Against the backdrop of unprecedented demographic growth, transformative technological shifts, and Africa’s expanding role in global markets, Allison Worldwide; Black House Media (BHM), Africa’s leading public relations firm andThe King’s Trust is co-hosting the second edition of the exclusive Africa Breakfast Conversations on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) in New York City.

Scheduled for Friday, 26 September 2025 at the World Trade Center, this high-level invite-only exclusive event will bring together heads of business, policymakers, innovators, philanthropists, and cultural leaders from across Africa and the diaspora.

The event will explore how African-led innovation, strategic partnerships, and inclusive growth strategies can accelerate progress toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

With the theme,  African Innovation: Building Together for Sustainable Development,  the event will feature panel discussions, thought-provoking keynote addresses, and high-impact networking sessions spotlighting the many dimensions of Africa’s growth story  – from big business and breakthrough technologies to the creative economy, pop culture, soft power, and geopolitics.

“Africa’s innovation story is no longer emerging, it’s here. This gathering at UNGA 80 is about moving from conversation to collaboration, ensuring that Africa’s youthful energy, creativity, and expertise are met with the resources and partnerships to build sustainable futures.” – Claudine Moore, managing director, Africa at Allison.

Following a successful inaugural edition, the second edition, in partnership with The King’s Trust, will also underscore the pivotal role of youth empowerment, skills development, and leadership opportunities in driving sustainable progress.

Bringing together African and diaspora leaders, innovators, and changemakers, the gathering will showcase expertise, innovation, and African-led solutions at the heart of global conversations.

“This is more than an event; it’s a platform for action. The Africa Breakfast Conversations harness the power of dialogue to create connections that lead to investment, innovation, and impact, bridging Africa and the global economy in meaningful ways ”- Ayeni Adekunle, founder of BHM. 

“We believe in the boundless potential of Africa’s young people. By working together to help young people gain skills and work experience, we can empower the next generation to find meaningful work and set up their own businesses, which will shape Africa’s – and the world’s – future.” – Will Straw, CEO, King’s Trust International.

The Africa Breakfast Conversations align with UNGA 80’s focus on multilateral solutions for sustainable development, placing Africa’s voices and visions at the center of global decision-making. Click here to register to attend

This is the first time Tigran Gambaryan would comment, revealed what transpired from the time, himself and Nadeem Anjarwalla, another Binance executive were arrested in Nigeria

It all started on March 1, 2024 in the first of tumbling naira, the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has said the Federal Government was investigating the operations of Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange company.

Afterwards, officials of the company were detained and subsequently charged to court.

After his release in October 2024, Tigran Gambaryan left the country.

Today 14/2/2024, using his verified X handle, he provided details of alleged bribe demands naming three Nigerian lawmakers, including the date it occurred and the conditions under which it was demanded:

READ:

“Some Unknown Facts- you can read the rest in the Wired article and the NPR story.

The DSS was involved in the House of Representatives matter. We met with them at their office on Friday, January 5, 2024, as a prerequisite to our meeting with the House of Representatives. They alluded to the fact that we had to comply with whatever the House members instructed us to do. 

At the House meeting, there were three members present. Two of them were Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, both working under the leadership of Ginger Obinna Onwusibe. There was a third House member, but I don’t recall his name. They set up fake cameras and media to make the meeting appear official, but the cameras weren’t even plugged in. As you may already know, this ended with them asking for a $150 million bribe, paid in cryptocurrency into their personal wallets. A Mickey Mouse operation at its best.

@NuhuRibadu invited us to the official meeting and worked through Sa’ad Abubakar. Another key figure in this situation was Hamma Adama Belloji. Ogunjobi was just a pawn; they used him too. This was a sold as a friendly meeting with the NSA, the head of the SEC, and the CBN governor and include the discussion of the bribe that was solicited by the house of representatives.

The $26 billion figure they kept pushing publicly as some mystery money escaping Nigeria is complete BS. This information was provided in response to their request and was simply cumulative trade data for Nigerians on the platform. This money didn’t leave Nigeria—it was just people buying and selling crypto. For example, if you trade $100 a hundred times, that’s $10,000 in trade volume, but in reality, you only used $100. Again, just another example of them lying to cover up their BS investigation.

They lied about Nadeem escaping during mosque prayers. In reality, he returned and escaped afterward. I don’t know exactly how he managed to flee. He emailed me in November, but we haven’t discussed the details of his escape. It’s possible he paid someone off, but I have no proof. If Belloji had simply checked his passport for a visa, he would have realized that Nadeem did not use that passport to travel to Nigeria.

They sent a letter to the U.S. Embassy and the British High Commission, falsely claiming that we were voluntarily participating in strategic talks. This was a blatant lie.

Nadeem did not escape lawful detention—we were being held illegally. Belloji even admitted that he would fabricate evidence to obtain a court order to detain us for 14 days. Once the court order expired, they were unable to get an extension from the judge. At that point, they continued holding us illegally and had no justification for doing so.

There was a lot of noise about using Interpol to capture Nadeem. As someone who has been involved in multiple extradition cases, I can confidently say this was a joke. Extradition is a lengthy legal process, and no rational judge in Kenya or wherever would ever approve extradition for someone who escaped illegal detention at the hands of rogue law enforcement—especially when that detention involved holding employees hostage to pressure their employer. All noise.

They tried to use us to violate international privacy laws by demanding user data on all Nigerians to target opposition members allegedly “manipulating the price of the naira.” However, they all knew that the naira’s devaluation was a direct result of Tinubu’s monetary policy, which depegged the naira from the dollar. I’m not saying this policy decision was wrong, but everyone understood that removing government intervention would lead to extreme devaluation. Instead of acknowledging this, they used Binance as a scapegoat.

They also detained innocent EFCC detectives who weren’t even present when Nadeem “escaped.” If anyone should have been detained, it was Belloji, for multiple basic law enforcement failures, incompetence, and negligence- including:

• Failing to search our belongings
• Not checking passports for visas
• Neglecting to coordinate with    immigration to issue travel restrictions or alerts
• Mismanaging the situation internationally, creating an unnecessary diplomatic crisis

We had a strong working relationship with Nigerian law enforcement, but their greed destroyed all cooperation between Nigeria and the entire industry.

They even threatened administrators at Nizamiya Hospital, instructing them not to admit me when I was extremely ill. Additionally, they pressured the hospital to withhold my medical records from my attorneys. This was later confirmed by the Turkish Ministry of Health when my friend met with their officials in Turkey. 

Ribadu emphasized that he wanted billions in payouts to fund his future political ambition. However, when the corruption scandal came to light, he was trapped—because any settlement would now be perceived as a bribe. I guess he really wanted his boss’ job

Ribadu even hired a U.S. law firm to negotiate my release, but this failed due to their incompetence and greed.

Looking at you Idayat Hassan.

Ribadu overstepped his authority and embarrassed Nigeria in front of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Ribadu acting like an asshole angered the White House and led to diplomatic repercussions—the U.S. limited visas to the Nigerian delegation for UNGA, and Biden refused to meet with Tinubu until my situation was resolved.

In the end, Ribadu overestimated his influence. They thought they could secure a quick win, but instead, they created an international incident, exposing his incompetence on a global scale.

That’s it’s for me for now. I don’t want to dwell on this, but it’s important for Nigerians to get the facts. I met amazing people in Nigeria. It’s a shame that these muppets are in charge”.

The panelists made the call at an online dialogue on the theme: “The Media of the Future: Bridging the Gap between the West and People of African Descent.”

The dialogue was convened in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations Summit of the Future held during the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) High-level Week.

UNGA 79 opened on Sept.10 while the High-Level Week began on Friday, Sept. 20, and will run through Sept. 27.

At the dialogue which was organised by Mr. Simon Ibe, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Global Patriot Newspapers, the panelists discussed the challenges faced by Africans in gaining access to global media outlets.

Participants discussed the challenges faced by Africans in having their stories accurately represented internationally, and stressed the need for them to take control of their narratives and destinies.

The participants also advised Africans to prioritise skills for sustaining economies, attracting investment, and creating wealth, and to leverage technology and leadership in the African economy to change media coverage and ensure adequate representation of Africa’s positive aspects.

In his presentation, Dr Leo Stan Ekeh, the Chairman of Zinox Group, a tech company, stressed the importance of media representation for people of African descent and the need for Africa to build its mega media platforms.

Ekeh spoke of his contributions to the transition from analogue to digital media in West Africa and emphasised the importance of knowledge and content in the media industry.

He highlighted lack of awareness about the innovative and creative abilities of black people and stressed the need for Africa to become part of the global community through greater access to the global media.

He shared his experiences in building a tech group and digital retail business and how insufficient access to global media exposure was a major issue, and encouraged the African media practitioners to find financial resources to develop their own mega media platforms, driven by technology.

Also, Yul Anderson, President of the African American Future Society (TAAFS), spoke on the need for coordinated messaging by African media outlets to combat disinformation and promote positive stories about People of African Descent.

He spoke extensively about the Black Futures Summit, held on the sidelines of the United Nations Summit of the Future.

Laolu Akande, Editor-in-Chief of Empowered Newswire, conveyed a message from the former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) expressing support for the team’s efforts.

Osinbajo commended the convener of the dialogue, Mr. Ibe for creating the platform for the discussion and expressed the hope that the outcome of theevent will positively impact the Media of People of African Descent.

In his presentation as a panelist, Mr. Akande spoke of the significant gaps in understanding and representation of Africa globally, emphasising the need for a more nuanced and empathetic approach to understanding Africa and its people.

He identified four gaps hindering Nigeria’s development.

These include the gap between the elite and the masses; the gap between the elite and the media; the gap between the elite and the people; and the failure of political leadership to deliver national development.

Akande, spokesman for Osinbajo, stressed the importance of the African elite taking responsibility for the continent’s fate, human capital and infrastructure development.

He pointed to the need for media leaders to invest properly in journalism and for African billionaires to fund media outlets to shape the narratives about the continent.

Ms Nicky Spencer-Coker, the spokesperson for the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York, shared her background as a lawyer and activist.

In speaking, she discussed the significant role of the media in shaping society and narratives, emphasising the challenges faced by people of African descent in gaining access to global media outlets and having their stories accurately represented.

She highlighted the low percentage of black-owned media in the United States and acknowledged the rapid expansion of the media in Africa due to advances in telecommunications.

Spencer-Coker also pointed out the influence of American media on perceptions of Africa, often leading to negative and stereotypical portrayals.

She stressed the importance of African voices being heard and the need for more African representation in global media and leadership roles.

In her address, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), agreed on the importance of the conversation about media representation and moving the narrative forward.

Abike stressed the need to change the negative narrative about Africa and Nigeria in particular, suggesting that Africans should control their media image and invest more in the continent.

She highlighted the potential of the African diaspora, particularly in America, to contribute significantly to the continent’s development.

Abike also criticised the treatment of Africans by other Africans on the continent and encouraged the team to focus on promoting trade and collaboration among African countries.

She discussed the challenges faced by Nigerians in investing and owning homes in Africa, and mentioned the Diaspora Commission’s programs to facilitate home ownership and investment opportunities.

Dabiri-Erewa emphasised the need for collaboration between Nigerians at home and those living abroad to change the narrative about Africa through initiatives like the upcoming diaspora investment summit being organized by NiDCOM.

Toyin Umesiri, a global influencer and CEO of Nazaru, emphasised the importance of wealth creation and productivity in building economies, rather than focusing solely on poverty alleviation.

She discussed the challenges of promoting business and trade with Africa, particularly in the US, and stressed the need for individuals to take control of their own narratives.

Umesiri also highlighted her background in education and experience in training entrepreneurs and working with investors.

She argued against focusing on poverty alleviation and foreign aid, stressing the need to prioritise skills for sustaining economies, attracting investment, and creating wealth.

Also speaking, Prof. Akil Khalfani, the director, Africana Institute, Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, emphasised the need for a rethinking of journalism and media representation, advocating a Pan African approach that utilizes a historical foundation to tell the story of Africa and African people.

Khalfani criticised the Euro-centric approach to education and suggested that African history and culture should be presented with a broader perspective.

Khalfani also highlighted the significance of African organizations and the need for Africa-centered strategies and critiques of other perspectives.

He stressed the importance of Africanizing ways of doing business, global commerce, and thinking about identity.

Mr. Simon Kolawole, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Cable Newspapers, in his presentation, made a strong case for the empowerment of media of people of African descent for effective global outreach.

The highly respected columnist stressed that currently, Media of people of African descent were grappling with serious challenges that were constraining their operations and ability to compete at the global level.

Dr. Adeola Popoola, president, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) New Jersey, proposed a stronger hold on the Guild of Editors to ensure all media houses contribute to a weekly digest of news headlines across the continent.

Ibe, however, thanked everyone for their participation and expressed his gratitude for the insightful discussions, mentioning that there would be a sequel in the future, especially as the issue was so crucial that it could not be sufficiently addressed at one sitting.

(Source: NAN) [Featured Image]

Speaking on why the event was deemed important, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, the Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria, on Arise TV said there was no better time to attract investors into the country than now. Excerpt:

What is the purpose of this event and outcome you aim to achieve?

Thank you! The event in our view is one of the strategic sideline events that the Nigerian government put up as an integral part of our engagements with the international community for this year’s edition of the United Nation (UN) General Assembly(UNGA).

As you are aware, we do have a new president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and he has embarked on what he has rightfully described as economic diplomacy, essentially trying to woo investors into our country so that we do have foreign direct investments that can help us to accelerate growth.

You’ll recall that the president has mentioned as part of his 8 points agenda that significant quantum growth in GDP is one of his administration’s objectives.

So, this is our own contribution, working with like-minded entities like Bank of America to put together Nigerian investors, Nigerians in diaspora, to brainstorm with the president in terms of what are those critical policy changes that the government will need to enact to ensure that Nigeria becomes the preferred destination for foreign direct investment and like you mentioned, the turnout today was extremely good, the contributions were quite solid and I believe we all left today’s session feeling very positive and very optimistic about the inflow of foreign direct investment into our country.

How do you see the role of banking sectors in facilitating these investments and economic development in the country?

What we explained again and again as CEO of First Bank, an institution that has been in existence for over 130 years, there is no other entity that is well placed to speak about investments in Nigeria, investment in the continent, better than the First Bank.

So, we basically showcased to the people who attended today’s event, the investment opportunities in Nigeria, how to navigate all the hurdles that they may come across, but, more importantly, the kind of rewards that awaits people who are able to invest in Nigeria. We cited several examples of foreign investors in our country who broke-even, we are the head of their protected broke-even period, and for us, that was quite significant.

We also highlighted the fact that with a huge domestic market, with excess of 200 million with Nigeria being the anchor economy in the West and Central Africa region, you can’t get it wrong with Nigeria. We do not lay heed to this huge opportunity on the back of the fact that we have not created a single African market on the back of the African continental free trade. So, a big investor in Nigeria essentially gains not just access to the Nigerian market, but the entire African market.

When you also look at the projections in another 10 years or so, the population of Africa is expected to be bigger than China. So, just imagine a market that is bigger than China in another couple of years. That is the market that we showcased today essentially to foreign investors and I believe that we’ve successfully convinced them that coming to Nigeria means to come into Africa.

The opportunities are huge, they are quite significant but mostly, they are also coming at a time when our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu  is focused on creating an enabling environment that allows foreign direct investors to come into our country to foster economic growth and development.

The president has been very emphatic, his agenda is about inclusive growth which is quite significant. So, I think the time is right, anybody that finds his way into our country at this particular point in time, in another five years, the person will be smiling to the bank.

What specific incentives do you present to potential investors during the launching?

The banking sector in general and First Bank in particular, our rule is to showcase what is possible, what is available, but, most importantly once those transactions and investments begin to take shape, it is for us to come in as a provider of them to those transactions.

Part of what we took away from today’s presentation is the need for the government to say these are the top 5 or top 10 big projects that we would like to finance. For example, the Brass LNG had been on the drawing board for more than 10 years. So, if we want to put this on the table, that potentially is an investment in billions of dollars. We have a number of moribund steel industries, Ajaokuta has been there, the Delta Steel Company has been there.

Time to revisit them and reactive those against significant investment and these are investments that will spur further investments and they will spur significant growth.

The president has been speaking about building infrastructure. You cannot build infrastructure without steel. For example, you cannot build infrastructure without cement. So, if there’s any takeaway today, it’s for the government to define a couple of top priority areas of projects, where they would like investments to come in.

And if you can just get 2 to 3 serious investors into Nigeria, imagine a world where you have like Ovreal (I’m just bringing it up), the big mining company coming to do mining in Nigeria. It changes the narrative immediately and so on and so forth.

So, on the back of the recent visit of the President to India, Indorama which currently has a Petrochemical plant in Port Harcourt has said they are going to invest additional $8bn, so, those are serious investors. All that is required is to get about 10 of such people. Imagine 8 serious players saying they will put an average of $8bn into this economy in the next 5 years.

We are talking of potential investors, so, therein lies our opportunity to unlock value, push significant economic growth, ‘inclusive growth’ to use the word of our president and then we begin to address poverty. As banks, we do have the balance sheet to support those big ticket transactions.

The Nigerian banking sector had also matured significantly. We also do have structuring capabilities that allow us to lead the fund raising efforts in this kind of transaction and it must definitely spur growth. I’m particularly excited about what the future holds for our country and I’m very optimistic that with this kind of leadership that our president provides, especially in the area of economy, the future is very bright.

The event was held alongside the United Nations General Assembly and brought together Heads of State, Ministers of Education, business leaders, civil society organizations, and distinguished African intellectuals from different sectors.

The aim was to discuss the crucial role of foundational learning in enhancing education for the future of Africa and to highlight the leadership being demonstrated across the continent to tackle this issue.

Mr. Frank Nweke, a member of the Human Capital Africa corporate board, opened the roundtable on behalf of Dr Joyce Banda, the Chair of the Advisory Board, former President of Malawi.

She highlighted the magnitude of the learning crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa and shared some hope that evidence-based approaches can help reverse the situation.

The event commenced with a compelling address by Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, the Founder and CEO of Human Capital Africa, who set the tone for the day by emphasising the urgency of the learning crisis. She highlighted the need and the urgency to address the fact that 9 out of 10 children in Africa are unable to read with understanding by the age of ten. Importantly, she celebrated the leadership demonstrated across the continent to take ownership of the challenge.

She added:

“Education is a key catalyst to resolve many of the challenges faced by our continent. Every child deserves quality education and this can only be achieved if we all take responsibility and invest in foundational literacy and numeracy wherever we are. If we do not, then the ripple effect will extend beyond Africa, to the economies of big nations. Setting the right foundations for learning during the early years, before the child ends grades 2 and 3, is fundamental. This is a challenge we can solve, and we can change the situation faster than we imagine if we are all coordinated. I am inspired by the leadership being demonstrated by African governments.”

Speaking at the event, Mark Suzman, the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, added:

“We’re all here because we believe every child deserves quality education. A great education is essential for a healthy future for all. Unlocking that potential starts with our children and young people, especially in Africa. By 2050, one in every four people on the planet will be African. Fifty per cent of the African population will be under 25. Many of the people who will transform the continent—and find solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges are children now. These are the people who will start businesses that lift up their communities, who will tackle climate change and build food security, and who will make discoveries that can help reduce maternal mortality and eradicate malaria. The time to act is now. It’s valuable to make these commitments here in New York – but the real work is being done by talented teachers and school leaders in classrooms and communities across Africa.”

The work to improve education in Africa is being led by committed governments across the continent who are taking ownership of the need to develop solutions that will address the learning crisis.

Their work will inform not just the approach that is taken across the wider African continent but has important lessons for how to tackle this challenge globally.

The leadership being taken by African governments was represented by the Minister of Education of Malawi, Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa and the State Minister of Basic Education for Uganda, Dr. Joyce Moriku.

Kambauwa said:

“Malawi is taking a holistic approach to policy making that prioritises foundational learning and we are making significant advancements. We recognise that the teacher is the most important part of the learning process, and we are improving the training and deployment of teachers – ensuring that they are equipped to teach, and are deployed to the areas that need them most – especially rural areas.

“We are enhancing school feeding programmes so that children have food in their stomachs when they learn, targeting an expansion from 2200 schools today, to the 6900 primary schools in the country. Finally, we recognise the importance of an integrated assessment framework to help guide us, and we have begun the process to harmonise our assessment tools, including the use of the HCA scorecard.

Malawi launched its first pilot in Lilongwe City in July 2023 to gather information on HCA’s Micro-Learning Indicators. We tested for literacy and numeracy skills. The Ministry and HCA teams worked closely together to tailor the data collection tools to the specific context of Malawi. We also conducted brief surveys to grasp the experiences of teachers and students within the education system.

“We are determined to continue this journey, in partnership with HCA, as we champion the need to collect data and use it to enhance transparency and accountability at all levels. Foundational learning is the backbone of future learning, and together we can chart a better future for our children.”

Dr Joyce Moriku also added: “As a country we have moved from commitment to action to an investment in the human capital scorecard to ensure that we collect the data we need to make policy decisions. Foundational learning provides the basic building blocks of learning. More investments should be made and there is a need to learn from homegrown solutions to fix the learning crisis. Ultimately, our aim is to establish a system capable of understanding classroom needs, implementing structured pedagogical interventions, observing progress and adjusting interventions based on the system’s reaction, and maintaining regular accountability to the targets we set to improve FLN outcomes.”

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Jeffrey Sachs said: “This is the most important meeting taking place this week at the UN – this is the most important goal for Africa – there is no investment that has a higher economic, social, financial, or human return than education. There is no development without education. We must invest in children and the infrastructure to ensure children have what they require to learn. There is a need for a plan to ensure every child in Africa has access to free education at the upper secondary school level. The biggest question in my 43-year career is why we are not investing as much in education – education is everything.”

The work of Human Capital Africa was recognised by partners from across the development, private sector and philanthropic ecosystems, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, USAID, FCDO, Equity Bank, the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Each organisation is committed to working together to resolve the learning crisis.

Closing the event, Dr. Ezekwesili said:

“We must all work together to ensure that we retain a focus on this issue and continue to build its salience across the continent, and across the world. We are making progress, but we must reinforce our efforts if we are going to address this challenge. I am inspired by and so thankful for the commitment, and the leadership being demonstrated by so many of our leaders in Africa, and for the support that we have from this ecosystem. Our commitments are manifesting into action, but this journey is still just beginning. We will work harder, together, to ensure that no child is left behind. Thank you.”

The Human Capital Africa scorecard will be launched in a number of new countries and subregions over the coming months, and as we approach the African Year of Education in 2024, the African Ministerial Coalition on Foundational Learning, convened by HCA and ADEA will continue to share knowledge and showcase success to the rest of the continent, and the world.

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday in New York City, addressed world leaders at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), during which he made a firm and compelling declaration that the time is now for UN member states to show, with their actions, that they mean what they say concerning the crackdown on terror financing, economic sabotage, and illicit mineral & arms smuggling in the developing world.

“The fourth important aspect of global trust and solidarity is to secure the continent’s mineral-rich areas from pilfering and conflict. Many such areas have become catacombs of misery and exploitation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has suffered this for decades, despite the strong UN presence there. The world economy owes the DRC much but gives her very little.

“Foreign entities that are abetted by local criminals, who aspire to be petty warlords, have drafted thousands of our people into servitude to illegally mine gold and other resources. Billions of dollars meant to improve the nation now fuel countless violent enterprises. If left unchecked, they will threaten peace and place national security at grave risk. Given the extent of this injustice and the high stakes involved, many Africans are asking whether this phenomenon is by accident or by design. Member nations must reply by working with us to deter their firms and nationals from this 21st-century pillage of the continent’s riches. To keep faith with the tenets of this world body and the theme of this year’s Assembly, the poverty of nations must end. The pillage of one nation’s resources by the overreach of firms and people of stronger nations must now end,” the President declared.

President Tinubu further noted that his aggressive economic development diplomatic push for new investment has been demonstrably effective in presenting Nigeria as business-ready, but the ease of doing business, according to the President, might not be the major encumbrance to large-scale investment.

“The question is not whether Nigeria is open for business. The question is how much of the world is truly open to doing business with Nigeria and Africa in an equal, mutually beneficial manner. Direct investment in critical industries, opening their ports to a wider range and larger quantity of quality African exports, and meaningful debt relief are important aspects of the cooperation we desire,” the President affirmed.

The President equally noted that the global fight against the effects of climate change can not be based on a “one size fits all” approach and that nations must cooperate within the design and implementation of their strategies, which are tailored to their respective socio-economic strengths and weaknesses.

“African nations will fight climate change, but we must do so on our terms. To achieve the needed popular consensus, this campaign must accord with our overall economic efforts. In Nigeria, we shall build political consensus by highlighting remedial actions which also promote the broader economic good. Projects such as ‘The Great Green Wall’ to stop desert encroachment; halting the destruction of our forests through the mass production and distribution of gas-burning stoves; and the provision of employment through local water management and irrigation projects are examples of efforts that equally advance both economic and climate change objectives simultaneously. Continental efforts regarding climate change will register important victories, only if established economies were more forthcoming with public and private sector investment for Africa’s preferred projects and initiatives,” the President cautioned.

President Bola Tinubu concluded by reminding the world what Africa truly represents in the global village.

“Walk with us as true friends and partners. Africa is not a problem to be avoided, nor is it to be pitied. Africa is nothing less than the key to the world’s future.”

And with just eight more years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the burden of ending poverty, responding to climate change and achieving equality for all signals the urgency of clearly-focused solutions in addressing these crises.

These are global problems that will take coordination, time and diligence from all over the world to solve. In Africa — home to some of the world’s fastest growing economies — startups and creators are leading a digital revolution that can have a positive impact across the globe.

By working to develop technology that can one day shape the metaverse, leaders in Africa have an opportunity to help the world move toward satisfying those SDGs.

This year’s UNGA theme — ‘’A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges’’ — is a stark reminder of the journey ahead in ensuring that no one is left behind as we strive towards a sustainable future. The technological efforts throughout Africa may help develop those transformative solutions needed.

The next chapter of the internet is changing fast and transforming development at quite an enormous scale impacting the world’s economy.

Working towards a sustainable future

Although the metaverse will take years to build, we are already seeing its potential to advance the SDGs.

Virtual and augmented realities can support a variety of global goals, from remotely training medics to advance health and well-being (SDG 3), to helping local leaders champion climate action to mitigate the effects of climate change (SDG 13). 

The metaverse’s potential across the African continent could contribute to these goals by promoting strategies that will improve health, reduce inequality and spur economic growth needed to enhance quality of life.

We believe Africa can and will play an integral part in the metaverse, by creating new ways for African brands to tell unique stories, export culture and new immersive experiences for consumers. This reality is no longer a fantasy, as Africa’s population is predicted to become the largest workforce in the world by 2035.

Digitalization is taking center stage across the continent and shifting the way we conduct business, create jobs, catch up with friends and family and access public services. The flourishing startup ecosystem in Africa has been a prime example of this budding growth, inspiring a wave of innovation across the continent.

This startup ecosystem continues to bolster a digital community and signals Africa’s potential for the next chapter of the internet, the metaverse.

A recent study produced for Meta by the independent economic consultancy Analysis Group estimates that if adoption of the metaverse were to begin today and grow in a similar way as mobile technology in Sub-Saharan Africa, after 10 years it could be associated with a 1.8% contribution to regional GDP, or $40 billion, in 2031.

So how can Africa join the race and develop solutions not just for Africa, but the world around sustainable development?

The metaverse is being built in Africa too

In many ways, the metaverse will be a natural evolution of the internet. We have moved from primarily text-based web services, to speech and video-based ones.

The metaverse is the next generation – a more immersive, 3D experience defined by a feeling of presence, like you are right there with another person or in another place. It will be more human than the way we experience the internet today – more physical, interactive, and speech-based than flat screens filled with text and images. And it has the potential to open up worlds of opportunity for people across Africa.

While our vision of the metaverse is still fairly faraway, we’re seeing African companies and innovators already starting to build for this future, with an ongoing appetite and desire to continue to bring this to life here in Africa.

Just a quick glimpse into the current reality — the continent is already buzzing with creative talent and occupying its seat at the metaverse table.

Nigeria’s Mosope Olaosebikan, founder of Africa’s first digital museum is shaping the narrative of culture and people using immersive and innovative methods of curation such as AR and VR. Pixel Chefs, a South African innovative creative agency is using emerging digital tech to create immersive impactful experiences for both its local and global clients.

And, Kenya’s Black Rhino VR — a virtual reality production — in Nairobi is creating bespoke VR and AR solutions and content that are adaptable and relevant to the African and global market.

While tech companies such as Meta are building for the metaverse on the continent by investing in programs such as 2Africa that will accelerate fast and reliable internet, much more needs to be done to build fruitful collaborations that will last for the metaverse in Africa.

The move from paper to action will take formidable allyship across companies, developers, creators and policymakers. We need to work together to build an inclusive metaverse for Africa that will bridge the digital divide and ensure equal representation globally, and across the continent.

Africa’s diversity and dynamism is fostering creativity, agility, innovation and the freedom it takes in building a metaverse that can weave itself in sustainable development.