The 10th edition of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering (AAG 2025) took place at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), marking a historic milestone as Africa’s largest network of technology and innovation hubs celebrates a decade of driving continental transformation.
Running from October 13-15, 2025, the premier gathering brought together over 2,000 participants from more than 50 countries under the theme “Africa’s Innovation Future: Policy, Partnerships & Progress.”
The event convened hub leaders, startup founders, investors, corporates, policymakers, development agencies, academia, and media to forge the collaborations needed to position Africa at the forefront of global innovation.
“This milestone edition of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering is a testament to the incredible growth and impact of the African innovation ecosystem over the last decade,” said Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director at AfriLabs.
“As we look to the future, the Gathering will be a critical platform for driving the policies, partnerships, and progress necessary to position Africa at the forefront of global innovation. Together, we will cultivate the collaborations and solutions needed to address Africa’s challenges and seize its opportunities on a global scale.”
The AfriLabs Annual Gathering has established itself as Africa’s foremost platform for innovation dialogue and ecosystem development over nine successful editions.
2024 – Cape Town, South Africa: “Uniting Innovation” The 9th edition successfully convened over 2,000 participants from more than 50 countries, creating unprecedented opportunities for cross-border collaboration. This landmark gathering brought together hub leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and technology innovators to advance Africa’s digital agenda and strengthen continental networks.
2023 – Kigali, Rwanda: “Accelerating Africa’s Digital Economy; by the Strength of our Community” Held from October 11-13, the Kigali gathering emphasized the collective power of Africa’s innovation ecosystem and showcased the continent’s growing digital capabilities. The event einforced the importance of community-driven approaches to scaling innovation across borders.
2021 – Nigeria: A Government-Innovation Partnership Milestone This pivotal edition, hosted by then-Vice President of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, marked a watershed moment in integrating government leadership with grassroots innovation movements, setting a precedent for policy engagement that continues today.
Throughout its history, the Annual Gathering has served as a catalyst for meaningful partnerships, policy discussions, and collaborative initiatives that have shaped the trajectory of Africa’s technology landscape. Each edition has built upon the successes of previous years, creating a cumulative impact that has strengthened innovation hubs across the continent.
From Vision to Reality
Opening today’s gathering, Anna Ekeledo reflected on AfriLabs’ remarkable journey: “When AfriLabs launched a decade ago, we dreamed of a continent knitted by innovation where a young entrepreneur in Lagos, Kigali, or Accra could tap into the same networks, capital flows, and policy support as peers in Silicon Valley. What began as a bold idea among hub connectors has grown into a living, breathing ecosystem: over 500 innovation hubs across 53 countries, unified under one mission to power Africa’s entrepreneurial future.”
A cornerstone of this year’s gathering is the strategic partnership between AfriLabs and the UNDP-backed Timbuktoo initiative. Described as a “ten-year moonshot vision to create an unprecedented support platform for Africa’s innovation ecosystem,” Timbuktoo represents a frontier model for mobilizing private capital and creating sustainable investment pathways for African innovators.
The initiative aims to “turn ideas and nascent innovations into meaningful scaling and disruptive pan-African enterprises” by crowding in capital, aligning ecosystem readiness, and retaining innovation on the continent rather than watching talent migrate outward.
Already, the Timbuktoo initiative has demonstrated its transformative potential through the Cape Town creatives hub, which seeks to channel US$1 billion in catalytic and commercial capital while empowering scores of youth-led creative ventures across the continent.
Natalie Jabangwe, Executive Secretary and CEO of the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, and Joan Manda, Global Lead at Timbuktoo, are leading discussions on how this partnership will reshape Africa’s innovation financing landscape.
Today’s program featured a high-level Ministerial Roundtable that brought together government leaders, development partners, and innovation ecosystem architects to address critical policy frameworks necessary for scaling African innovation.
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Guardian of the Timbuktoo Initiative and former Vice President of Nigeria, returned to the gathering four years after hosting it, bringing his extensive experience as a proponent of catalytic policy and innovation-led development.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director, Regional Bureau for Africa, participated in discussions on how innovation ecosystems contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals across the continent.
Diverse Voices Shaping the Ecosystem
Rebecca Enonchong, Chair of the AfriLabs Advisory Board and pioneering tech entrepreneur, brings her extensive experience investing in and mentoring African startups to governance discussions on sustainability and impact.
Ajibola Odukoya, Chief Operating Officer of AfriLabs, leads sessions on operational excellence and data-driven approaches to measuring ecosystem progress across the network’s 500+ hubs in 53 countries.
Nairobi, known as Africa’s “Silicon Savannah,” provides the ideal backdrop for this milestone gathering. The city’s vibrant tech ecosystem, combined with the symbolic significance of hosting the United Nations Office at Nairobi, underscores the global relevance of Africa’s innovation journey.
AfriLabs is the largest network of technology and innovation hubs across Africa, connecting over 500 hubs in 53 countries. With a mission to support the development of the African technology and innovation ecosystem, AfriLabs connects hubs and other stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, resource sharing, and knowledge transfer. Through its programs, partnerships, and advocacy efforts, AfriLabs drives the growth of a thriving and sustainable innovation ecosystem across the continent.
Now in its 10th year, the AfriLabs Annual Gathering is Africa’s premier convening for innovation ecosystem stakeholders. The event provides a platform for networking,
exchanging ideas, and forging lasting partnerships that advance the continent’s innovation agenda and drive socio-economic transformation.
