Africa Social Impact Summit
The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2025 will take place from July 25 to 26 at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, bringing together leaders from across sectors to tackle Africa’s most pressing development challenges.
Organised by the Sterling One Foundation and United Nations Nigeria, the summit will focus on practical solutions that can be scaled to reach more people and deliver lasting results.
Under the main theme: “Scaling Action: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation,” the summit seeks to move beyond conversation and catalyze real, measurable impact.
In 2023, the Summit attracted over 3,000 registered participants from 66 countries and supported 13 entrepreneurs through its dedicated investment platform known as the Deal Room.
The 2024 edition drew close to 5,000 participants and focused on aligning impact goals with long-term financing and partnerships.
The 2025 event builds on this momentum, with a stronger focus on turning promising projects into investable, scalable ventures.
It will offer opportunities for connection, investment, and project incubation, linking innovators with public and private sector partners.
Core Themes and Deep-Dive Subtopics
ASIS 2025 will feature six thematic subthemes, each designed to explore critical challenges deeply and practically through focused topics:
- Climate Resilience and Adaptation
With climate shocks worsening across the continent, this theme explores how African communities can prepare and adapt.
Conversations will focus on scaling climate-smart farming, designing infrastructure that can handle extreme weather, and expanding access to financial tools such as green bonds and risk insurance.
There’s also a growing emphasis on community-led responses and local strategies that may operate outside formal systems but are already making a measurable difference in people’s lives.
- Policy Innovation for Sustainable Development
Africa’s development depends not only on resources but on policies that work.
This theme looks at how evidence, data, and innovation can shape more flexible, supportive policy environments.
Key discussions include public-private partnerships, impact-driven governance, and the use of real-time data to guide social investment.
The aim is to help governments and funders shift from reactive to proactive decision-making and unlock systems that support lasting impact.
- Circular Economy and Waste Management
Waste is one of Africa’s fastest-growing environmental challenges, yet it also offers opportunity.
The theme will focus on turning waste into economic value through recycling, reuse, and circular business models.
Sessions will spotlight how entrepreneurs are converting plastic, food, and electronic waste into useful products, and how cities can improve waste collection and sorting.
Another core issue is inclusion, ensuring that informal waste workers are integrated into safer, better-paying systems.
- Health, WASH, and Community Resilience
Health and basic sanitation remain out of reach for many, especially in informal settlements and rural areas.
ASIS 2025 will explore scalable, low-cost solutions such as mobile diagnostics, solar-powered water systems, and frontline community health networks.
Discussions will also cover how to build health and WASH systems that are resilient and able to respond during climate shocks, disease outbreaks, or displacement crises.
- Education and Digital Transformation
Africa’s population is young, but digital and learning inequalities persist.
This theme will highlight how technology can expand access to education and job-ready skills.
Key sub-themes include EdTech platforms, digital tools for teachers, and strategies for closing the connectivity gap in rural areas.
The summit will also explore vocational learning and digital skilling for youth outside formal education systems.
- Agriculture and Renewable Energy
This theme links two of the most critical areas for sustainable growth: food systems and energy access.
Sessions will examine clean energy for smallholder farmers, including solar-powered irrigation and off-grid cold storage.
Discussions will also focus on inclusive energy models that reduce costs and emissions while helping communities grow food, store it safely, and access wider markets.
A Platform for Scaling What Works
In previous years, the summit has helped launch partnerships and mobilise resources for impact-driven initiatives in energy, education, health, and beyond.
The 2025 edition builds on that momentum by creating space for project showcases, investment matchmaking, and working group sessions.
The Deal Room: Connecting Capital to Solutions
One of the most unique features of ASIS is the Deal Room, a dedicated space for entrepreneurs to pitch their solutions to investors and funding institutions.
It is designed to close the gap between innovation and scale by connecting investable social enterprises with the capital they need to grow.
The Deal Room is curated in partnership with the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA), Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Co-Creation Hub Nigeria (CcHub), and UNIDO-ITPO Nigeria.
To qualify, ventures must be at least two years old, demonstrate a clear social or environmental impact, and be seeking investment of no less than USD 200,000.
Submissions are by invitation, and the deadline to apply is June 23, 2025.
Who Should Attend
ASIS 2025 invites participation from across sectors:
- Government leaders and policymakers are looking to build or reform development systems
- Philanthropic and donor organisations seeking scalable investments in Africa
- Development finance institutions and impact investors
- Corporations and CSR teams exploring shared value models
- Grassroots innovators and social enterprises working at the community level
- Academics, researchers, and think tanks focused on data and policy solutions
Registration and Participation
Registration is now open through the official Africa Social Impact Summit website, and the organisers invite a wide range of stakeholder’s governments, development agencies, philanthropic foundations, corporations, and grassroots organisations to attend.
Some sessions will be open to the public, while others, like investment briefings, will be curated.
