After years of research, sacrifice and determination, I’m honoured to share that I have successfully defended my Ph.D. thesis.
I am now:
Dr. N. A. Ibiobu, MCPN, MCAI
Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence & Computer Vision
To God be the glory, and thanks to everyone who supported me.
I salute two special brothers and friends who have recently completed their tenures leading major continental development finance organizations with distinction. Both men are proud, competent Nigerians — self-assured, visionary, high-profile, and delivered indisputable results. These traits,however, are often misunderstood, or resented (or both!) by vested interests. But the positive results and outcomes they often create SPEAK! Thus it is no surprise that both men faced serious battles from detractors who did not reckon with competent Africans with a clear worldview of transformation.
@akin_adesina served as President @AfDB_Group for 10 years (2015-2025). He transformed the institution’s capital base from $93 billion he inherited to $318 billion by the time he left office. This matters because the Bank is Africa’s premier development finance institution, and its ambitions and impact are only as realistic as the strength of its capital base.
Akin led the AFDB’s deployment of $50 billion to infrastructure projects like the $3.2 billion Tanzania-DRC-Burundi railway (boosting trade by 400%), the Kazungula Bridge linking Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, and the Senegambia Bridge connecting Senegal and The Gambia. Transport corridors, such as the Addis Ababa-Nairobi-Mombasa route, further enhanced regional connectivity. He introduced the “High 5s” Agenda which focused on powering Africa, feeding the continent (he holds a PhD in agricultural economics), industrializing it, integrating markets, and improving quality of life, with billions in investments in these priorities including Ethiopia’s wheat self sufficiency program (achieved in four years) and successful Benin’s cotton value addition for export program.
Nevertheless, powerful forces made governance malpractice allegations against him that threatened his re-election to a second term in 2021, but Akin won re-election. The AFDB head was later completely and formally absolved of the allegations after a thorough investigation (AFDB’s shareholding is one-third owned for foreign industrialized countries). In September, Akin left the Bank after a successful tenure, handing over to the distinguished Mauritanian Sidi Ould Tah.
Prof. Benedict Okechukwu “Okey” Oramah also recently completed a 10-year tenure and President and Chairman of the Board @afreximbank , and has handed over to the Cameroonian lawyer @GeorgeElombi . He completely transformed the institution, moving it from its previously modest impact and profile to a powerful global presence as Africa’s number one trade finance bank.
Prof. Oramah grew @Afreximbank’s balance sheet from $6 billion to $44 billion, with total assets hitting $42.7 billion by early 2025 (up 6.4% year-over-year). The bank posted consistent profits, while maintaining strong liquidity (20% of assets) and low non-performing loans (2.44%). Oramah is also a PhD in Agricultural Economics.
Perhaps Oramah’s greatest achievement is helping make @afcfta operational. Afreximbank committed $1 billion to the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund and launched the $3 billion-backed Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), enabling cross-border use of African currencies. I was honored to have been invited by Okey to deliver @afreximbank ‘a 30th Anniversary Founder’s Day Lecture at the Bank’s headquarters in Cairo on May 8, 2023.
These are transformative achievements . But western credit rating agencies recently downgraded Afreximbank (unjustly in my view) because they worried that the bank’s expansion was not backed by an appropriate level of risk management, simply because the bank’ s non performing loans increased from a minor 2.33% to 2.44%.
The leadership of these African professionals demonstrates one thing: nothing stops our continent from achieving transformative prosperity on its own terms. The difference lies in competence and capacity. Cheers to my brothers, friends, and compatriots.
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