Forbes Africa magazine has named Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo African of the Year for 2021, citing how he has raised the profile of his country in the global marketplace as one reliant on its own resources and strengths.
Akufo-Addo has repositioned the West African country by redefining economic development, and this is resonating across the African continent, the business magazine said in its latest issue on December 3.
Speaking to business news network CNBC Africa after the announcement, Akufo-Addo said he was grateful that the African version of the well-known magazine had selected him for this prestigious title.
“(The award) is an honour and it means the world is looking at the work we are doing here in Ghana. So it’s an inspiration for us and an encouragement for us to continue the path that we have set ourselves,” he said.
In an interview with Forbes Africa itself, Akufo-Addo dwelt on the new focus of the West African nation, which has in recent years consistently been one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
The Ghanaian leader joins an elite club of past winners of the award, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, African Development Bank (AfDB) head Akinwumi Adesina as well as director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was named Forbes Africa African of the Year in 2020.
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