Sterling One Foundation, UN Convene Forum to Champion Africa’s Development

 

The Sterling One Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations in Nigeria, recently convened the fourth edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS 4.0) in Lagos, drawing over 2,500 global delegates in a bid to advance scalable solutions to the continent’s most critical challenges.

Held under the theme “Scaling Action: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation,” the summit featured key stakeholders across government, multilateral institutions, development finance, civil society, and the private sector all united in their commitment to inclusive, African-led transformation anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Opening the summit, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, highlighted the summit’s rapid growth from just eight institutions at inception to over 60 strategic partners in 2025.


“This kind of growth reflects shared ownership,” she said. “We get bold solutions when we scale action with the right execution and the right alliances.”

She further outlined the summit’s threefold agenda: deepening partnerships across sectors, scaling social investments, and influencing policies that drive sustainable impact.

In her keynote address, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, painted a sobering picture of Africa’s development outlook amid mounting debt burdens, waning foreign investment, and escalating climate shocks. She called for urgent reforms in the global financial system and equitable access to climate financing, while unveiling the Mission 300 initiative aimed at providing 300 million Africans with access to clean, affordable energy.

“We cannot afford to slow down. “Africa’s future must be built on deliberate, values-driven action that centres people, not promises.”

Managing Director/CEO of Sterling Bank and summit partner, Abubakar Suleiman, reiterated the call for intentional action.

“When we say bold, we mean practical steps, grounded in purpose and sustained by partnerships,” he said. “ASIS proves that African solutions work best through African collaboration.”

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