The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has dismissed claims linking him to a bid for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Speculations arose after reports suggested that Adesina hinted at his intention to contest during a recent interview.
However, Adesina has refuted these reports, asserting that he never expressed interest in running for the presidency.
In a post on his X handle on Friday, Adesina clarified that his comments were misinterpreted and misrepresented by several Nigerian media outlets.
“A segment of my recent interview on @ARISEtv has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.
This is not the first time Akinwunmi Adesina, whose tenure as AfDB President concludes in May 2025, has distanced himself from Nigeria’s presidential race.
Ahead of the 2023 elections, Adesina issued a statement categorically ruling himself out of contention for the presidency, amid widespread speculation.
“While I am deeply honoured, humbled and grateful for all the incredible goodwill, kindness, and confidence, my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to considered,” the statement read in part.
“I remain fully engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa, and all the non-African shareholders of the African Development Bank have given me for Africa’s development.
“I remain fully focused on the mission of supporting the accelerated development and economic integration of Africa.”
Adesina, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture under President Goodluck Jonathan, was first elected as the AfDB president in 2015 before winning reelection in 2020.