Over 5,000 participants are expected to attend the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2024, a landmark event that will bring together many development and sustainability leaders from across the continent to accelerate progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The summit, which is the third edition, is scheduled to hold from July 25-26, 2024, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose, who disclosed this at a press conference on the ASIS, held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, at the weekend, said Lagos would collaborate with Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations Nigeria, and other notable organisations to achieve transformation and multifaceted solutions to address challenges.

She said, “According to the United Nations (UN) Progress Report on Sustainable Development Goals, Special Edition 2023, more than half of the world is left behind. She added that progress on more than 50% of the targets of the SDGs is weak and insufficient.

“We need to reverse this narrative; we need to mobilise people and organisations as critical partners towards achieving transformation.”

Ambrose noted that ASIS would serve as a global platform for effective collaboration and alignment by critical players in Africa’s social development sector, as the theme “Reimagining Progress” implied.

She added that the summit would review transformative recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the decade of action for accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and progress at the midpoint to the deadline for the 2030 agenda.

The commissioner further stated that there would be a Social Enterprise Forum where business leaders, whose businesses are focused on social impact in thematic sectors, could pitch innovative solutions to potential investors and access funding to drive, scale and accelerate impact.

“There will also be a tour of Lagos State’s notable investment destinations and tourist attractions hosted by the Lagos State government and an event round-off networking dinner at the Eko Atlantic City.

“At the end of the Summit, some of the expected outcomes include building result-oriented and innovative global and regional partnerships to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs”, she stated.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, Sterling One Foundation, and Convener, ASIS, Olapeju Ibekwe, indicated that the summit has attracted interest from over 8,000 development and sustainability leaders from across 66 countries since its launch in 2022.

She added that ASIS sought to host impact investors and investees with a focus on Education and Youth Development, Food Security, Climate Solutions, Healthcare, Renewable Energy, WASH, and the transition to a Circular Economy.