Onome Amuge
LEAP Africa, a leading youth-focused leadership and social innovation organisation, has unveiled plans for the 12th edition of its flagship Social Innovators Programme and Awards (SIPA), scheduled for November 25, 2025, at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event, themed “Africa as THE Sector: Maximising Possibilities through Technology, Finance, and Policy,” aims to reposition Africa not merely as an emerging market but as a hub of innovation and transformative growth.
The 2025 convening is expected to attract over 200 stakeholders, including innovators, policymakers, investors, and private sector partners from across Africa, aiming to amplify youth-led solutions, foster cross-sector collaboration, and accelerate sustainable development outcomes.
Kehinde Ayeni, executive director of LEAP Africa, explained the significance of the theme: “Africa is not a peripheral player; it is the sector of opportunity, creativity, and transformation. At LEAP Africa, we are intentional about positioning young African innovators as architects of a redefined global order. More than a convening, SIPA is a movement that challenges us to believe that Africa’s ingenuity can and must set the agenda for the future.”
SIPA 2025 intends to leverage the intersections of technology, finance, and policy to unlock pathways for inclusive prosperity. By reframing Africa as a sector, the programme seeks to move the conversation from potential to execution, highlighting how strategic investments in innovation ecosystems can yield tangible economic and social impact.
Since its inception in 2013, SIPA has provided a platform for connecting young changemakers with mentors, investors, and enablers. Over the past decade, the programme has supported more than 290 social innovators, impacting over 4 million lives across 15 African countries and generating over $6 million in funding and revenue for participating ventures.
The upcoming convening promises an immersive experience, beginning with a Pre-Conference Mixer to facilitate dialogue among funders, innovators, and ecosystem leaders. A Partner Breakfast Dialogue will follow, designed to spark collaborative initiatives across the private, public, and development sectors. In addition, an Interactive Solution Lab will offer participants hands-on opportunities to explore solutions at the nexus of technology, finance, and policy.
“This year’s SIPA focuses on generating actionable outcomes. We are creating the conditions for investment-ready projects, stronger partnerships, and policy influence that allows young African innovators to scale solutions efficiently and sustainably,” said Ayeni.
The conference will feature high-profile speakers, including Elhadji Malick Soumare, deputy chief of Party, Entrepreneuriat & Investissement, Senegal; Naomi Emeka Nwokolo, executive director, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria; Ruby Igwe, country director, ALX Africa; Abimbola Ogundare, chief operating officer, Deloitte Africa Consulting; and Karina Karunwi/Awa Daffe, regional head, ANDE West Africa and Francophone. Their participation underscores the growing alignment between youth-led innovation and institutional support from both development agencies and private sector partners.
SIPA will culminate in the Awards Ceremony, celebrating excellence in social innovation through categories such as the Outstanding Innovator Award, the Social Impact Award, the Seyi Bickersteth Award, and the Innocent Chukwuma Prize.
Corporate organisations, government agencies, and development institutions have been invited to partner with LEAP Africa on SIPA 2025, either through event sponsorship, facilitation of Solution Labs, or by championing youth-led transformation initiatives.
Over the past twelve years, LEAP Africa has strengthened its reputation as a catalyst for ethical, results-driven youth leadership. Operating across education, entrepreneurship, employability, active citizenship, and health, the organisation has impacted over one million direct beneficiaries in 26 Nigerian states and eight African countries. Its SIPA initiative remains a cornerstone, showcasing how targeted support for youth innovators can drive systemic transformation while positioning Africa as a sector of opportunity on the global stage.
