Plan International Nigeria is set to take a prominent role at this year’s Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS 4.0), bringing girls’ rights, gender equity, and child protection to the forefront of the continental development dialogue. The organisation, widely regarded for its advocacy on gender justice and inclusive education, will return to the summit as a key theme partner, leading policy discussions and stakeholder engagements that seek to influence system reforms and scale impactful partnerships for the protection and empowerment of adolescent girls.
Scheduled to hold from July 10 to 11, 2025, at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, the summit will bring together thought leaders, development organisations, policymakers, and the private sector to forge collaborative solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges. Plan International Nigeria’s participation is anchored on advancing sustainable strategies that place girls at the centre of education, social protection, and national policy implementation, particularly in the face of conflict, humanitarian emergencies, and systemic inequality.
“The development conversation is incomplete if girls are still being left behind,” said Charles Usie, Country Director, Plan International Nigeria. “ASIS is the space where the urgency of protecting and empowering girls cannot be sidelined. We are here to drive the point that meaningful development must include every girl, especially those living through conflict, displacement, and socio-economic exclusion.”
At the two-day summit, Plan International Nigeria will join high-level panels and working groups focusing on gender-responsive governance, education financing, and youth-centred development. The organisation is expected to present community-based success stories and models of long-term intervention that have proven effective in empowering girls and improving access to quality education in fragile contexts.
The summit is convened by Sterling One Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations in Nigeria. Speaking on Plan International Nigeria’s role in shaping the summit’s gender agenda, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, described the organisation as a critical partner in ensuring inclusivity and accountability.
“Plan International Nigeria does more than advocate for girls, it demands their rightful place at the heart of every policy conversation. Their presence at ASIS raises the bar for everyone involved. No solution is complete without the voices and experiences of girls, and they make sure that is never forgotten,” Ibekwe stated.
ASIS 4.0 will serve as a platform for development actors to align efforts around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a spotlight on education, gender equality, climate action, and inclusive economic growth. Registration for the summit remains open via the official website: theimpactsummit.org.
Sterling One Foundation, a non-profit focused on addressing the root causes of poverty in Nigeria and across Africa, is co-convening the summit alongside the United Nations System in Nigeria. The foundation implements social impact programmes in health, education, food security, and climate action, with gender equity integrated across all its interventions.
The United Nations in Nigeria, comprising 19 resident and four non-resident agencies, has maintained a longstanding partnership with the Nigerian government, playing a catalytic role in supporting national development priorities.
Through its involvement in ASIS 4.0, Plan International Nigeria reinforces its commitment to building resilient systems that protect and uplift girls, ensuring that their rights remain a central pillar in Africa’s development discourse.
