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Djembe Consultants, AfriLabs Partner to Produce Insights Report on Building a Resilient Innovative Africa in a COVID-19 World
Djembe Consultants, the award-winning African-focused communications consultancy, has partnered with AfriLabs, the largest pan-Africa network of 225 technology and innovation centres across 47 countries in Africa, to develop a report on the future of African innovation amidst a backdrop of a global pandemic.
The Report is themed ‘Building a Resilient Innovative Africa’ in line with the focus of the 5th AfriLabs Virtual Annual Gathering from October 12 to 14, 2020, where highlights from the Report will be unveiled.
The Report will cover trends and opportunities in technology and enterprise, the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the framing of a regional policy discussion around African innovation – crucial dialogues in the quest towards realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the region wide socio-economic objectives set out in the African Union Agenda 2063 in the post-COVID economy. The three report themes are Scaling Homegrown Innovations Beyond Borders; Driving Innovation Inclusivity – Women, Youth, and Informal Markets; and Strengthening Policy Development to Encourage R&D and Innovation.
The Report will bring together powerful perspectives on what it takes to build innovation resilience in Africa across sectors such as agriculture, energy, health, ICT, and manufacturing, as well as other equally fundamental sectors such as education, finance, and services.
Mitchell Prather, ceo, Djembe Consultants, said, “Djembe Consultants is pleased to partner with Africa’s largest network of technology and innovation hubs to elevate the dialogue around strengthening African innovation resilience in these unprecedented times.
“As Official Communications Partner of the AfriLabs annual gathering this year, Djembe looks forward to unveiling important insights based on the real-world opinions, experiences, and attitudes of African innovation stakeholders from across the continent.
“The Insights Report will provide a range of stakeholders, from investors to policymakers, with a uniquely relevant and timely understanding of the opportunities and challenges that African innovators face as we learn to move forward in the new normal of a COVID world.”
Leveraging the innovation DNA of both organizations, the Building a Resilient Innovative Africa Report will feature the perspectives of young African startups and innovators alongside valuable insights from leading public and private sector stakeholders from the continent and beyond including Afreximbank, Honoris United Universities, Mastercard Foundation, Mozilla and the UN Women, amongst others.
If you’re an African startup, innovator or entrepreneur, share your perspectives on what it takes to build resilience in the African Innovation Ecosystem by participating in the survey here.
Commenting on the report, Nekesa Were, director of Strategy, AfriLabs said, “AfriLabs is excited to have Africa’s leading communications consultancy, Djembe Consultants, on board as a partner for this year’s AfriLabs Virtual Annual Gathering.
“This year’s Annual Gathering will see a robust dialogue on how to build a resilient innovative Africa.
“Given COVID-19’s economic impact on our network members, the dialogue around strengthening the innovation ecosystem is so critical for when Africa emerges from this global pandemic.”
Previously held in several cities across Africa, this year’s edition of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2020 will be virtual with conversations centred around building a resilient innovative Africa by leveraging collaborations, communities and Africa’s innate ability to build.
The roles of innovators, corporates, governments and other stakeholders will be examined with discussions on the need to disrupt the status quo, and force innovations to evolve and adapt to the new realities of an Africa in a recovering world.
The 3-day Gathering will feature sessions and activities with focused panel discussions on thematic topics, keynote addresses, presentation sessions, multiple parallel workshops, local ecosystem tours/exhibitions, and networking sessions.
As part of the ongoing partnership, Djembe Consultants will be conducting customised training workshops for AfriLabs community members and partner hubs across the continent.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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