From Discussion to Implementation: Africa Social Impact Summit 2026 Sets a New Benchmark for Policy Impact

Sterling One

will co-host a high-level policy event—the Africa Social Impact Summit 2026 (ASIS 2026)—with the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the United Nations system, and partners of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS). The summit will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at the Presidential Palace Conference Centre Foundation in Nigeria. Abuja This summit will bring together senior government officials, CEOs, development partners, investors, and civil society representatives to advance outcome-oriented partnerships that promote inclusive growth, basic education, women’s and youth empowerment, and the achievement of national development goals.

Co-hosted by the Office of the Vice President and Sterling One

, this summit will serve as a national platform to translate the continent’s commitments into concrete national actions, aligning policy reforms, private sector mobilization, and development financing with Nigeria’s objectives. The most pressing priorities include education, employment, skills development, inclusive finance, health, entrepreneurship, and institutional strengthening.

This high-level meeting, themed “Scaling Up Action – Fostering Inclusive Growth Through Policy and Innovation,” brought together over 200 leaders from government, the private sector

, development agencies, civil society, and diplomacy. With only five years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, this meeting aimed to drive policy reform, explore innovative hybrid financing models, and accelerate the implementation of Nigeria’s key development priorities.

The African Social Impact Summit (ASIS), now in its fifth year, has become a leading private sector Foundation platform across the continent, dedicated to mobilizing public-private partnerships to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. Initiated by Sterling One

and the United Nations, ASIS consistently emphasizes the importance of policy innovation, partnerships, and impact financing in addressing Africa’s

most pressing social and economic challenges.

Building on this foundation, the high-level policy initiative “ASIS 2026” focuses on translating insights and recommendations from previous ASIS communiqués into concrete national policies and financing frameworks.

This initiative aims to integrate ASIS commitments into Nigeria’s political system, identify priority areas as national necessities, and mobilize funds to achieve measurable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key outcomes of this initiative include the launch of a series of pioneering, policy-supported initiatives, notably the Business Education Alliance (BCE) and the Nigeria Basic Learning Fund, aimed at improving literacy and numeracy skills among out-of-school children in the country.

Furthermore, the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion Initiative (WYFEI Nigeria) will be launched, the country’s flagship platform for promoting women’s and youth economic empowerment through contractual implementation, a co-investment framework, and

performance accountability. It will serve as the national implementation platform for the African Union’s Women, Youth and Entrepreneurs Empowerment Initiative (WYFEI). Foundation Prior to the event, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

stated: “Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilize the private sector

, development partners, and public institutions to work around shared national

priorities. This event is a key step toward outcomes-oriented

partnerships that will unlock the full potential of our women and youth, enhance human capital

, and accelerate inclusive growth.”

According to Ms. Olapju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One

, the high-level policy event “ASIS 2026” marks a crucial shift from discussion to national implementation. By strategically coordinating policy, innovation, and financing, we are creating a framework that enables solutions to be scaled

and have a tangible impact on millions of Nigerians, while positioning Nigeria as a leader in sustainable growth

in Africa. Agenda.

This event also includes the adoption of the WYFEI Nigeria Declaration, a national declaration of intent signed by government representatives, CEOs, and development partners, committing to coordinated action to unleash the potential of Nigerian women and youth.

The African Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026, building on the UN Sustainable Development Goals stimulus plan and aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, will strengthen Nigeria’s leadership in translating continental and global commitments into national action through high-level policy engagement, focusing on inclusive growth, shared prosperity, and long-term resilience.

This summit is part of a series of national actions following the African Social Impact Summit

aimed at propelling Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, beyond dialogue to achieve systemic reforms, capital mobilization, and measurable impact.

About the co-organizer: The African Social Impact Summit (ASIS), co-organized by Sterling One

and the United Nations, is a leading platform for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through innovation, finance, and partnerships. (SDGs). Since 2022, ASIS has brought together leaders from all sectors to develop practical solutions for sustainable development in Africa. For more information, please visit https://theimpactsummit.org. Sterling One

(SOF) is a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the root causes of poverty in Nigeria and Africa through social impact interventions and projects in three key areas: health, education and climate action, and food security. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are priorities across all project areas. Sterling One’s projects follow a partnership-centric approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).