L-R: Garba Mohammed, Executive Director, The Alternative Bank; Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; Mr. Mohamed Malick Fall, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, and Arjun Jain, Country Representative for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Nigeria, at the Africa Social Impact Summit 2026 Press Conference held on Abuja on Wednesday, July 17, 2026 at the UN House, Abuja

Africa’s largest platform for financing sustainable development took centre
stage on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, as Sterling One Foundation, in collaboration with the
United Nations in Nigeria and other key partners, hosted the official Africa Social Impact
Summit (ASIS) 2026 Press Conference at the United Nations House, Abuja.
The high-level briefing set the tone for a landmark gathering of global leaders, investors,
policymakers and development partners committed to shaping a more resilient and
prosperous Africa.
The press conference officially unveiled the vision, strategic priorities and programme
highlights for the Africa Social Impact Summit 2026, taking place from 22–24 July 2026 at the
Eko Convention Center, Lagos, under the theme “Financing for Development: Building
Resilience and Transforming Emerging Economies.”
As Africa navigates a rapidly evolving economic landscape marked by shifting global
capital flows, climate challenges, food insecurity and an expanding youth population, ASIS
2026 seeks to drive practical conversations that translate into investments, partnerships and
scalable solutions capable of accelerating sustainable development across the continent.
The briefing brought together members of the media, government representatives,
development institutions, private sector leaders and strategic partners for exclusive
announcements on the summit’s agenda, confirmed speakers, partnership opportunities and
key initiatives designed to unlock Africa’s next growth frontier.
Speaking at the event, Mohamed Malick Fall, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria,
highlighted the importance of collective action in advancing the continent’s development
priorities. “Africa’s greatest opportunity lies in the strength of its partnerships. The Africa Socia
Impact Summit continues to provide a unique platform where governments, the private
sector, development partners and civil society come together to mobilise the investments,
innovation and collaboration needed to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goals. Together, we can build resilient economies that leave no one behind.”
Also speaking at the conference, Abubakar Suleiman, Board Member, Sterling One
Foundation, emphasized the importance of sustained commitment beyond dialogue. “What
we are building through ASIS is not just a convening, but a long-term platform for action. The
conversations we are having today must translate into real commitments, measurable
outcomes and partnerships that outlive the summit itself. That is how we move from intention
to impact across the continent.”
Speaking further, Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer, Sterling One Foundation, said: the
Africa Social Impact Summit platform has already unlocked over $1billion across sectors,,
and this needs to be scaled significantly, adding that the future of Africa will be defined by
the quality of the sustainable partnerships we build today. “The Africa Social Impact Summit
is a platform that brings together African leaders, local and international investors, innovative
ideas and catalytic capital to address some of the continent’s most pressing challenges while
unlocking opportunities for inclusive and sustainable growth. We are excited to unveil an
edition that is bigger, more collaborative and more action-oriented than ever before. We
expect deals of over $500million to be signed this year”
Since its inception, the Africa Social Impact Summit has evolved into one of the continent’s
foremost platforms for advancing market-led solutions and cross-sector collaboration in
support of the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063. By convening
governments, development finance institutions, investors, philanthropists, businesses,
innovators and civil society organisations, the summit has continued to catalyse meaningful
conversations that result in tangible partnerships and measurable impact.
The 2026 edition places a strong emphasis on mobilising investment and strategic
partnerships across critical sectors, including education, healthcare, climate resilience, food
systems, gender equality and women’s empowerment, youth development, the creative
economy and sustainable finance. Through high-level dialogues, investor roundtables and
solution-driven engagements, the summit aims to accelerate initiatives that strengthen
economies and improve livelihoods across Africa.
Expected to welcome more than 2,000 delegates from over 50 countries, ASIS 2026 will
convene heads of government, multilateral organisations, development finance institutions,
global investors, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and social innovators in a shared commitment to shaping Africa’s sustainable future.
The successful press conference marks an important milestone in the journey to ASIS 2026, as momentum builds toward the July convening in Lagos, which will bring together stakeholder
committed to driving investment, innovation and impact at scale across the continent.

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