The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a product of the continuing search
by African people and their leaders to create structures and/or platforms that would enhance
rapid economic transformation of the continent that will be in tune the realities of the twenty-
first century. Even though the agreement for its take off was reached during the 37 th session of
the Assembly of Heads of States and Government, which took place on 20 th June 2001 in Lusaka
Zambia; but it was only in 2002 that it was formally adopted by the African Union (AU) as the
primary mechanism to coordinate the pace and impact of Africa’s development. Its primary
objective was to provide a new mechanism for the eradication of poverty, place African
countries (individually and collectively) on a path of sustainable growth and development, halt
the marginalization of Africa within the global space, accelerate the empowerment of women,
and fully integrate Africa into the global economy. This paper therefore seeks to take stock of
goals stated above vis-à- vis the actual achievements recorded so far, and then highlight the gaps
that needs to be filled in order for the original target to be fully met. In doing this, the writer
adopts a combination of descriptive and analytical methods of historical documentation, in a
manner that affords the reader the opportunity of reaching an independent conclusion.