Education Summit Underway To Address Financing, Innovation, Talent Development, Others

By Frank Oshanugor

A private sector organization Edukate Africa, in partnership with the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom and the University of Lagos, supported by the Federal Ministry of Education, will host what is tagged the “disruptED Africa Summit” on 29 January 2026 at the University of Lagos.

The proposed Summit is expected to bring together high-level stakeholders to shape the future of education financing, innovation, and youth talent development across Africa.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the Ojez Chinese Restaurant, National Stadium, Lagos, Directors of Edukate Africa, Messrs Tosin Adebisi and Francis Omorojie said the “disruptED Africa Summit” is a leading continental convening focused on unlocking scalable, market-aligned solutions for Africa’s education systems.

According to them, the Summit will serve as a high-level platform for dialogue and collaboration among government leaders, private sector actors, investors, universities, and innovators, with the aim of advancing inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready education ecosystems.

The summit will host key stakeholders and thought leaders, including the Minister of Education – Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Executive Provost and Vice-Principal of University of Birmingham- Prof. Nick Vaughan-Williams, The Chief Operating Officer of Semicilon Africa – Ashley Immanuel and the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation – Olapeju Ibekwe.

The session will focus on policy pathways, blended finance models, and regulatory innovations required to expand access, equity, and digital transformation within Africa’s education systems.

Participants will engage in forward-looking discussions at the intersection of education reform, innovation, and youth talent development, exploring how public–private collaboration can accelerate the advancement of inclusive and sustainable education financing systems.

The convener also hinted that among other things, the Summit will provide a unique opportunity for partners and contributors to position themselves as key actors in shaping Africa’s future-ready education landscape.

“Africa’s biggest constraint to unlocking its vast talent potential is not ambition or ideas, but access to financing models that reflect the continent’s realities,” said Francis Omorojie, Director of Edukate Africa.

“The disruptED Africa Summit is designed to be a springboard for innovative, context-driven financing initiatives that expand access to opportunity. At the Summit, Edukate Africa will launch the Communiversity Endowment Fund, a preservative, community-led fund aimed at providing critical financing for vulnerable but high-potential talents, while supporting students to transition into scalable and sustainable entrepreneurship through seed grants for innovative solutions.”

“The disruptED Africa Summit will also feature a series of high-level sessions, including High-Power Panels on the Future of Work, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and educators to examine how Africa can prepare its youth for evolving labour markets.

In addition, the Summit will showcase competitive innovation platforms such as the Africathon, the Pitch-My-Dissertation Challenge, and the inaugural Inter-University Africa Debates between the University of Lagos and University of Ghana, generously endowed by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation.

These platforms are designed to elevate youth voice, academic innovation, and practical problem-solving at scale.
Edukate Africa and its partners emphasized that participation in disruptED Africa offers a strategic platform for stakeholders committed to community building, economic development, and human capital transformation.

Engagement at the Summit is expected to strengthen cross-sector dialogue while fostering partnerships that support market-driven and policy-aligned education solutions.
The organizers welcome discussions on participation formats, partnership opportunities, and areas of strategic alignment, and look forward to convening participants and partners at this landmark event.

About Edukate Africa
Edukate Africa is a pan-African education and talent development platform committed to expanding access to quality education, building future-ready skills, and unlocking sustainable pathways for Africa’s young people to transition into productive economic participation.

Policymakers, investors, educators, innovators, students and ecosystem leaders are encouraged to register through the link below, and attend the disruptED Africa Summit to be part of shaping Africa’s future of education, work, and talent development.
Register here: https://disruptedsummit.edukateafrica.com/
For more information and partnership, contact
[email protected]
[email protected]
Website: https://edukateafrica.com