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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima will tomorrow launch a transformative learning and empowerment fund targeting Nigerian women, youth, and children, as Nigeria co-hosts the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement.
According to his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the event, scheduled for January 28 at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, stems from collaboration between the Office of the Vice President, Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System, and other ASIS partners. It aligns with the summit’s theme, “Scaling Action – Driving Inclusive Growth through Policy and Innovation,” drawing over 200 senior leaders from government, private sector, development institutions, civil society, and diplomacy.
Key launches include the Business Coalition for Education (BCE) and Nigeria Foundational Learning Fund to boost foundational literacy, numeracy, and tackle out-of-school children. Another highlight is the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria platform, positioning the country as the African Union’s flagship for women and youth economic empowerment via co-investments and accountability.
This makes Nigeria the pioneer implementation hub for the AU’s WYFEI programme, with rollouts planned for other African nations.
Ahead of the event, Shettima stressed the initiative’s potential. “Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners, and public institutions around shared national priorities,” he said.
“This engagement marks a critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital, and accelerate inclusive growth.”
CEO of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, described the summit as a turning point. She noted that it “represents a pivotal shift from conversation to national execution,” aligning policy, innovation, financing, and frameworks to scale solutions for millions of Nigerians and position the country as Africa’s sustainable growth leader.
Participants will also adopt the WYFEI Nigeria Declaration, a commitment endorsed by government officials, CEOs, and partners to harness women and youth potential for national development.
