Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli Appointed African Development Fund Champion

 

The African Development Fund has appointed Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, President and CEO of the ONE Campaign, as a Champion for its 17th replenishment cycle, ADF-17. This cycle comes at a pivotal moment as the Fund seeks to scale catalytic investments to advance resilience, integration, and inclusive growth across Africa’s most vulnerable economies.

As Champion, Nwuneli will play a role in mobilizing support for ADF-17. She will draw on her extensive leadership experience to amplify the Fund’s visibility, foster strategic partnerships, and engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders around its core priorities–climate adaptation, regional integration, and targeted support for countries facing fragility and conflict.

“This partnership with the ONE Campaign comes at a critical moment for the African Development Fund. As Champion for ADF-17, Ndidi brings a powerful voice and trusted leadership that will help elevate the Fund’s visibility, highlight Africa’s development priorities, and reinforce the importance of long-term, impactful investment across the continent,” said Valerie Dabady, African Development Bank Manager for Resource Mobilization and Partnerships.

An internationally recognized expert in social innovation and development, Nwuneli has spent more than 25 years advancing equity, food systems transformation, and youth empowerment across Africa. She is the founder of LEAP Africa and African Food Changemakers, co-founder of Sahel Consulting and AACE Foods, and serves on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Group, and the Bridgespan Group. She is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Advisory Council for Young Global Leaders, Fondation CHANEL and IFC’s Women LEAD Africa Alliance.

“Africa stands at a pivotal moment, poised for growth and ready to drive greater contributions to the global economy. Seizing this opportunity requires immediate and sustained investment. The African Development Fund plays a vital role in channeling the resources needed now to unlock long-term prosperity across the continent. I am honored to serve as Champion for ADF-17 and to help mobilize the bold, strategic support required to fuel inclusive growth and strengthen communities across Africa,” said Nwuneli.

The ONE Campaign is a nonpartisan organization fighting for a more just world by demanding the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. Through trusted and dynamic advocacy, grassroots activism, and strategic partnerships, ONE influences decision-makers to act on the world’s most pressing challenges.

Established in 1972, the African Development Fund is the concessional window of the African Development Bank Group and a critical source of finance for 37 low-income African countries. To date, the Fund has committed over $58 billion to operations that improve infrastructure, strengthen agricultural networks, support governance reforms, and foster regional trade. Its impact is further multiplied through blended finance, policy dialogue, and specialized instruments such as the Transition Support Facility and the Climate Action Window.

The pledging session for ADF-17 will take place in December 2025. A strong replenishment will expand the Fund’s ability to deliver transformative, African-led solutions to the continent’s most pressing development challenges.

Learn more about the African Development Fund and ADF-17 at: https://adf.afdb.org
Learn more about the ONE Campaign: https://www.one.org

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