The organisers of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) have announced the establishment of the Africa Social Impact Network (ASIN), a pan-African platform designed to extend the impact of the Summit beyond its annual convening by mobilising partnerships, financing, knowledge, and collective action throughout the year.
The announcement follows the successful conclusion of the 5th Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS 2026), held in Lagosy under the theme, “Financing for Development: Building Resilience and Transforming Emerging Economies.”
The Summit brought together governments, development institutions, businesses, philanthropies, investors, academia and civil society to advance practical conversations and partnerships around Africa’s most pressing development priorities.
The creation of ASIN marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Summit, which over the past five years has grown into one of the continent’s leading platforms for multi-stakeholder engagement on sustainable development and economic transformation.
Created to accelerate implementation and deepen collaboration across sectors, ASIN will serve as a permanent platform for advancing policy dialogue, mobilising domestic and international capital, strengthening strategic partnerships, promoting innovation, generating thought leadership, and supporting high-impact initiatives that contribute to Africa’s sustainable development and economic transformation.
To provide strategic leadership for the Network, the organisers have also constituted an International Advisory Board comprising distinguished African leaders whose collective experience spans multilateral institutions, development finance, academia, economic policy, and private sector leadership across West, Central, East and Southern Africa.
Members of the inaugural International Advisory Board comprises: Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka (Nigeria) who is the chairma; Dr. Charles Leyeka Lufumpa (Zambia) – Vice Chair; Janvier Litse (Cameroon); Dr. Adam Elhiraika (Sudan); Martine Dennis – London-based broadcaster; Abubakar Suleiman (Nigeria); Olapeju Ibekwe (Nigeria), who serves as the Board Secretary.
Collectively, the Board represents decades of leadership across the African Development Bank, the United Nations system, global academia, international development finance and African enterprise, reflecting ASIN’s commitment to building an inclusive platform that leverages expertise from across the continent.
Speaking on the launch, Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation and Board Secretary of ASIN, said: “The Africa Social Impact Summit has consistently demonstrated that Africa’s greatest opportunities emerge when governments, businesses, philanthropies and development partners work together.
‘‘With the establishment of the Africa Social Impact Network, we are institutionalising that collaboration—creating a year-round platform that moves beyond dialogue to implementation, investment mobilisation and measurable impact across Africa.”
Commenting on the establishment of the Network, Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Chair of the Board, said: “Africa’s development ambitions require institutions that can connect knowledge, innovation, financing and leadership across borders. The Africa Social Impact Network has the potential to become an important catalyst for the partnerships needed to accelerate structural transformation, strengthen resilience and unlock inclusive economic growth across the continent.”
Dr. Charles Leyeka Lufumpa, Vice Chair of the Board, added: “The future of development financing will increasingly depend on stronger domestic resource mobilisation, strategic partnerships and innovative financing mechanisms. ASIN is well positioned to convene the diverse actors needed to translate these opportunities into practical outcomes for Africa.”
Building on the outcomes and partnerships emerging from ASIS 2026, ASIN will complement the annual Summit by serving as its implementation and collaboration platform throughout the year. The Network will support joint initiatives, policy engagement, investment facilitation, research, knowledge exchange and ecosystem coordination aimed at accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The establishment of ASIN underscores the organisers’ commitment to translating the conversations, partnerships and commitments generated through ASIS into sustained action throughout the year.
As Africa continues to navigate evolving global economic realities, the Network will provide a platform for stakeholders to deepen collaboration, mobilise resources, strengthen institutions and advance innovative solutions capable of delivering sustainable impact at scale.
