ASIS 2026 Sets New Benchmark for Policy Impact, Launches Flagship Initiatives for Women, Youth, and Education
Abuja, Nigeria – 28 January 2026
The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement convened in Abuja on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, bringing together over 200 senior government officials, business leaders, development partners, and civil society representatives. Co-hosted by the Office of the Vice President and Sterling One Foundation, the summit highlighted Nigeria’s drive to translate continental commitments into actionable national policies that accelerate inclusive growth, foundational learning, and women and youth empowerment.
Themed “Scaling Action – Driving Inclusive Growth through Policy and Innovation,” ASIS 2026 emphasized moving from dialogue to measurable implementation, particularly in the five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The engagement focused on aligning policy reform, private sector mobilization, and development financing around Nigeria’s urgent priorities, including education, skills development, entrepreneurship, health, financial inclusion, and institutional strengthening.
Flagship Initiatives Launched
During the engagement, two major initiatives were unveiled:
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Business Coalition for Education (BCE) and the Nigeria Foundational Learning Fund: Designed to improve literacy and numeracy for out-of-school children across Nigeria, these initiatives aim to accelerate foundational learning outcomes.
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Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria: Serving as Nigeria’s implementation platform for the African Union’s WYFEI programme, the platform focuses on advancing women and youth economic empowerment through co-investment frameworks, compact-based delivery, and performance accountability.
The summit also featured the adoption of the WYFEI Nigeria Declaration, a national statement of intent to be endorsed by government leaders, CEOs, and development partners, committing to coordinated action to unlock Nigeria’s women and youth dividend.
Government and Stakeholder Support
Speaking ahead of the summit, the Vice President of Nigeria emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration, noting that “Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilize the private sector, development partners, and public institutions around shared national priorities.”
Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, described the engagement as “a pivotal shift from conversation to national execution,” adding that ASIS 2026 catalyzes a framework for scaling solutions and delivering real impact for millions of Nigerians while positioning the country as a leader in Africa’s sustainable growth agenda.
About ASIS and Sterling One Foundation
Now in its fifth year, ASIS has established itself as a leading continental platform for mobilizing private sector-led solutions to accelerate SDG progress in Africa. Co-convened by Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations, the summit focuses on innovation, financing, and partnerships to address Africa’s pressing social and economic challenges.
Sterling One Foundation (SOF) is a registered non-profit organization tackling poverty in Nigeria and Africa through programs in health, education, climate action, and food security. Gender equality and women empowerment remain a cross-cutting priority across all its initiatives.
The ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement underscores Nigeria’s commitment to turning continental and global commitments into concrete national action, advancing inclusive growth, shared prosperity, and sustainable development.
For more information, visit https://theimpactsummit.org.
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