“Edukate Africa Summit 2026” Holds At Unilag, Speakers Seek Adaptive Learning, Better Funding

By Frank Oshanugor

It was a heart warming session on Thursday 29th January, 2026 at the University of Lagos auditorium as one cerebral speaker after the other took time to contribute at what is tagged the “disrupTED Educate Africa Summit 2026” with all of them arriving on the conclusion that our educational system in current time needs a paradigm shift.

The one day Summit which centred on how best to evolve a new system of education in Africa and align same with the emerging global realities and best possible funding method featured the likes of Deby Okoh, currently a Regional Manager, Brunel University of London, Ashley Emmanuel, Chief Operating Officer, Semicolon, Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation and Adetomi Soyinka.

They made valuable contributions like making the Nigeria system of education in particular to be adaptive to current realities and not holding rigidly to old methods. They craved for continuous learning, reading by the teachers and youths in order to keep pace with the changing global pattern made possible by the advent of technology.

They also harped on more practical knowledge made possible by apprenticeship or internship while running a programme of study in any higher level of education. They noted that Nigeria’s educational system especially at the tertiary level does not create enough room for practical knowledge as people in Nigeria believe more in certificate than the actual practical knowledge derivable from their education.

According to one of the Directors of Edukate Africa, convener of the Summit, Mr. Tosin Adebisi it was in recognition of the rigid adherence to the old order of doing things that prompted his organisation to evolve an idea for the Summit.

In his words, “we have to keep innovating, keep thinking of doing things differently. So at the core of what we are doing is how to think differently. How can we re-imagine every thing about education especially how we can redefine and disrupt how we currently teach, how we learn and how we can access those things we call problems. Some of those problems are lack of access to good education, adequate financing, skills, employability gaps.”

Adebisi like his co-Director, Mr. Francis Omorojie was optimistic that the solutions were within reach insisting that “we just have to think of how to connect different people doing amazing work from different areas. What we are telling parents and young people is that the talent is here and we want to close the gap.

“What young people should be thinking about, is how ready are they for the future, what is their place in the changing dynamics of the global world. The situation should not be that I am in Nigeria or that I am a Nigerian but the question should be how globally relevant am I, and how do we engage young people in those conversations.”

Over 200 students of the University of Lagos, Lagos State University, Ojo and other institutions attended the Summit which initially was expected to have Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa in attendance.