By James Nyaigoti
Global and African leaders have convened at the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) for the 10th AfriLabs Annual Gathering (AAG 2025), a milestone event celebrating a decade of AfriLabs’ leadership in driving Africa’s innovation and entrepreneurship agenda. Running from October 13–15, 2025, the gathering has drawn over 2,000 participants from more than 50 countries, including policymakers, investors, innovators, development partners, and academia, under the theme “Africa’s Innovation Future: Policy, Partnerships & Progress.”
Opening the event, AfriLabs Executive Director Anna Ekeledo reflected on the network’s growth from a small coalition of innovation hubs into a continental ecosystem of over 500 hubs across 53 countries. “What began as a bold idea among hub connectors has become a living, breathing ecosystem,” she noted. “This milestone edition reaffirms our shared vision to place Africa at the forefront of global innovation.”
Since its inception, the AfriLabs Annual Gathering has evolved into Africa’s premier platform for innovation dialogue and ecosystem building, with previous editions hosted in Cape Town, Kigali, and Nigeria. Each gathering has advanced policy advocacy, collaboration, and the creation of sustainable innovation ecosystems across the continent.
The Timbuktoo Partnership: Financing Africa’s Innovation Future
A major highlight of this year’s edition is the strategic partnership with the UNDP-backed Timbuktoo initiative, a ten-year vision to mobilize US$1 billion in catalytic and commercial capital to support African innovators. Represented by Natalie Jabangwe and Joan Manda, the initiative aims to transform early-stage ideas into scalable enterprises and retain Africa’s innovation talent within the continent.
Policy and Partnerships at the Forefront
A high-level Ministerial Roundtable featured influential leaders including Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President of Nigeria and Guardian of the Timbuktoo Initiative, and Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Regional Director for Africa. The discussions centered on policy frameworks, strategic partnerships, and investment mechanisms needed to accelerate sustainable innovation.
Oswald Osaretin Guobadia, architect of Nigeria’s Startup Act, underscored the importance of translating visionary policies into tangible outcomes, while Rebecca Enonchong, Chair of the AfriLabs Advisory Board, emphasized governance and sustainability as pillars for scaling innovation ecosystems.
Innovation Tracks, Masterclasses, and Networking
The Nairobi gathering features keynotes and panels with global thought leaders, specialized innovation tracks — including a Health Innovation Track led by Villgro Africa — and workshops and masterclasses focused on startup scaling and financing. Entrepreneurs are also showcasing solutions through startup exhibitions and pitch competitions that offer direct funding opportunities. Additionally, strategic networking sessions connect entrepreneurs with investors, policymakers, and development partners to forge long-term collaborations.
Strategic Partnerships and Support
AfriLabs’ key partners including Afrexim Bank, Konza Technopolis, Villgro Africa, and UNDP reinforce the strong link between finance, infrastructure, and sustainable innovation. Their involvement underlines the network’s growing influence as a catalyst for inclusiveness.
Hosting the event at UNON underscores Nairobi’s position as Africa’s “Silicon Savannah” a regional innovation powerhouse with a dynamic tech landscape and close proximity to key continental institutions. The city’s ecosystem provides a fitting backdrop for AfriLabs’ celebration of innovation excellence and continental collaboration.
As AfriLabs embarks on its second decade, the organization is prioritizing policy advocacy, capital mobilization, deeper partnerships, inclusive innovation, and the adoption of AI and emerging technologies. Its mission is to scale proven innovation models across borders and strengthen Africa’s position in the global digital economy.
Founded in 2011, AfriLabs continues to champion Africa’s entrepreneurial potential by connecting innovators, sharing resources, and shaping policies that foster digital transformation and socio-economic progress across the continent.
