AfriLabs Celebrates a Decade of Innovation Excellence with 10th Annual Gathering in Nairobi

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 14 – Afrilabs Annual Gathering (AAG 2025) 10th edition has officially opened 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.

The premier gathering running from October 13- 15, 2025 brings together over 2,000 participants from more than 50 countries under the theme “Africa’s Innovation Future: Policy, Partnerships and Progress.”

The event convenes hub leaders, startup founders, investors, corporates, policymakers, development agencies, academia and media to forge thecollaborations 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.

In 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 the landmark gathering brought together hub leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors andtechnology innovators to advance Africa’s digital agenda and strengthen continental networks.

Kigali, Rwanda 2023 : “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 reinforced 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.

Annual Gathering throughout its history has served as a catalyst for meaningfulpartnerships, 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.

Anna Ekeledo while opening the gathering 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.”

The Timbuktoo Partnership: Mobilizing Capital for Africa’s 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.

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.

Three Pillars of Africa’s Innovation Future Policy: The gathering emphasizes exploring regulatory frameworks and governance structures that enable innovation while ensuring responsible technology deployment across African markets  Oswald Osaretin Guobadia, Managing Partner at DigitA and architect of Nigeria’s Startup Act, contributes insights on translating policy vision into implementation.

Partnerships: Discussions center on fostering strategic collaborations between governments, private sector players, development partners, and innovation hubs to create sustainable ecosystems that drive socio-economic growth.

Progress: The event celebrates achievements, measures impact and charts the path forward for Africa’s digital transformation journey, developing actionable roadmaps for inclusive growth.

The three-day gathering shall feature: Keynote Sessions & Panel Discussions: Led by global and regional thought leaders addressing critical challenges and opportunities, Dedicated Innovation Tracks: Tailored programming addressing the specific needs of Africa’s innovation ecosystem, including a Health Innovation track led by Villgro Africa.

Workshops and  Masterclasses: Practical sessions on scaling innovation, accessing capital, and building sustainable ventures

Showcase & Exhibitions: Spotlighting groundbreaking solutions from startups and tech hubs across the continent Pitch Competitions: Offering innovators the opportunity to secure funding and scale their solutions

Strategic Networking: Facilitating connections between investors, entrepreneurs and policymakers.

The gathering convenes representatives from key partner organizations including Villgro Africa: Leading the Health Innovation track, supporting ventures with social impact across East Africa.

Afrexin Bank: Providing financial architecture for trade, industrialization, and innovation, bridging the gap between finance and innovation

Konza Technopolis: Representing Kenya’s vision for innovation infrastructure and smart city development

UNDP: Aligning development goals with innovation ecosystem growth across thecontinent.