Plantains (Musa spp. AAB group) are important food crops grown by small landholders int sub-Saharan Africa. Black sigatoka, a fungal leaf spot disease (Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet), is a major constraint to plantain production worldwide since all varieties are susceptible to this disease. Chemical fungicides for black sigatoka control exist but are considered as environmentally unsound and socio-economically inappropriate for African farmers. Therefore, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) decided in 1987 to develop new black sigatoka resistant plantain varieties. Through a combination of innovative cross breeding methods, several promising black sigatoka resistant tetraploid hybrids were identified for potential varietal release by National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES). Steps involved in the development of this black sigatoka resistant plantain germplasm with stable high yields and acceptable fruit quality for local consumers included ploidy manipulations through the utilization of local triploid plantain landraces and diploid or cultivated wild bananas in interspecific hybridization in triploid-diploid crosses, followed by in vitro seed germination through embryo culture, and further rapid micropropagation of selected genotypes for on-station, multilocational, advanced and on-farm testing, and finally, taste panels to assess cooked fruit quality. Close interaction between NARES and IITA offered the means for local testing and selection of new plantain hybrids for further varietal registration. Also, this association provided in-depth knowledge in host-response to black sigatoka disease, yield stability, and consumers' acceptability of plantains across various environments in sub-Saharan Africa.