognition,” he said.
Turning to the graduating Class of 2025, he encouraged them to embrace their role as agents of change. “You are the game-changers. Today, you graduate not just with knowledge—but with the freedom to lead, to innovate, and to transform your communities and the world,” he told them.
He also highlighted that during his tenure, AfDB’s financial support to Tanzania exceeded \$4.73 billion—more than half of all the Bank’s cumulative commitments to the country since 1971.
Prof. Mukandala further outlined Dr Adesina’s global accolades, including the World Food Prize in 2017, the Sunhak Peace Prize in 2019, and the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership in 2024. He also co-convened the landmark Feed Africa Summit and launched the Mission 300 initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030—whose first energy summit was hosted by Tanzania in January 2025.
A celebration of the transformative impact
Minister of Finance Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, an alumnus of UDSM, offered a moving personal reflection. He described UDSM as “the key to all of my dreams,” noting that he obtained all three of his degrees at the university and even met his wife there.
He emphasized that Dr Adesina’s honorary degree was not only a recognition of individual excellence but also a celebration of the transformative impact the AfDB has had under his leadership.
Dr Nchemba highlighted the tangible benefits that Tanzania had enjoyed through AfDB’s support. He pointed to the success of the BBT programme, through which over 11,000 young Tanzanians received land, training, and agribusiness support—revitalizing rural communities and instilling hope.
He recalled how, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Adesina’s leadership ensured swift budget support of nearly USD 50 million to Tanzania, helping the country manage the health emergency and protect its most vulnerable citizens.
He praised Dr Adesina’s Pan-African vision and his ability to rally the continent around ambitious goals such as universal energy access through Mission 300. Dr Nchemba credited him with changing the very nature of development financing—moving away from fragmented projects toward large-scale, strategic investments that genuinely transform lives.
He cited examples such as the Msalato International Airport, the Iringa–Dodoma–Babati Road, the Dodoma Outer Ring Road, the Arusha Urban Water and Sanitation Project benefiting over 600,000 residents, and energy projects like the 400kV Nyakanazi–Kigoma transmission line.
He emphasized that AfDB’s support for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR)—especially Lots 6 and 7 extending to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo—was proof of Dr Adesina’s belief in regional integration and connectivity.
Aligning with African priorities
Dr Nchemba remarked that Dr Adesina’s legacy teaches all development partners to align with African priorities rather than impose externally driven agendas. “He showed the world that strategic financing aligned with national plans can be a powerful driver of economic transformation,” he said.
Congratulating the incoming AfDB President, Mr Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania, Dr Nchemba expressed confidence that the foundation laid by Dr Adesina would be carried forward.
“Dr Adesina is no longer just a friend of Tanzania—he is now a son of this land. And like all sons of Tanzania, he will always have a home here,” he concluded.
With this conferment, the University of Dar es Salaam joins leading global institutions in recognising Dr Adesina as a beacon of visionary leadership, inclusive growth, and sustainable development—one whose influence continues to shape the future of Africa and the world.