By Jemimah Wellington, JKNMedia Reporter
TOPICAL ISSUES such as health, climate action, education, gender equality, and food security across Africa were among the matters addressed at the official press conference for the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS 3.0) 2024, hosted by the Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations Nigeria, was held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on Tuesday, July 9.
Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, highlighted the summit’s objectives, stating, “The ASIS has three major goals: ‘to galvanize effective partnerships across the public sector, private sector, and the development ecosystem;’ ‘to advocate for policies that will attract investments in major development sectors;’ and ‘to ensure impactful investments in those sectors.’ We are pleased to announce that over 40% of last year’s participants have received various levels of investment.”
She cited the MTN Foundation’s investment of over N3 billion to support primary healthcare centers across the country in partnership with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria.
Ibekwe also announced an investors’ roundtable on July 24th at the Eko Convention Centre as a pre-event engagement before the summit on July 25th and 26th.
She then invited stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and representatives from both the private and public sectors, to join in reimagining progress and designing a new blueprint for sustainable growth in Africa.
ASIS, which began in 2022, is reported to have grown into a pivotal platform for driving social impact across Africa, as the summit aims to unite stakeholders from the public and private sectors, and the development ecosystem, to create effective partnerships and advocate for impactful policies, noted an issued press release.
Mohammed M. Malick Fall, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of the summit’s goals.
“We have discovered that we are behind on several indicators, and this comes at a time of numerous global challenges, including economic downturns. With only six years left to achieve the 2030 SDG targets, it is time to double our efforts. This gathering is crucial for galvanizing partnerships, as the SDGs are designed in such a way that no single sector or entity can meet these goals alone,” Fall stated.
Also, Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO of Sterling Bank and member of the Board of Trustees for Sterling One Foundation, expressed confidence in the summit’s collaborative potential.
“As I walked into this room, I realized that our collective effort can achieve our goals. The institutions represented here demonstrate that we are well on our way to success. At Sterling Bank, we have always believed in using our trusted position to solve problems by galvanizing partnerships.”
The Africa Social Impact Summit 2024 is described as a pivotal event for sustainable growth across the continent, addressing salient issues to human lives through innovative solutions and strategic partnerships.
This year’s theme is: “Reimagining Progress: A New Blueprint for Sustainable Growth in Africa,” and the organizers say it underscores the necessity of the collective efforts.
Attendees included Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation; Mohammed M. Malick Fall, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Nigeria; Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO of Sterling Bank; Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation; Hauwa Adeeyo, Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade, and Investments; and Dr. Mories Atoki, CEO of ABC Health, along with other key stakeholders and partners.
The issued statement also notes that registrations are currently ongoing for the ASIS summit, billed for July 25th and 26th at Eko Hotels.
Entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and representatives from the private and public sectors are encouraged to participate and contribute to shaping a sustainable future for Africa and advised to visit www.theimpactsummit.org for further information including ways to register for the summit.
Speaking on Sterling One Foundation (SOF), the press statement states it is a registered non-profit focused on tackling the root causes of poverty in Nigeria and Africa through interventions and social impact programs across five critical sectors: climate action, health, education and youth development, gender equality and empowerment, and food security.
SOF’s programmes are also noted for prioritizing partnerships for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through intensive information on its official website, www.onefoundation.ng.
It was also reiterated that the United Nations System (UNS) in Nigeria consists of 19 resident and 4 non-resident entities which has had a productive engagement with the Federal Republic of Nigeria since its independence and has been a catalytic supporter and trusted partner in Nigeria’s development aspirations, among other relevance.
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