YALI Network Nigeria Hosts National Summit on AI, Digital Innovation
By Yusuf Gwandu
The YALI Network Nigeria has held its 2026 National Summit in Lagos, bringing together hundreds of students, emerging leaders, professionals, civic leaders and innovators to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and digital innovation in Africa.
The summit, tagged AIDIENGL 2026, was held at the Sheba Centre in Ikeja under the theme, “AI, Digital Innovation, and Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders.”
The event featured keynote addresses, masterclasses, panel discussions and a leadership debate focusing on the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the opening of the summit, National Head of YALI Network Nigeria, Rabihat Rabiu, urged young people to see leadership as a responsibility they can exercise now rather than something reserved for the future.
The summit featured keynote presentations by Dr. Adenike Agboola-Fayemi, Head of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility at Wema Bank; Managing Director of Lagos Ferry Services, Dr. Abdoul Baq Ladi Balogun; and President of MWAFAAN, Julius Ilori.
A representative of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, Casey Bonfield, also delivered goodwill remarks, stressing the importance of building excellence and preparing the next generation of African leaders.
Participants also took part in an artificial intelligence masterclass led by the Co-Founder of TedPrime Ltd, Olalekan Adeeko.
Other sessions examined the intersection between artificial intelligence and creative practice, FinTech and inclusive finance, as well as the role of technology in healthcare and agriculture.
A major highlight of the summit was the screening of YALI Network Nigeria’s impact documentary, “Our Impact, Our Journey,” featuring presentations from the network’s hubs in Kebbi, Osun, Ekiti, Abia and Lagos.
The summit also featured a leadership debate on the motion, “AI, Digital Innovation and the Future of African Leadership: Are We Ready?”
The debate was contested by YALI Network teams from Kebbi, Osun, Ekiti and Abia States, generating arguments and engagement from participants.
The organisers ended the programme with an audience poll and leadership challenge, encouraging participants to commit to practical actions they would implement after the summit.
The summit was supported by the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Nigeria AI Scaling Hub, Wema Bank, Flutterwave and Lagos Ferry Services, among other partners.
YALI Network Nigeria is the national network of the Young African Leaders Initiative, a U.S. Department of State initiative managed by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, which supports the development of young African leaders through partnerships, stakeholder engagement, volunteer coordination and community programmes across Nigeria.
