The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has again made a strong case for increased global investment in Africa, saying the continent remains one of the safest and most promising destinations for investors.
Dr Adesina made this call during a courtesy visit to the United Bank for Africa (UBA UK) Limited office in London on Wednesday.
Speaking at the meeting, the AfDB boss emphasised the need to build stronger investment bridges between international financial capitals and African markets. He noted that Africa’s risk perception is often exaggerated and not supported by data.
Citing research by Moody’s Analytics, Dr Adesina revealed that Africa’s investment default rate over the last 14 years is just 1.7%—the lowest in the world. This compares to Latin America’s 13% and Eastern Europe’s 10%, which are significantly higher.
“This shows clearly that Africa is not as risky as many think. In fact, it’s safer than most other regions,” Adesina said. “What we need is to correct the wrong narrative about Africa and open up more economic opportunities for growth and development.”
Adesina, who has always been a vocal advocate for Africa as the next big investment frontier, stressed the need for global investors to change their mindset and take advantage of the continent’s untapped potential.
He also spoke about the longstanding partnership between the AfDB and UBA Group, describing it as one built on mutual interest in advancing Africa’s economic progress. According to him, both institutions have worked closely for more than 20 years, and there are fresh opportunities to deepen that collaboration.
“Our relationship with UBA represents one of many important partnerships the African Development Bank Group maintains with financial institutions across Africa,” he noted.
In her remarks, the CEO of UBA UK, Mrs Theresa Henshaw, welcomed Dr Adesina and the AfDB delegation, saying UBA UK’s primary mission is to support trade and investment flows into Africa.
“We use our deep understanding of the African financial landscape to connect international investors and partners with business opportunities across the continent,” she said.
The meeting also focused on priority sectors in the AfDB’s development agenda, such as agriculture, energy, women’s inclusion, and youth entrepreneurship.
Dr Adesina used the opportunity to highlight one of the bank’s key programmes—Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA)—which he initiated in 2019 under the French G7 Presidency.
According to him, AFAWA aims to close the $49 billion financing gap for women-led businesses in Africa. So far, the initiative has made significant progress.
“As of March 2025, we have approved $2.5 billion for the programme, and over $1.2 billion has already been disbursed to women entrepreneurs through 185 partner financial institutions across 44 African countries,” Adesina said.
He added that more than 24,000 African women have benefitted from the programme through funding and training support.
The visit underscored the AfDB’s commitment to forming meaningful partnerships to unlock Africa’s economic potential and drive inclusive development.
