Lagos, Nigeria – June 26, 2025
In the build-up to the 2025 edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS), scheduled for July 10–11 in Lagos, the United Nations in Nigeria and Sterling One Foundation have announced a broad coalition of over 40 partners committed to redefining the continent’s development strategy.
At a high-level press briefing held at the United Nations House in Abuja, co-conveners of the summit outlined expectations for the forthcoming event, calling attention to Africa’s growing leadership in crafting local responses to global challenges.
First held in 2022 with just eight founding partners, ASIS has rapidly grown into a regional powerhouse for cross-sector collaboration, now attracting organizations working across climate action, healthcare, education, finance, governance, and digital inclusion.
This year’s summit, themed “Scaling Action for the SDGs: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation,” will focus on accelerating sub-national development, unlocking sustainable finance, and addressing structural inequalities through lasting investment and reform.
In his remarks, Mohamed M. Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of the summit’s mission:
“The climate crisis is reversing decades of progress across Africa—displacing communities, disrupting education and healthcare, and threatening economic security. Real solutions must come from those who live through these impacts. ASIS provides a platform for African institutions to lead and for global stakeholders to respond with targeted investment and meaningful policy shifts.”
Speaking on the summit’s expanding impact, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, highlighted the results of three years of coordinated action:
“ASIS is not just another summit. It is a strategic effort to unlock capital, reform policy, and drive African-led solutions. Through collective efforts, we’ve already mobilized over $100 million. That success is no coincidence—it stems from bold partnerships and a shared commitment to placing Africa’s priorities at the forefront of global conversations.”
Also addressing the media, Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO of Sterling Bank, reaffirmed the private sector’s central role in sustainable development:
“Sterling Bank has been a founding partner of ASIS because we believe impact is not a side project—it’s integral to building resilient and inclusive economies. As donor funding tightens, the private sector must help scale viable solutions, and that’s what ASIS enables.”
Other partners present stressed the importance of bold investments in key sectors such as health systems, education, youth employment, and digital infrastructure.
The growing coalition backing ASIS includes major stakeholders like Afreximbank, Coca-Cola, the United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, Sterling Bank, and others, with Lagos State Government serving as host for the 2025 summit.
Registration for the summit is ongoing at www.theimpactsummit.org.
About the Co-Conveners
Sterling One Foundation (SOF) is a non-profit organization tackling the root causes of poverty across Nigeria and Africa. With a focus on health, education, climate action, and food security, SOF integrates gender equality and women empowerment into all its programs and promotes strategic partnerships for achieving the SDGs. Learn more at www.onefoundation.ng.
The United Nations System in Nigeria, comprising 19 resident and 4 non-resident entities, has been a trusted development partner to Nigeria since independence, supporting the country across a broad range of development and humanitarian priorities. More information is available at www.un.org.ng.
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Contact:
Ifeoluwa Elegbede
Public Relations, Sterling One Foundation
