Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina
President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors, African Development Bank Group

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina is the 8th elected President of the African Development Bank Group. He was first elected to the position on May 28, 2015, and historically unanimously re-elected in 2020.
Dr. Adesina is a globally renowned development economist and agricultural development expert, with more than 30 years of international experience. He was the first student to graduate with First Class bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Nigeria, in 1981.
He holds a master’s degree (1985) and a PhD in Agricultural Economics (1988) from Purdue University, USA, where he won the Outstanding PhD thesis award for that year. Dr. Adesina also won the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation Social Science Fellowship in 1988, which launched him into his international career.

A bold reformer, as the Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria from 2011-2015, Dr. Adesina turned Nigeria’s agriculture sector around within four years. Under his tenure, Nigeria ended 40 years of corruption in the fertilizer sector by developing and implementing an innovative electronic wallet system, which economically impacted the lives and livelihoods of 15 million farmers by directly providing them with subsidized farm inputs at scale using their mobile phones.

A firm believer in private sector-led growth, Dr. Adesina radically changed the perception of agriculture in Nigeria from ‘subsistence’ to a viable business activity that successfully attracted $5.6 billion in private sector investments. Ultimately, under his leadership, Nigeria’s food production expanded by an historic additional 21 million metric tons.
Prior to his appointment as Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adesina was the Vice President for Policy and Partnerships with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), where he led several bold and innovative policy and finance initiatives that leveraged over $4 billion in Bank finance commitments to Africa’s agriculture sector. Working with African Heads of State, Ministers of Finance, Central Bank Governors, and leaders in the commercial banking industry and across several African countries, Dr. Adesina successfully led one of the largest global efforts to leverage domestic bank finance for the agricultural sector.

He also previously served as Associate Director and Regional Director for the Southern Africa Office of the Rockefeller Foundation for over a decade.
A prolific writer, Dr. Adesina has authored over 70 scholarly publications on policy, agricultural development, and African development issues.

He is a globally respected economist and has served as the President of the African Association of Agricultural Economists, as well as on the Editorial Board of several academic journals, including the International Journal of Agricultural Economists. He was awarded the Outstanding Black Agricultural Economist Award by the American Association of Agricultural Economists. He was a Distinguished Africanist Scholar at Cornell University, USA.

As President of the African Development Bank, in 2015, he launched a bold strategy to transform the bank’s business model and the lives of millions of Africans. The Strategy known as the High 5s: to Light Up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Integrate Africa; Industrialize Africa; and Improve the quality of life of the people of Africa, have since impacted the lives of more than 500 million Africans.

To attract increased investments into Africa, Dr. Adesina launched the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in 2018, the first event of its kind, to attract global capital and accelerate Africa’s economic development. The unique investment forum, which has several African and global financial institutional partners, has become the premier investment marketplace for Africa, attracting over $200 billion worth of investment interests across Africa.
Dr. Adesina has received several distinctions and global awards, including the 2007 YARA Prize in Oslo, Norway, for his pioneering leadership in African Agriculture. The Distinguished Alumni Award from Purdue University, USA, in 2008; Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009 and the Grand Commander of Great Ife in 2013, both from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; and Borlaug CAST Communications Award in 2010 by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, USA, for his global leadership in agricultural science and technology.

He has received several honorary doctoral awards globally, including Franklin and Marshall College, USA; Purdue University, USA; Michigan State University, USA; Duke University, USA; and the University of Alberta Canada.

In Africa, he has received honorary doctorates by major universities, including Makerere University, Uganda; Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa University; The American University of Nigeria; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria; Afe Babalola University Nigeria; Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Bowen University Nigeria; Veritas University, Nigeria; Bayero University, Nigeria; and the Nigerian Defense Academy.

In October 2017, his alma mater, Purdue University, USA, decorated him with its highest honor, the Order of the Griffin, a rare honor given only to 50 persons since 1893, including Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

In 2010, Dr. Adesina was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, as one of 17 world leaders to galvanize international support for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

In 2019, the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres appointed Dr. Adesina as one of 23 global leaders to help end hunger and malnutrition. He serves globally as one of the Commissioners for the Global Climate Commission, co-Chaired by Bill Gates, and former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, to tackle global climate change. Dr. Adesina also serves on the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition.

Dr. Adesina has won several international awards including the Forbes Africa Person of the Year for his bold reforms in Nigeria’s agriculture sector; Nigeria’s Leadership Newspaper’s 2013 Public Servant of the Year, for his bold policy reforms, transparency, and public accountability; and the Extra-Ordinary Achievement Award by Silverbird Television, Nigeria, for his achievements as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture.

Also, the West African Institute of Public Health, recognized Dr. Adesina with its 2020 Distinguished Fellowship Award, for his innovative and successful efforts to curb the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Africa.

At a national level, Dr. Adesina has been conferred with Nigeria’s second-highest national honor, the Commander of the Order of the Niger, for his outstanding service to his country, Nigeria.

In recognition of his outstanding leadership, passion, and dedication for accelerating African development, he has also been awarded the highest national honors of nine African countries: Senegal, Cameroon, Madagascar, Togo, Liberia, Niger, The Gambia, Djibouti and Tunisia respectively. In March 2025, he was conferred with Kenya’s highest national honor, the Chief of the Order of tbe Golden Heart, the 10th recipient of the honor since Independence.

In 2017, the World Food Prize Foundation awarded Dr. Adesina the World Food Prize, generally known as the “Nobel Prize for Agriculture.” Dr. Adesina devoted the $250,000 Laureate award to the establishment of the World Hunger Fighters Foundation, to help support Africa’s youth in agriculture and to develop a new generation of world hunger fighters. In the same year, Bill Gates listed Dr. Adesina’s award of the World Food Prize and his gesture to use it to support the youth in Africa as one of the seven most encouraging moments of 2017.

In 2019, Dr. Adesina was awarded several distinguished awards including the prestigious Sunhak Peace Prize in Seoul, South Korea, for his global leadership on agriculture, food security, transparency, and good governance. He dedicated his $500,000 award prize to the World Hunger Fighters Foundation that he established to fight global hunger.

He was awarded the Emeka Anyaoku Lifetime Achievement Award of Outstanding International Icon by the Hallmarks of Labor Foundation, during which Chief Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary General said, “Dr. Adesina’s work, and leadership are legendary, unprecedented and worthy of emulation.”

In 2019, Dr. Adesina led the African Development Bank to achieve its highest capital increase since the Bank’s establishment in 1964, when shareholders raised the general capital of the Bank from $93 billion to $208 billion – a historic achievement for Africa.

In 2020, Dr. Adesina was re-elected to a second term as President of the African Development Bank Group with 100% of the votes of all 81 African and Non-African shareholder countries, the first such achievement in the then 55-year history of the African Development Bank, a demonstration of global confidence in his outstanding leadership of the African Development Bank.

In 2023, Dr. Adesina and the President of Senegal convened the Feed Africa Summit, which attracted 34 African Heads of State, the President of Ireland and hundreds of ministers from within and outside Africa and successfully mobilized $72 billion for tackling food security in Africa – the largest ever globally coordinated effort in Africa’s history.

In 2023, Dr. Adesina was named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by the New Africa Magazine.

In 2024, Dr. Adesina was awarded the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership which recognized him as “a Pan Africanist with enthusiastic commitment to the positive transformation of the continent, he has demonstrated core leadership qualities that have been associated with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and which this Prize is meant to encourage and reward. Dr. Adesina is a person whose outstanding leadership has occasioned public policies that have positively transformed millions of lives.”

In 2024, Dr. Adesina and the President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga launched an historic partnership that led to the creation of Mission300, an ambitious multibillion dollar initiative to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030.

Dr. Adesina has transformed the African Development Bank Group into an award-winning global brand that is a leader in financial innovation. For the second time, the African Development Bank Group has been ranked in the 2024 Aid Transparency Index as the most transparent development organization in the world and recorded the highest score ever by any development organization.

Under Dr. Adesina’s leadership, the Bank Group’s general capital has significantly grown from $93 billion when he took office as President in 2015 to $318 billion on 2024, following approval by the Board of Governors during the Bank Group’s Annual Meetings in Nairobi. The quantum financial increase reflects strong confidence in the leadership and management of Africa’s only AAA rated financial institution.

To reform the global financial architecture, under Dr Adesina’s leadership, the African Development Bank teamed up with the Inter-American Development Bank, and developed an innovative proposal, approved in 2024 by the IMF to channel Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) through multilateral development banks. The bold, pioneering, and innovative initiative could unlock new lending opportunities for all global development finance institutions, and the African Development Bank, at greater scale and multiply the leveraging impact of the allocations to the benefit of millions of Africans.

In 2024 Dr Adesina was named as the inaugural African-of-the-Decade Award recipient by the All-Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA™). His citation noted: “Dr. Adesina has demonstrated a significant impact on the African continent through innovative solutions, projects, or initiatives that address the continent’s pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges. He has consistently shown leadership, vision, and dedication, driving positive change in sustainable development in Africa,”

The leading reputation management firm, Reputation Poll International, has listed Dr. Adesina among the 100 most reputable people in the world.

By Eric Elezuo

On February 20, 2025, former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, presented his much awaited autobiography, My Journey in Service, to the public.

Among other things, Babangida acknowledged that the much talked about June 12, 1993 election was actually won by Chief MKO Abiola, noting that his hands were tied forces beyond his control, prompting his annulment of the election, and suspension of the announcement of the results.

The former Head of State, who held sway between 1987 and 1993, consequently asked for forgiveness from Nigerians and all stakeholders.

Conseqently, celebrated journalist and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, who is a prodigy of Abiola, and an active participant in the June 12 project, opens up in the aftermath as he speaks with TVC’s Nifemi Oguntoye in a no holds interview.

Below are the juicy details…

This is Beyond 100 Days with Nifemi Oguntoye.

Former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, says he regrets the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, describing it as the most difficult period of his life. The former Head of State said this at the official launch of his memoir; A Journey in Service, in Abuja. He described the election as undoubtedly credible, free, and fair, but the tragic irony of history remains that his administration, which devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted a near-perfect election, could not complete the process.

The book, which offers insights into key moments in the country’s history, also addresses other national controversies, including the 1976 coup attempt that led to the assassination of then Head of State, Murtala Mohammed, and the 1986 letter bomb that killed investigative journalist Dele Giwa. Reflecting on his decision to annul the June 12 election, retired General Babangida admitted that if given another chance, he would have handled the situation quite differently.

Let’s bring in someone who was at the centre of it all, and who was actively involved in the June 12 struggle in 1993.

My guest resigned to join the Moshood Abiola presidential campaign organization. He was arrested and detained at Alagbon, in Lagos, after the annulment of the presidential election by General Ibrahim Babangida. Journalist and publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu. Thank you so much for joining us on the program.

Dele Momodu: Thank you so much for inviting me.

Glad to have you. Let’s begin with what seemed a very fascinating scene at the book launch. We saw former adversaries putting their past behind them and coming together in the spirit of camaraderie. General Gowon’s government was overthrown by a coup that involved General IBB, and Moshood Abiola himself… President Buhari was also represented, having had his government overthrown by IBB. What do you make of that spectacle?

Dele Momodu: Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it, though I was invited. I tried everything. I left London yesterday through Ghana, but this morning, I couldn’t connect my flight to Lagos. My flight from Lagos to Abuja was also not possible because of certain delays. I would have wished to be there. I planned everything. My team was on the ground, and I only watched a bit of it because my flight came very late into Lagos. I saw who is who in Nigeria. Babangida has always been the chairman. He’s always been one of the most controversial, but very cosmopolitan leader at the same time. It’s always been a paradox, and that’s why he was nicknamed the “Evil Genius.” I mean, you can imagine, in his 80s, how he was able to pull all that crowd today. He did his bit as president, and we were quite fascinated by his actions and sometimes inactions. But unfortunately, the June 12 incident killed that legacy. I’m sure the subject of the book is to try and see if there is a way he can explain himself to Nigerians and to friends of Nigerians globally, to make sure that legacy is not totally eroded. Because he did… I mean, he had one of the best teams. If you are looking at a star-studded cabinet, you can see the way he was reeling out names of people who worked with him, who collaborated with him, and everything. But what I’m dying to read is to see what happened exactly. Why was June 12 the best election? Everybody says, “Oh, he annulled it.” No, we knew from day one, no one ever contested it. So, I cannot wait to read about what happened, and I hope the book will provide answers to that.

Let’s begin with some excerpts because the former vice president reviewed the book, and we were able to get some. Although I’m on record to have stated that after the election, Abiola may not have won the June 12 elections, upon reflection and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results, which are published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt MKO Abiola won the June 12 election. He goes ahead to say, “Looking back now, the June 12 saga was undeniably the most challenging moment of my life and, in certain respects, one of the most painful. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently.” How do you perceive this acknowledgment of MKO’s victory? And the big question is also, why did it take him 32 years after he left office? Why now?

Dele Momodu: Well, we’ve tried in the past to seek answers to those questions. The impression we got was that the military can be very stubborn. When they take actions, they come out full-chested—“I did it.” Maybe that’s why, in every interview he granted, he never answered those questions specifically. As an insider, I knew that the election took place because certain people… People often forget that Babangida could not have acted alone. Even from the way he reeled out the names today, he was a people’s man who consulted widely before taking decisions. I’m sure there were some people, we called them “principalities” at that time, who convinced him that no, no, Abiola cannot be our president. It happens till today—some people decide, we call them “owners of Nigeria,” and they would have decided that, “Oh no, Abiola cannot be our president.” There were people, of course, for selfish interests. He had mentioned before that his guys were going to kill both himself and Abiola if he handed over to Abiola.
So, I believe that the moment they made up their mind collectively that they were not going to hand over to Abiola, it became difficult for Babangida alone to bear the fall guy. But I think today, he inches closer to accepting that look, “I fumbled. I shouldn’t have done it that way.” Which is okay. Some of us will accept that. Even Abiola himself, I can tell you, wanted their friendship to continue because they had a blossoming friendship at that time. But unfortunately, I don’t know why it was so difficult for them to reverse. They had at least a few days and weeks to reverse that decision, and Nigerians would have applauded and given them a standing ovation. But they missed that chance.

Even in acknowledging MKO’s victory in his speech today, Babangida did say, “We acted in supreme national interest,” and I’m sure that’s what many people want to find out. He went ahead to also say that he has paid a huge part of his debt. Do you think this will, in a way, refine his legacy, following the big perception after the annulment?

Dele Momodu: Well, I would have to read the book to know precisely what he’s talking about, but as I said, you must respect his decision—that is his personal decision. I’m happy that he’s living with it and taking full responsibility for that action, which threw Nigeria into total chaos. In fact, I don’t think we have recovered from that action till today. On June 12, Nigerians united for once to vote for one man without considering religion or ethnicity, and we missed that opportunity. Today, we are fighting on the accounts of religion, ethnicity, and all sorts of divides. That Abiola election would have sealed it finally—that we are one Nigeria. Wherever we meet, I just came back today… Everywhere I’ve been, people pay my bills at restaurants. Whether they are Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, they do, but when it comes to politics, Nigerian politicians just love to use divide-and-rule tactics to win elections.

That’s when everybody will be talking about this one being a Muslim, that one being a Christian, but we are all Nigerians, first and foremost. Abiola was a true Nigerian, an original Nigerian, welcomed everywhere in Nigeria and the world. It’s difficult to find such a man in this generation; they don’t manufacture such people every day in heaven.

Interestingly, IBB also took some part of the glory because we make reference to the 1993 election as free, fair, and credible, and he says that he led an administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted a near-perfect election but could not complete the process.

Dele Momodu: Yes, but he became imperfect. Yes, but he became imperfect with that annulment. Immediately that happened, that killed it. You know, it’s like you give birth to your own baby, a very beautiful bouncing baby, and suddenly you just decide to snuff the life out of the baby. That’s what happened on June 12, and that’s why we are still talking about it. Look at how many years, how many decades it has taken us to get this far. And I’m telling you, even with this book, I’m sure there will still be many controversies.

Absolutely. We have some insights already, the fact that he’s expressed satisfaction with former President Buhari’s decision to honor M.K.O. Abiola posthumously and recognize June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day. What’s your take on that development, and how does it rub off on his legacy?

Dele Momodu: Well, I mean, what he couldn’t do, I believe President Muhammadu Buhari did it. We all thanked him at that time, though we felt it was belated, and also, we felt that he was playing to the gallery, that he used it for political reasons. You know, in Nigeria, when the witch cries today, and the child dies tomorrow, everybody knows what happened. So, we’re not too sure that Buhari was a great fan of Abiola, but at least he played that game, and he played it very well.

So, you had your own share of General Ibrahim Babangida, following the annulment of that election. Walk us through what happened, and then watching him years after, do you feel a sense of perhaps being absolved now that he has acknowledged it? And have you truly forgiven him?

Dele Momodu: Oh, I forgave him long ago. I’m a Christian, and the Holy Book says you must forgive your enemies, your traducers, seventy times seven times. So, I followed that injunction in the Bible. I can get angry with people, and almost immediately, you see me playing with them. A lot of people have attacked me, saying, “Why do you romance your enemies, or the enemies of Abiola?” But as a disciple of Abiola, I knew that Abiola forgave people easily. Abiola was not a vindictive person, and that’s what made him who he was. That’s why he could achieve what he achieved. I follow in his trajectory very religiously.

You know, for me, it’s interesting. I was in Abiola’s house, this must have been the end of July 1993. He asked me to come for some documents, and I got there around 2 p.m., but I didn’t get to see him until 4 a.m. The whole house was empty. By the time he came, he was in a very private meeting. Then he came in and said, “Dele, I’m very sorry I’ve kept you waiting.” That night, my friend, Mayor Akinpelu was having his bachelor’s eve, so I missed it. That’s at Lacapine Tropicana at somewhere in Adeniyi Jones.

Chief gave me the documents, which I was supposed to take to Tell magazine, to Mr. Kolawole Ilori. You know, he was living somewhere around Akowonjo. So, I left, not knowing what I was carrying. I mean, when you trust someone, you just take whatever they give you. But apparently, those were very hot documents. So I drove to Mayor’s bachelor’s eve, got there, and they were just finishing the event, but I wasn’t in the mood because I had been sitting down all night waiting for Chief. I decided to go to Water Parks, where Shina Peters was playing. When I got there, Shina was just finishing. I then left and went to Night Shift, to go see Gov Ken Olumese. He sat me down, we had sandwiches and coffee. I didn’t know I was being trailed by security people.

Eventually, I went to Mr. Kola Ilori’s place, delivered what I needed to deliver, then went to my house in Ojodu, somewhere in Adigboduja, where I was staying at the time. A few minutes after I entered bed, my wife rushed into the bedroom, saying, “Some people are banging on the door.” I asked, “Who’s banging on my door?” She didn’t know. As the only man in the house, I came out and asked, “Please, who are you?” They said, “We’re from police headquarters.”
“What have I done?”
“You have to open your door, otherwise, we’ll break it down.” To cut a long story short, that was how I was taken away to Moloni at that time. They came back later to search my apartment and picked up some documents. They said they were seditious, whatever. I was in Alagbon detention camp for over a week before they took me to a magistrate court.

But what you must also note is that Babangida, despite everything, people could still negotiate with him, unlike Abacha, who came later, and we all had to run for our lives. They were trying to persuade me to leave Abiola alone. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a one-way person. If I follow you, I follow you to the end. So for me, I forgave him. We’ve met a couple of times. I’m friends with his family. His wife, Maryam, always liked me because of the exclusive stories I did about the family when they were in Dodan Barracks. When they were going to have their last baby in Dodan Barracks, I wrote the exclusives about how she was exercising and everything. Aisha, their daughter, is my very good friend. We chat from time to time.
I always advise, look, all Baba has to do is apologize. Nigerians are not too difficult when it comes to certain things. They just want you to come upfront with them. Which is what I believe he’s trying to do today.

Absolutely. We will get back to IBB shortly. You’ve attempted to run for the presidency twice now. Some say those of you who were active during the June 12 struggle have a sense of entitlement legitimacy to lead this country. How do you react to that?

Dele Momodu: No, in my own case, no. I always say that I was badly influenced by the emergence of Barack Obama. We had always complained, all of us complained and lamented, like the biblical Jeremiah, but we did nothing about it. I thought, if Nigeria is ugly, and you have your own beautiful daughter at home, why don’t you present your own daughter? That’s what led me to it. I didn’t want my children to ask me in the future, “You were busy grumbling and writing a weekly column, Pendulum, but you did nothing.” I thought, if I think I’m better, why not try? Obama was a young man, younger than me, when he came out. He was in his early 40s. I had just turned 50 when I decided. It had nothing to do with June 12. I believed in myself, and I still believe in myself, that I can lead a good country with discipline, focus, tenacity, courage, and, especially, if you can relate to everybody. If you’ve studied my life, you’ll see that I did not just follow Abiola. I took a lot from him, especially in terms of networking.

Watching that book launch today, you see a whole generation of leaders. Give it to them. The former vice president was saying that in IBB’s class, there were two presidents, four governors. I mean, it was first class. But it also brings to mind the question of succession. Do you think that’s a question Nigeria has answered? Because you look at all of them – OBJ, IBB, even the current president – they all belong to the older age. Do you think there’s a vibrant younger generation ready to take the baton?

Dele Momodu: No, but they were all young when they were in power.

But they are still perhaps calling the shots today.

Dele Momodu: That’s true. Even in America, you see that George Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter before he died, all of them called the shots. That’s why they are called the presidential class. They are extraordinary human beings. They are not your regular. To be the president of the biggest black nation on earth is not a joke. For all of them to call the shots, they will always do so.

Because even today, I was watching President Tinubu; we joined forces to fight IBB and to fight Abacha at that time. But today, you will not see him address IBB the way we were addressing them in those days. So, that’s the way life is, you know. And as you mature with age, if you had invited me, let’s say, 25 years ago, I’m sure I’d be Spitting Fire and abusing, and as you get older, you just have to know “when you get old, you have to act old”, you know. So, we mature people, and we want peace in our country.

Even when I disagree with you, I still want peace because I know that the children of the elite, what I call the privilegentials, their children will never be seen on the street fighting. It’s always the poor people who will get hit by bullets. And for me, I have a conscience. I will not send other people’s children to die for me because of power.

Absolutely. Yeah, I’m wondering what your thoughts are as to how you think Nigerians should react or respond to IBB’s admission and the best way to move forward from this very historic acknowledgment. How do you think the reaction should be? How do we move forward from this historic acknowledgment?

Dele Momodu: Oh, I think Nigerians already moved forward. I mean, you accept what you cannot change. We accepted it, we didn’t like it, we didn’t forget it, and we’re not likely to forget it. But the principal actor coming out to say, “Hey, I was wrong,” that’s good enough.

Do you think it has added anything substantially to Abiola’s legacy, or is it just a symbol?

Dele Momodu: No, no, no, Abiola’s legacy would always be intact on June 12th. God decided to purify Abiola and to cleanse him of all his sins, because none of us— we’re all sinners— none of us is perfect. But Abiola became a saint. The deification of Abiola happened on that day, and God gave him that chance. It doesn’t happen to everyone; it’s not everyone that will have that chance while on Earth to become a saint and a martyr. That is something very, very special.

Absolutely. It’s now 2025. You know, 1993, you were active in the struggle. Are you seeing signs of progress democratically in Nigeria, or what are those challenges you think have remained, you know, from 1993 till now?

Dele Momodu: There are things I would not want to say because of where I am, but I’m worried about our democracy. Very, very worried. And the reason is simple: democracy should give all of us freedom to run and act sensibly. But in a situation where it is “Winner Takes All,” and it is absolute power, and in a civilian regime, you begin to see traces and symptoms of dictatorship. It worries me, and that’s why I’ve always appealed, especially to my big brother, the current president, that look, you can fail in everything, sir, but make sure you don’t fail to deepen democracy. If they defeat you, they defeat you. If you defeat us, opposition, defeat us. That is my position; it’s nothing personal. You see, that’s why it’s democracy.

Look, President Tinubu became an idol to a lot of us because he stood stoutly against dictatorship. Because he stood; even when Obasanjo came, and Obasanjo was giving Lagos problems, he stood firm, and we stood by him. When they took him to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, we all rose up and said, “No, you cannot witch-hunt a man because of his political leanings.” So, I pray that will continue, and that’s what democracy is all about.

Looking forward to reading the book, right?

Dele Momodu: Oh no, I can’t wait to read it. I’ll see Uncle Yemi Ogunbiyi who was kind enough to invite me.

Thank you so much for coming.

Dele Momodu: Thank you, sir

Interviewer: I get to see you again. Well, that’s our show today, everyone. Thanks for being a part of it. You can watch it all over again at midnight and at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. I am Nifemi Oguntoye.

It is still not clear however, why Sunrise was disqualified, except for the testimonies of the Nigerian government, and now the former presidents that the contract was invalid. Another question that continue to re-echo is which company has taken its place as Local Content Partner, and since the Chinese had committed to paying $millions of dollars to Sunrise, who will be receiving this payment? Again, was there was a tender, and under which circumstances did Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) issue these Chinese firms Due Process Certificates?

Much as Sunrise is no longer interested in the above question, but the recovery of it $2.3 billion, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not stopped hounding Agunloye of awarding the contract without budgetary provision, approval, or cash backing. However, Agunloye claims that the government is using him as a scapegoat to undermine Sunrise Power’s claims.

WHY I TESTIFIED – OBASANJO 

In an exclusive interview granted Premium Times, former President explained his reasons for standing in the dock to testify.

He said, “I volunteered myself to testify in this case. Nobody sent me to do so. President Tinubu did not ask me to do so as speculated. I didn’t speak to anybody on my intention to testify,” Mr Obasanjo said.

“I decided to testify because of the statement made on the matter by Olu Agunloye. I considered his claims atrocious and thought it necessary to set the records straight.”

Obasanjo was Nigeria’s president between 1999 and 2007, the period when the contract with Sunrise was supposedly entered into. He is joined in blaming his former Minister, Agunloye, for the effrontery to award and signed the contract, even there was no executive permission. He described claims claims made by Agunloye as regards the $6 billion project as ‘atrocious’.

Obasanjo emphasized that his decision to testify was not influenced by President Bola Tinubu or any government official. Instead, he wanted to set the record straight about the contract, which was awarded during his administration in 2003.

 

“I volunteered myself to testify in this case. Nobody sent me to do so. President Tinubu did not ask me to do so as speculated. I didn’t speak to anybody on my intention to testify.

“I decided to testify because of the statement made on the matter by Olu Agunloye. I considered his claims atrocious and thought it necessary to set the records straight,” Obasanjo concluded.

In the same vein, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has defended Buhari’s appearance at the arbitration, saying the former president was not was pressured to testify, and that he did so willingly and out of patriotism.

HOW IT ALL STARTED – THE BOSS 2018 INVESTIGATION, DISCOVERY 

Documents in the possession of The Boss indicate that a Nigerian company, Sunrise Power Transmission Co. Limited had been in the forefront of promoting this Project from the outset.  

Prior to the official tender process, Sunrise started promoting the Mambilla Project as early as year 2000. It reportedly engaged the offices of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as well as the Nigerian Embassy in China.

Its successful promotion of the project led to the first state visit of then President Obasanjo to China in 2001 and Vice President Atiku in 2002.

 

It was thereafter, that a bidding process was opened for the project and the Ad-Hoc Inter-Ministerial Committee recommended Sunrise and its Chinese Partners. On April 7, 2003, the Committee wrote the President for approval to officially issue an award letter.

Therefore, on May 22, 2003, the then Federal Ministry of Power and Steel (Now Part of the new Ministry of Power, Works and Housing) issued a letter of Award to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited in consortium with North China Power Group as Technical Partners. The contract was for the construction of a 3, 960MW Hydroelectric Power Project in Mambilla on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement for a provisional six billion dollars. Sunrise accepted the offer.

 

In August 20, 2003, Sinohydro, which has its principal place of business at no.1 Ertao Biaguang Road, Xuanwu District, Beijing, PR China, North China Power Engineering Co. Ltd with its business address as 24a Huangsi District, Beijing and Sunrise located at Oluwa (Fowler) Road, Ikoyi, Lagos Nigeria, signed a contract to work together on what was then the 3, 960MW project.  Sunrise engaged Sinohydro to construct the project on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis.

After it has begun work, it got a shocking letter on September 3, 2003 from the Ministry of Energy (FMOE) claiming that the Federal Executive Council did not approve the memo recommending Sunrise for the project and directing Sunrise to tender for the project when it is advertised.

 

Sunrise sought a resolution without success. Sunrise and North China engaged Chief Afe Babalola, (SAN) to demand compensation.

A letter written by Chief Babalola dated February 4, 2005, read in part: “Your ministry cannot seek to repudiate the contract as it has attempted to do in the Ministry’s letter ….not after our clients have incurred expenses on the preparation incidental to the execution of the project.

“Consequent upon the preliminary steps towards execution of the contract, our clients have incurred well over Three Million Pounds while there are commitments to several consultants local and international in excess of Thirty Million British Pounds.”

While the dispute was on, Sunrise and it partners were still at work. An indication of this was a letter of intent written on April 15, 2005 by Dai Chunning, General Manager, Banking Department oF China Export-Import Bank to Sinohydro Corporation indicating its interest to provide $5.5 Billion for the Mambilla Project; the bank further stated that “We perused the information provided on the issue and are pleased to show interest and support in the proposed project by way of this Letter of Interest”.  

Nothing was heard on the project until May 29, 2007 when, allegedly influenced by a Senior Government official, the Government awarded a part of the SUNRISE contract (Lot I, Civil/Hydraulic Steel Structures) of the (2,600MW Mambilla Hydroelectric) First Phase of the project to Messrs CGGC/CGC Ltd, in the sum of US$1.46billion.

The source of funding envisaged at the time of award was a combination of an Exim Bank of China loan of US$1 billion and funds from the Excess Crude Savings Account.

Of course, Sunrise did not take this lying down. It took the matter to the Federal High Court, Abuja suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2007. The defendants in the case were The Minister of Energy, The Attorney-General of the Federation, China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) and China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC).

Late President Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua directed the Federal Ministry of Justice to investigate the Breach of Contract and USD 960 Million (Nine Hundred and Sixty Million United States Dollars) damage claim filed by Sunrise, and a Report (a copy of which is in our possession) from the Federal Ministry of Justice Indicted the Federal Ministry of Energy and CGGC/CGC of Gross Violation of Sunrise’s BOT Contract.

 

Furthermore, Mr. Michael Kaase Aondoakaa noted that Sunrise was not duly disengaged as Contractor on the project before government went ahead in May 2007 to engage CGGC/CGC for the same project.

He therefore, opined that Sunrise was in strong legal position to pursue a successful claim against the Federal Government; stating that “The best interest of the country can only be served by an amicable settlement of the parties so as to avoid the embarrassment that litigation would bring (to) the image of the country.” He sought Presidential approval to explore efforts of settlement of the matter.

Following a Presidential Visit to China in 2008, word reached late President Yar’Adua about an alleged $15m bribery that led to the award of the $1.46 billion contract to CGGC/CGC on May 29, 2007.

Late President Yar’Adua, we gathered then invited Sunrise, then Minister of State, Power (Late Hajiya Fatima Balaraba Usman), Minister of State and the accused Presidential official for a meeting.

After the meeting, President Yar Adua instructed then Attorney-General, Mr. Michael Aondoaka, SAN, to cancel the CGGC/CGC contract and restore the BOT Contracts to Sunrise immediately which was done at the Vice President’s Conference room in the presence of all Directors and Permanent Secretaries of both the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Justice.

 

After this unfortunate episode, Sunrise agreed to resolve its legal dispute against the Federal Government and CGGC/CGC Consortium amicably, by proposing that Sinohydro Corporation in partnership with Sunrise, on the one hand, should form a Consortium at a cost to be determined by the final project design to be undertaken.

In October 2012, the Federal Government decided it wanted to own the Mambilla HydroPower Project and wanted an urgent settlement. This led to the signing of the Settlement and General Project Execution Agreement (GPEA) between the Federal Ministry of Finance, then Honourable Minister of State, Power, Architect Darius Ishaku now Governor of Taraba State signed, and then Solicitor-General of Federation, Mr. Abduallahi Yola signed for the Federal Government. 

Sunrise and Sinohydro also signed but CGGC and CGC refused to sign because the Ministry of Power/Federal Government had allotted only 30% of Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) works to them.

When the Federal Government filed the Settlement Agreement in Court at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Court rejected it because CGGC/CGC did not sign the Settlement and GPEA Agreements.

Thereafter a Stakeholders’ Meeting was convened at the Ministry of Power on November 23, 2012 and over 40 Stakeholders reportedly attended. 

It was at this meeting that Mrs. Zainab Kuchi, new Minister of Power and the Solicitor-General of the Federation signed a new Out of Court Settlement Agreement with Sunrise (Its Chairman, Mr. Leno Adesanya signed) and also a new GPEA with Sunrise and Sinohydro (Its Technical and Financial Partners) was affirmed with a mandate to execute 100% of the EPC Contract.

In 2013, then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan during a State Visit to China was called upon by the Chinese President “To please consider both Sinohydro and CGHC as EPC Contractors.” 

The new Minister, Professor Chinedu Nebo then appealed to Sunrise to vote CGGC (Not CGC) as Co-contractor, a position that was accepted by Sunrise so that the project will be up and running.

As a result  of that parley, On January 14,  2015,  the Federal Ministry of Power, issued an Award Letter (No FMP/6145/S.11.1.185 of January 14, 2015) to Messrs CGCC and Sinohydro, specifically informing both Chinese companies that “Please note that based on the General Project Execution Agreement and Terms of Settlement agreed on the 23rd November, 2012 between the Federal Government on one hand and Sunrise/Synohydro on the other hand, Sunrise Power and Transmission Co. Ltd will serve as  local content Partner on the Mambilla Project”

 

THE STORY CONTINUES…

When President Muhammadu Buhari assumed Power, like all past Presidents, the issue of power was key on his agenda. In fact during one of his very first interviews on Channels Television in 2015, he stated that “The 3050MW Mambilla Hydropower Projectis stalled because FGN refused to pay 15% counterpart funds to Chinese Contractors; Just 15 per cent”.

It was not therefore, a surprise that on June 29, 2015, President Buhari reportedly hosted Alhaji Lawal Idris for over an hour at the Presidential Villa. He was in the company of Mr. Leno Adesanya, the Chairman/CEO of Sunrise.

We gathered that Adesanya presented a comprehensive briefing on the history of his company’s involvement with the Mambilla Power Project and how Sunrise, his company already has subsisting contractual agreements with the Federal Government as regards its execution.

There was an indication that since there was another Sheriff in town, the project will start revving again. When it didn’t, Sunrise wrote Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, (SAN)  on February 26, 2016, notifying him that it had held joint meetings with the two companies (SINOHYDRO and CGGC) in Beijing, and they have agreed to split the EPC Contract on a 50/50 basis; The Minister notified his Permanent Secretary, Mr. Louis Edozien in the letter.

A month later, on March 8, 2016, Engr. E.O. Ajayi, Director (Energy Resources) on behalf of the Minister, wrote to Mambilla project Consultants, Coyne et Bellier/Decrown, urging the company to send a reminder to Messrs Sinohydro and Messrs CGGC to submit the cooperation agreement detailing the division responsibility/section of works of the parties, noting that the consortium is jointly and severally responsible for the full implementation of the project. The Consortium was directed to submit the said agreement not later than March 31, 2016.

That was not all, many people involved in the project were now more enthusiastic when it was announced that President Buhari was preparing his first official visit to China.

He eventually embarked on the 4-day visit on April 10, 2016 but for some inexplicable reasons, this all important Mambilla project was not on the agenda.

We gathered from the delegation, that with pressure from Mr. Leno Adesanya, Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State, Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State and Chief Audu Ogbe, decided to bring the situation  to the attention of a very angry President Buhari, who was upset that the Taraba Governor was not invited on the trip by the Minister of Power Works and Housing. In any case, that was how Mambilla hit the front burner and became one of the key issues of the Presidential visit.

On his return later that month, President Buhari sent his Chief of Staff back to Beijing to conclude the negotiations, which resulted in the agreed price of $5.79 billion 

In addition, on April 25, 2016, Mr. President wrote through his Chief of Staff (Letter No. SH/COS/05/A/1847) to the Honourable  Attorney-General, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, copying the Minister of Power Works and Housing (HMOPWH), to propose a strategy for resolving all the legal issues and disputes relating to the Mambilla Power Project including the matter of the “warring parties”.

As per the directive given by Mr. President, The Boss learnt that the Attorney-General held series of meetings with the parties involved, and on May 20, 2016 in a letter addressed to Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, the Attorney-General made the following recommendations:

1)  Government should engage Sinohydro Corpration and CGGC jointly for the purpose of executing the Mambilla Project in line with the Spirit of the Letter of Award dated January 14, 2015, on a 50-50 basis or based on other technical parameters to be determined by the Project Consultants

2)  Engage the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria/Chinese Government to ensure the success of the plan to award the job to two companies

3)  Sunrise Power & Transmission Company Limited should be engaged as Local Content Partner on the Mambilla Project as a means of accommodating its prior contractual interests on the project

4)  A joint meeting of the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing for the purpose of streamlining the above positions and advising Mr. President through the Chief of Staff accordingly should be convened.

Curiously, six days after this legal advice, the Chief of Staff allegedly invited a Kaduna-based Chinese Company (CGC Nigeria Limited) to a meeting at the Presidency.

Present at the meeting were Sinohydro, CGC, CGGC, Mr. Fashola and some top Ministry officials. It was at this meeting that Mallam Kyari urged these three companies to cooperate and form a Joint Venture.

Despite being told by the Chairman of Sinohydro, and Fashola about the existing agreements with Sunrise, the CoS insisted that they should go ahead with the new arrangement, and instructed the Chinese to deal directly with the Presidency and the Ministry; not their local partners.

Not still satisfied with that move, on January 23, 2017, the Attorney General, wrote the Minister of Power, Works and Housing. The letter, HAGF/SH/2017/Vol.1/14 was titled: Request To Convene A Meeting On Procurement Process For The 3020MW Mambilla HydroElectric Power Project in Light of Outstanding Legal Issues.

Fashola replied three days later in a letter: FMP/6145/S.11/Vol.11/517, noting that his ministry welcomes the meeting requested that aims to resolve all issues raised.

The Minister also wrote a letter to Mr. Leno Adesanya on May 3, 2017 in response to a letter that the former had written him on March 31, 2017. He asked Mr. Adesanya to present his observations at a Stakeholders Meeting to be scheduled by the Chief of Staff to the President as proposed by the Attorney-General. 

While everyone involved was looking forward to that meeting, Mallam Abba Kyari fired a letter he personally signed to The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing on May 22, 2017 with the title: Re: Letter Referenced FMP/6145/S.II/569 In Respect of Mambilla HydroProject

The two paragraph letter stated:

 “Further to our discussion, kindly note that Messrs Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited is not party to the existing arrangements on this project.

“The Contractor engaged is Messrs CGGC-Sinohydro-CGCOC Joint Venture”.

Interestingly this letter was written when Mr. President was having his medical vacation abroad.

Messrs Sunrise must have been enraged by this unilateral decision of the Chief of Staff and consequently wrote the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was Acting President at the time to intervene.

Mr. Leno Adesanya, who signed the letter as Chairman/CEO, updated the Acting President on the project, alerting him that it was the Chinese that informed them of the sad news.

He went on to make an appeal: “Your Excellency, permit me to say that over the years, we have pleaded with our financial partners to be patient with the FGN as various developments that delayed the project played out. 

“We are however constrained to observe that the latest developments, if not rectified in line with the legal recommendations of the HAGF, prior to seeking FEC approval, shall leave us with no choice but seek legal redress where appropriate including against the Chinese government. We are however, confident that with your expected intervention, this reluctant prospect can be avoided.

“We trust your sense of justice and your commitment to the early realization of this project…”

The Attorney-General certainly was also unhappy with this development, little wonder that on July 24, 2017 he also wrote the Acting President.

Titled “Re: Correspondence In Respect Of The Procurement Process For The 3050MW Mambilla Hydro-Electric Power Project In Light Of Outstanding Issues”, he noted that following Mr. President’s directive of April 2016, he had developed a legal opinion, and had forwarded same to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing. 

He re-affirmed his recommendation insisting that he informed the Chief of Staff to the President and Minister about this and he wanted the Acting President to give appropriate directive.

Well, it seemed the letters from these two men did not carry much weight because just like he had promised in the meeting in 2016, and his letter of 2017, Mallam Abba Kyari had his way and the Nigerian Company was kicked out. There was no word from the Vice President or his office on the matter.

 

We were told that many moves were made for a meeting, even President Buhari’s main man, Alhaji Mamman Daura, reportedly tried to arrange one of such meetings on September 30, 2017, but the Chief of Staff will have none of it.

He advised Mr. Leno Adesanya, whose company, Sunrise, had been short-changed to “go to court”.

Of course following the November announcement by Fashola, there was a chain reaction. Sunrise activated the Arbitration Clause of its November 23, 2012 GPEA Agreement, and approached the International Chambers of Commerce, International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France to take charge; and it is claiming $2.3 billion in damages and profit loss.

The ICC Case No. 23211/TO is between Sunrise, Federal Government of Nigeria and Sinohydro Corporation Limited.

Already the legal fireworks have begun: While Mr. Jeremie Chouraqui is lead Counsel for Sunrise, Mr. Richard Smellie is representing Sinohydro while Supo Shashore, SAN is representing the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

Despite this move at arbitration, Sunrise, through its Lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN has written to the Attorney-General (copied to Minister of Power, Works and Housing and Presidency) still seeking ways of an amicable settlement; because Sunrise wants to execute the EPC contract based on the full compliance of the July 24, 2017 recommendations of the learned Attorney-General, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, to the Federal Government.

The February 2018 letter was a last ditch request and appeal to the nation’s Chief Law Officer to intervene and midwife the resolution in line with his earlier recommendations which will save Nigeria over $2 billion, as well as stem the negative publicity that the trial will generate, especially now that Nigeria is trying to project itself as an investment-friendly destination.

 

THE MAN, CHIEF LENO ADESANYA 

According a document made available to The Boss by the Sunrise office, Chief Adesanya’s personality is captured in the following lines:

Chief Leno Adesanya is a prominent Nigerian businessman and entrepreneur, renowned for the role he is playing in Nigeria’s energy sector. He hails from Eti-Osa Local Government Area in Lagos State and has spent several decades advancing power generation and transmission initiatives in the country. His expertise and ventures have placed him at the center of several high-profile projects aimed at addressing Nigeria’s energy deficits.

Business Ventures

Chief Adesanya is the CEO of Lutin Investments, a Geneva-based company, and serves as the promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL). Through these entities, he has spearheaded significant energy projects, leveraging strategic partnerships and investments to drive development in Nigeria’s power sector. His companies have collaborated with international partners, including Chinese firms, to propose large-scale solutions for the country’s energy challenges.

Involvement in the Mambilla Power Project

One of Chief Adesanya’s most notable endeavors is his involvement in the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, located in Taraba State, Nigeria. This ambitious project, with an expected capacity of 3,050 megawatts, is among the largest hydroelectric initiatives in Africa. Designed to alleviate Nigeria’s chronic power shortages, the project’s progress has been hindered by delays, funding challenges, and legal disputes.

In 2003, Sunrise Power, in collaboration with Chinese partners, was awarded a $6 billion Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) contract by the Nigerian government.

However, the contract was annulled in 2007, prompting a series of legal disputes between Sunrise Power and the government. Chief Adesanya’s company subsequently filed a $2.3 billion claim for breach of contract, with the case currently in arbitration in Paris (Nairametrics, 2025).

Legal Disputes and Arbitration

The Mambilla Power Project has been entangled in prolonged legal battles, with multiple arbitration cases involving Chief Adesanya and his company. Testimonies from former Nigerian presidents and ministers have featured prominently in these cases, reflecting the project’s high stakes. Past administrations, including that of President Muhammadu Buhari, sought out-of-court settlements to resolve disputes with Sunrise Power. However, agreements were often reneged upon, prolonging the conflict (Businessday NG, 2025).

Controversies

Chief Adesanya’s involvement in the Mambilla Power Project has been subject to scrutiny and controversy. Allegations of bribery and corruption have emerged, with claims that he offered incentives to public officials to secure favorable outcomes for his company. In 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Leno Adesanya wanted in 2024 for an alleged case of conspiracy and corrupt offer to public officers related to the Mambilla project (Nairametrics, 2024). Despite these challenges, he remains a key figure in Nigeria’s energy landscape.

Legacy and Impact

Through his leadership of Lutin Investments and Sunrise Power, Chief Leno Adesanya has played a role in shaping discussions around Nigeria’s energy future. While his involvement in the Mambilla Power Project has been marked by legal and political complexities, his efforts underscore the critical importance of private sector participation in addressing Nigeria’s infrastructural challenges.

THE MAMBILLA POWER PROJECT: AN OVERVIEW 

With the testimonies of the likes of Obasanjo and Buhari, the Nigerian government may be on a roller coaster of victory, but Chief Adesanya appears to still have some aces up his sleeves, and may pull a surprise comeback, armed with all the documents of the transactions at his disposal.

Time, as always, will tell.