In a strong show of continental coordination and reform-minded ambition, the United Nations in Nigeria and the Sterling One Foundation have rallied over 40 development partners, private sector leaders, and policy influencers ahead of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2025, scheduled to hold in Lagos on July 10–11.
The pre-summit momentum was reinforced at a high-level press briefing held at the United Nations House in Abuja, where key stakeholders emphasized the need for unified African-led solutions to pressing challenges, particularly around climate resilience, economic transformation, health, and governance reform.
Now in its third year, ASIS has evolved from eight founding partners in 2022 to over 40 active institutional collaborators across sectors like education, healthcare, finance, climate action, and digital inclusion. The upcoming summit, themed “Scaling Action for the SDGs: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation,” seeks to reset Africa’s development narrative through policy rethinking, long-term investment strategies, and sub-national leadership.
Mohamed M. Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, underscored the significance of African leadership in designing development solutions:
“The climate crisis is eroding decades of development across Africa… But lasting solutions must come from those living the impact daily. ASIS offers a platform for African institutions to lead, and for global partners to respond with investment, policy reform, and serious commitment.”
Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, reflected on the summit’s results-oriented growth, noting that:
“ASIS has never been about convening for its own sake. Each summit marks a deliberate step to mobilize capital, shift policy, and advance African-led solutions. Already, over \$100 million has been unlocked through coalition efforts — a testament to systems thinking and focused collaboration.”
Highlighting the essential role of the private sector, Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO of Sterling Bank, reinforced the need for sustainable partnerships:
“Sterling Bank has been a strategic partner to ASIS from the start. As global development funding tightens, the private sector must step in to drive scalable solutions. Impact is not a side project — it is core to economic resilience and inclusive growth.”
ASIS now boasts an impressive coalition including Afreximbank, Coca-Cola, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria, and several technical and theme partners. With Lagos State as the summit’s host city, the 2025 edition is expected to accelerate subnational initiatives and reform thinking across the continent.
The summit will feature sessions on climate-smart investments, youth employment, inclusive education, and digital infrastructure, with stakeholders from across Africa and beyond expected to attend.
Organizers have encouraged development actors, investors, governments, and members of the public to register via www.theimpactsummit.org to take part in what promises to be a transformative policy and investment dialogue.
About the Co-Conveners
Sterling One Foundation (SOF) is a Nigerian non-profit tackling poverty through impactful interventions in health, education, climate action, and food security, with gender equality integrated across all programming.
The United Nations System in Nigeria includes 19 resident and 4 non-resident agencies working closely with the Nigerian government to support national development priorities since independence.
