The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has unveiled a Ten-Year Strategy for 2024-2033 at its annual meetings in Nairobi. This strategy is a blueprint aimed at addressing the continent’s significant challenges. It outlines decisive and urgent actions to help African countries navigate unprecedented global and regional issues.
The strategy envisions a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and integrated Africa, focusing on two main objectives for the next decade: accelerating inclusive green growth and fostering prosperous and resilient economies.
A major focus of the strategic vision is Africa’s potential for societal and economic transformation. The continent’s young and fast-growing workforce, expanding urban markets, abundant natural resources, and significant clean energy potential position Africa to drive sustainable growth and contribute to global solutions over the next decade.
African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina emphasized the plan’s focus on investing in Africa’s youth, underscoring that Africa has a unique demographic opportunity with the fastest-growing population in the world.
“As Africa’s premier development finance institution and solutions bank, we know that the next decade will transform the continent. Therefore, as AfDB celebrates 60 years of making a difference in the countries and lives of the people of Africa, we remain resolute in our determination to accelerate the support we provide to African countries,” said Adesina.

The strategy calls for collective efforts to restore the continent to sustained economic growth and prosperity, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, which has exacerbated food insecurity and the debt crisis. A unified approach is crucial to addressing these issues.
Despite these challenges, AfDB remains focused on sustainability, balancing environmental concerns, equity, and economic advancement. The Bank aims to increase its impact by scaling up transformative projects and streamlining its operations for greater agility and effectiveness.
Key objectives include:
- Lighting up and powering Africa: Promoting universal access to modern and affordable energy.
- Feeding Africa: Ensuring food security through agricultural transformation.
- Industrializing Africa: Catalyzing manufacturing as a critical driver of job creation.
- Integrating Africa: Fostering regional integration and value chains for a more cohesive economy.
- Improving the quality of life: Enhancing living standards, particularly for women and youth.
Other priorities include promoting gender equality, investing in young people, responding to climate change, supporting fragile states, and promoting good governance and economic stability.
The AfDB also emphasizes the private sector’s pivotal role in Africa’s transformation. It aims to mobilize resources from diverse sources, including domestic revenues and private finance.
Over the next decade, the Bank is set to strengthen collaboration with the private sector, prioritizing investments in firms, value chains, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, especially those led by women and youth.