Lagos To Host Over 5,000 Participants At Africa Social Impact Summit In July

The Lagos State government has announced plans to host the third edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS), from July 25th to 26th, 2024 with no fewer than 5,000 participants across Africa expected to participate in the Summit.

This year 2024 ASIS with the theme, “Reimagining Progress: A New Blueprint for Sustainable Growth in Africa,” will be a hybrid event as Lagos partners with Sterling Bank, United Nations, MTN Nigeria, and other notable organisations to host the third edition of the ASIS at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade, Cooperative and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, disclosed this on Friday during a press conference, held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos.

She said, “I am delighted to welcome no fewer than 5,000 participants to Lagos, a city vibrant with diversity, innovation, and ambition. Let me also welcome and appreciate our partners, ably led by Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations Nigeria.

“This summit is to serve as a global platform for effective collaboration and alignment by critical players in Africa’s social development sector, including state and non-state actors – social entrepreneurs, local and international impact investors, international development organisations, private sector and the government to facilitate the all-inclusive achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063 with priority focus on education, circular economy, health, climate solutions, food security and WASH, which form the key thematic areas for discussion.”

According to the Commissioner, the summit is co-convened by the Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations, to bring together all key players across sectors to share knowledge, discuss evidence based insights, and draw up action plans to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

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On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, said the organisation was proud to associate with ASIS summit.

“The UN’s SDGs by 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063 with priority focus on education, circular economy, health, climate solutions, food security and WASH, which form the key thematic areas for discussion.

“With less than six years to go, there is need to reshape ASIS for more strategic outcomes, by strengthening the means of implementation and building a cross-sectoral coalition and multi stakeholder approach.

“So we can accelerate the attainment of the goals through enterprise driven solutions and innovative impact ecosystems. The Summit thus aims to usher in an ambitious action to deliver these goals leveraging multi-faceted partnerships, because of the global goals,” she said.

She added that the summit has attracted interest from over 8,000 development and sustainability leaders from across 66 countries since its launch in 2022.

ASIS is convening the summit for inclusive development, which provides an opportunity for developing market-led solutions to Africa’s social challenges.