Sterling One Foundation Champions Gender Inclusion At AU Summit

Sterling One Foundation has restated its commitment to women’s empowerment.

The Foundation actively participated in the Presidential Breakfast Meeting on Financing and Reaffirming Africa’s G-20 Summit commitments, held alongside the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa.

This significant gathering united influential African leaders, including H.E. John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana, H.E. Muhammed B.S. Jallow, Vice President of The Gambia, alongside ministers, development finance institutions, private sector representatives, and other key stakeholders, all focused on generating actionable financing strategies aimed at empowering women and youth across the continent.

The discussions centred on mobilising catalytic capital, strengthening institutional frameworks, and embedding gender-responsive financing into macroeconomic systems, all of which are crucial to accelerating Africa’s growth.

Former President of Ghana, John Mahama, emphasised, “Women are Africa’s most utilised asset. If we are to accelerate Agenda 2063 and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals at scale, we must harness the full strength of our human capital. Africa cannot grow by leaving its women behind. Gender equality must be embedded in macroeconomic planning, public finance systems, and peace and security frameworks; otherwise, our development will remain incomplete. Despite decades of declarations, Africa’s gender remains chronically underfunded, and gender-responsive programmes are often the first casualties during fiscal constraints. That must change.”

Reinforce the urgency of accountability and implementation, director of the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate at the African Union Commission, Ms Prudence Ngwenya, challenged stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric, saying that “more than half of Africa’s population is either a young person or a woman. As we reflect on our continental gender equality journey, we must ask ourselves: Are we truly upholding the commitments we have made? Are we consolidating institutional gains or regressing on hard-earned progress? And most importantly, what concrete actions will we take to ensure African women are empowered, productive, and central to the realisation of Agenda 2063? The time for reaffirmation must now translate into measurable financing and systemic change.”

Also, the CEO of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, stated, “Financial inclusion is not a social intervention; it is an economic imperative. Africa’s transition depends on how intentionally we finance women and youth at scale. Through strategic partnerships, blended finance mechanisms, and investment readiness platforms, we are working to bridge the capital gap and unlock Africa’s potential under the Africa Investment Agenda. Our commitment is clear: to move from conversations to capital, from pledges to structured partnerships, and from intent to measurable impact.”

The Presidential Breakfast Meeting accelerates momentum toward the upcoming Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026, co-convened by Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System in Nigeria, the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and key partners. The summit will turn high-level commitments into structured investment partnerships, bankable pipelines, and tangible impact across the continent.