GCIOBA USA is proud to present as this year’s guest speaker, a longtime friend of Government College Ibadan, Ms. Cecilia Bukola (“Bukky”) Akintomide, the current (and first female) Secretary General of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The African Development Bank is Africa’s largest development bank with a mandate to promote economic and social development in Africa. The bank’s shareholders comprises of 78 African and non-African member countries.

Ms Akintomide  holds a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and Masters of Laws degree from both the University of Miami and the University of Pennsylvania Law Schools. She is admitted to practice law in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in the State of New York, U.S.A.

She  has worked at several law firms in Nigeria and the USA, including Thomas & Co, Solicitors (Lagos)  and Weil, Gotshal & Manges (New York).

She joined the AfDB in 1996 and rose rapidly through the ranks, serving as Division Manager for Public and Private Sector Operations and Chief Legal Counsel, Administrative and Institutional Affairs.  

She was appointed to the post of Secretary General in May of 2010.

In 2005, she  made a presentation at the GCIOBA USA Economic symposium in New Jersey.  We are excited to have her back this year as  guest speaker.