Former President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has declared his readiness to contribute to Nigeria’s development in any capacity deemed appropriate by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while clarifying that he is not seeking a government appointment.

Adesina made the declaration on Tuesday after meeting Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he briefed the President on his 10-year tenure at the continental development finance institution and its financial support for Nigeria.

The former AfDB president said his willingness to serve was motivated by patriotism and a sense of responsibility to his country, rather than a desire to secure a political position.

“I’m fully able to help Nigeria in any capacity. I’ve always had that. My heart is always at home,” he told journalists after the meeting.

He added that he was prepared to contribute wherever the President considered his experience and expertise useful.

“In any capacity that His Excellency feels I can help, I can help in anything. I’m not looking for a job. I’m not looking for anything. I’m just here to help,” Adesina said.

“It’s my country. I have a duty, an obligation and a responsibility to do so, and I will.”

Adesina briefs Tinubu on AfDB achievements

Adesina explained that the visit was an opportunity to formally inform Tinubu that he had completed his two terms as AfDB president and to present an account of the bank’s achievements during his leadership.

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He said the bank provided approximately $7 billion in financing to Nigeria between 2015 and 2025, compared with total financing of $11.1 billion since it began operations in Nigeria in 1971.

According to him, the financing provided during his decade at the helm represented approximately 63 per cent of the bank’s cumulative support to Nigeria over the period.

Adesina said Tinubu expressed satisfaction with the bank’s contributions and the projects supported during his tenure.

The former Nigerian minister of agriculture led the AfDB from 2015 until September 2025, completing two terms as the institution’s president. He was the first Nigerian to occupy the position.

Adesina commends Tinubu’s economic reforms

During the meeting, Adesina also commended Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the harmonisation of foreign exchange windows.

He described the measures as difficult but important decisions, arguing that they were beginning to produce results in some areas of the economy.

According to him, foreign exchange availability had improved, portfolio investors were returning to the country, and inflation was trending downwards.

However, he acknowledged that prices remained high, meaning many Nigerians continued to face pressure from the cost of living.

Adesina also cited improved assessments from some international credit-rating agencies, which he said reflected changing perceptions of Nigeria’s economic outlook.

Despite these developments, he cautioned that economic stabilisation was only the beginning of a broader transformation process.

“You have to also now move from the issue of the reforms and stabilisation straight into structural transformation and also growth and prosperity,” he said.

He argued that Nigeria must now focus on translating economic reforms into stronger productivity, expanded economic opportunities and improved living standards.

Former AfDB chief urges focus on growth and prosperity

Adesina’s remarks place emphasis on the need to move beyond macroeconomic adjustments towards policies that deliver tangible benefits for households and businesses.

His comments come amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and changes to the foreign exchange market.

While the government has defended the measures as necessary to stabilise public finances and improve economic efficiency, higher living costs have remained a concern for many Nigerians.

Adesina did not announce any specific government role he was prepared to take up, and the Presidency did not announce an appointment following the meeting.

Instead, the former AfDB president reiterated his willingness to contribute his experience in development finance, agriculture and economic transformation whenever the President considered his services necessary.

Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has raised concerns over alleged evidence tampering by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) during investigations into the deaths of suspected illegal miners in custody in Minna, Niger State.

The development emerged as a Federal Government investigative panel submitted its report on the incident on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, recommending disciplinary action against personnel found responsible and a ₦1.4 billion compensation package for bereaved families and survivors.

The panel found that the detainees had been held in a severely overcrowded cell, where poor ventilation, extreme heat and dehydration contributed to the deaths. It said the incident was preventable and identified failures in supervision, detention procedures and the duty of care owed to people in custody.

According to the committee, the operation that led to the arrests was conducted without an operational order from the NSCDC national headquarters. It also found that the corps’ specialised Mining Marshals Unit was not involved in the operation.

The panel recommended the dismissal of personnel whose actions directly contributed to the deaths, as well as prosecution where the evidence supports criminal charges. It called for administrative sanctions against officers whose failures did not directly cause the fatalities.

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The proposed ₦1.4 billion compensation package includes ₦30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families and ₦10 million for each of the 41 survivors. Other recommendations include educational support for the dependants of deceased detainees, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families and a formal government apology.

The deaths followed the arrest of suspected illegal miners during enforcement operations in Minna in September. The incident sparked public outrage and calls for accountability, prompting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order a comprehensive investigation.

The reported death toll has varied: initial accounts referred to 33 deaths, while the Niger State Government and subsequent federal investigation reports referred to 37. The figures should therefore be distinguished when reporting the panel’s findings.

The panel’s recommendations are not criminal convictions. Any prosecution must follow due process, and responsibility must be established through the appropriate legal proceedings.