The African Development Bank (AfDB) has hosted a delegation of Japanese university students at its headquarters to strengthen educational, cultural and technical exchange between Japan and Africa.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has hosted a delegation of 13 students and faculty members from Japan’s Sophia University at its headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The visit was part of the university’s “Learn from Africa” study program, an overseas educational initiative established under a partnership agreement between the bank and Sophia University that was first signed in 2019 and renewed recently.
The delegation comprising two faculty members and 11 students across various academic disciplines was welcomed by Tomoki Nakai, the bank’s Executive Director representing Japan and several other member nations, alongside Dr. Martha Phiri, Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development.
During the visit, bank leaders emphasized that investing in young people is a core priority within the institution’s long-term strategy to harness demographic growth for broader economic development.
Representatives noted that bringing Japanese students to Africa provides direct exposure to the continent’s development opportunities and challenges, helping to build global knowledge exchanges and mentor the next generation of international development professionals.
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Throughout the visit, students participated in a guided tour of the headquarters and attended detailed presentations delivered by specialist teams spanning human capital development, resource mobilization, economic governance and private sector infrastructure development.
The visit builds on a broader history of educational collaboration between the bank group and Japan. The two entities jointly administer initiatives like the Japan Africa Dream Scholarship (JADS) program, which has awarded scholarships to 46 African students for advanced study including master’s degree candidates in global environmental studies at Sophia University itself.
Bank officials highlighted that initiatives like these and the newly launched Africa-Asia Platform continue to foster cross-continental innovation, entrepreneurship and industrial progress.
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