(AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK) - The African Development Institute, the knowledge promotion and capacity development department of the African Development Bank will host an Eminent Speakers’ Seminar on 29 October 2018, at the Babacar N’diaye Auditorium in the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

His Royal Highness (HRH) Muhammadu Sanusi II, The Emir of Kano, Nigeria, will speak at the Seminar on the theme, “Regional Integration, Energy and Industrialization,” which reflects  three of the Bank’s High 5 priority development agenda. 

The President of the African Development Bank Dr. Akinwumi Adesina will deliver the introductory and welcome remarks, while Dr. Celestin Monga, Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance & Knowledge Management will deliver the closing remarks.

Prior to his coronation in 2014, the Emir had a successful career in banking and held several top-level positions including Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He won several awards during his tenure at the apex bank, including Central Bank Governor of the Year (worldwide) from the Banker Magazine which is owned by the Financial Times of London. Time Magazine listed him among the 100 Most Influential People of 2011.

His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II is a prolific writer with many publications in banking, finance and economic development to his credit. He  is among the highly informed observers of African development issues, especially in the areas of African socio-political affairs, economic development, resource management and governance.

The Eminent Speakers’ Seminar Series (#EminentSpeaker) was launched in 2006 and has been a forum for sharing insights on development challenges and opportunities in Africa. About 30 eminent persons have participated in previous editions of the Seminar. The list includes former Presidents of Zambia ad Ghana, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and John Agyekum Kufuor, respectively.  Others include, four Nobel Prize Winners: Prof. Joseph Stiglitz of United States of America, Dr. Wangari Maathai of Kenya, Prof. Wole Soyinka of Nigeria and Mrs Ouided Bouchamaoui of Tunisia.

A range of current African and global development topics have been covered in the Eminent Speakers’ Seminar series, including economics, finance, regional integration, human development, and the environment.

The event will be livestreamed online via: https://goo.gl/MkHMsN and https://goo.gl/d4EzyP for English and French speaking audiences, respectively.

About the African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.