By Ese Williams
Dr Akinwunmi Adesina says serving as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) is the greatest honour of his life.

Adesina said this at a breakfast meeting held for the media to declare open the AfDB 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan.

“It has been a decade of relentless purpose, of enduring passion, and of tireless service. I thank you for walking on this journey with me,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adesina, a Nigerian Development Economist and Agricultural Development Expert, became president of the bank 10 years ago.

This was after serving as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015, transforming the sector by attracting private sector investments as well as supporting youth and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Adesina is dedicated to transforming agriculture in Africa from a subsistence activity to a viable business that attracts investments.

He is also passionate about ending poverty, hunger and malnutrition in Africa and lifting millions of people into the middle class.

“When I was elected in 2015, I did not have any grey hair then. Now my hair has turned several shades of grey.

“Grey from 10 years of unrelenting drive to push Africa forward. Grey from our tireless efforts to turn the Bank into a globally respected financial institution where it was ranked as the best multilateral financial institution in the world.

“Grey from leading the Bank to achieve the largest capital increase in its history, raising the capital of the Bank from 93 billion dollars in 2015 to 318 billion dollars today – an unprecedented achievement.

“Grey from leading the Bank to achieve the highest replenishment of the African Development Fund in the history of the Fund, as we successfully raised 8.9 billion dollars for its 16th replenishment.’’

“Grey from working side by side with my staff to lead on global financial innovations such as the launch of hybrid capital instruments and synthetic securitisation, becoming the first ever multilateral financial institution to do so globally.”

He said he enjoyed the challenges of the banks collective work to ensure that it serve the people of Africa with passion, dedication, accountability, to help Africa develop with pride.

NAN reports that the 2025 meetings are being held under the theme: “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”

Key highlights of the sessions include the Presidential Dialogue, the launch of the African Economic Outlook, and in-depth thematic discussions aimed at mobilising capital and building stronger institutions.

The Annual Meetings which opened on Tuesday will end on Friday.(NAN)(www.nanng.com)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Sarafina Christopher

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said on Saturday that tea trade between China and Nigeria is thriving and enhancing trade relations between the two countries.

Yu said this in Abuja during the “2025 Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon” event with the theme “Tea in Nature’s Whisper: Aroma of Picturesque Jiangnan.”

The ambassador affirmed that tea Trade between China and Nigeria  had blossomed in recent years, with the introduction of Hainan Baisha tea to the Nigerian market in 2024.

According to him, this marks a new chapter in the collaboration between the two nations in relation to the tea industry.

“The tea fragrance crossing thousands of miles shows that a small tea leaf can not only nourish the body but also warm the soul, becoming a ‘green envoy’ that promotes economic, trade cooperation, and cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria,” he said.

“From the sweet tea stalls on the streets of Lagos to the mint tea found in the historic city of Kano, tea is not just a beverage but an important social bond.”

Highlighting the significance of tea in Chinese culture, the envoy explained that the Chinese tea ceremony embodies five millennia of philosophical wisdom, emphasising harmony, purity, and elegance.

“The ethos of China’s tea ceremony, such as ‘harmony is precious’ and ‘making friends through tea,’ resonates profoundly with Nigeria’s cultural values, acting as a spiritual bridge between our two great civilizations,” he said.

He also pointed out the upgrading of bilateral relations to a during a meeting last year between both countries’ heads of state in Beijing, aimed at deepening cooperation through a three-year initiative called the “Ten Partnership Actions for Modernisation,” which focuses on culture, tourism, and education.

Furthermore, the Ambassador noted that 2026 has been designated the “China-Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchange.”

As part of this initiative, he noted that Nigerian students are learning tea art and opera in China while showcasing their own music and dance in Chinese cultural settings.

Conversely, Chinese volunteers are promoting the Chinese language and tea culture in Nigeria, while also engaging with local languages and customs.

Yu also expressed the Embassy’s commitment to enhancing cooperation in various fields to strengthen the friendship between the two nations.

Also speaking, Mrs Huang Yun, Leader of the Zhejiang Delegation, Researcher-Librarian of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Centre said that Tea and drama are cultural genes engraved in the blood of the Chinese people.

“Zhejiang, the land that gave birth to Lu Yu’s “The Classic of Tea” and Yue Opera “Butterfly Lovers”, today presents the poetic beauty of green mountains and dear waters and the lingering Wu dialect into a cup of tea and a piece of drama to Nigerian friends.

The event is themed, “Tea in Nature’s Whisper Aroma of picturesque Jiangnan”, interpreting the oriental philosophy of “symbiosis between man and nature”,” She said.

NAN reports that the highlight of the event is performances by artists from the Chinese delegation from Zhejiang, including elegant Yue Opera and pipa music,

The exhibitions of Chinese calligraphy, painting, and photo displays showcasing Zhejiang’s culture and tourism. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim