The United Nations in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Sterling One Foundation, has officially announced the Africa Social Impact Summit 2025, scheduled to take place from July 10–11 in Lagos. The announcement was made during a press conference held at the UN House in Abuja.
With the theme “Scaling Action”, the summit aims to catalyze innovative solutions to Africa’s most pressing developmental challenges—including poverty, climate change, and health—by accelerating the expansion of proven interventions across sectors.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Fall, emphasized the urgency of shifting from traditional aid models to sustainable, home-grown development financing. “Development and humanitarian financing are evolving, and traditional aid alone is no longer viable. In countries like Nigeria, the future lies in mobilizing domestic resources and leveraging private sector partnerships. This summit must go beyond rhetoric to action,” Fall stated.
Reinforcing this message, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, Managing Director and CEO of Sterling Bank, urged the private sector to take the lead. “This is our chance to take ownership. Africa can no longer wait for external solutions, and neither should the private sector wait for government to act alone. Sterling Bank is committed to raising the bar and contributing to this collective mission,” Suleiman said.
The Africa Social Impact Summit is a pioneering platform that brings together leaders from the private sector, civil society, government, and development partners to co-create sustainable strategies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
