Key information

Date
Time
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Venue
SOAS Gallery, SOAS University of London
Room
BGLT / KLT
Event type
Conference & Event highlights

About this event

Join us for this year's Africa Day, in collaboration with Stellenbosch University and the Stellenbosch Business School, for a range of keynotes and panels on the theme of 'The Africa Innovation Agenda'.

In a world often divided around political ideology, Africa Day is the celebration of coming together as an African continent, regardless of ideology and affiliations to either the West or the East, the North, or the South. It is a day that African’s celebrate our identity as Africans with a common purpose to unite, foster peace and improve the livelihoods of all, across the continent.  

2024 is dubbed the year of Education by the African Union, we as a university are pleased to be collaborating with Stellenbosch University and the Stellenbosch Business School in presenting the annual Africa Day event in London.  

The event with the theme: “The Africa Innovation Agenda – igniting and accelerating innovation growth through government, business, society, and education in Africa”, and attended by leaders from business, government, and organisations with vested interests in Africa, as well as diplomatic representatives and educational professionals with an interest in education in Africa.  

Plenary speakers

The plenary speakers of the event are:

  • Lord Dr Michael Hastings, Chair, SOAS Board
  • Zeinab Badawi, President, SOAS University of London
  • Owen Martin Jones, Regional Director, African Leadership Academy
  • Chidi Ogbata, Head of Corporate Banking and Wealth Management, Zenith Bank
  • Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Strategy, Global and Corporate Affairs, Stellenbosch University

Panels

The event will include two focused panels:

Panel one

Panel one will discuss The Africa Innovation Agenda – and how government, business and society can ignite and accelerate innovation and growth

This panel will include:

  • Cobus Visagie, Group CEO, Africa Merchant Capital (moderator)  
  • Abi Ajayi, Head of Middle East & Africa Primary Markets, London Stock Exchange
  • Dr Greg Chola Nsofu, Director Information and Communications Technology, Bank of Zambia
  • Agnes Gitau, Executive Director, Eastern Africa Association
  • Jidé Olanrewaju, Vice Chairman of the Royal African Society and Partner TPG Growth
  • Stella Opoku-Owusu, Executive Director, African Foundation for Development (AFFORD)

Panel two

Panel two will discuss The Africa Innovation Agenda – and how universities, government and civil society can ignite and accelerate innovation and growth through education

This panel will include:

  • Prof Joanna Newman, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Education, SOAS University of London (moderator) 
  • Prof Wim de Villiers, Vice-Chancellor, Stellenbosch University
  • Prof 'Funmi Olonisakin, Vice-President: International, Engagement & Service, King's College London 
  • Prof Michael Scott, Pro-Vice Chancellor: International, University of Warwick
  • Prof Iain Gillespie, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Dundee

Programme

TimeActivitySpeakerLocation
1:00pmWelcome and protocols Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
1:05pmWelcome by host universityLord Dr Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE
1:15pmOpening keynote addressZeinab Badawi
1:40pmKeynote dialogueLord Dr Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE with Owen Martin Jones and alumni
2:05pmChange over to venues for streams 1 and 2  
2:15pmStreams Panel discussion with Q&A Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre or Khalil Lecture Theatre
3:45pmChange over to main joint venue  
3:55pmReport back to plenary by RapporteursModerators of panels – Cobus Visagie and
Prof Joanna Newman		Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
4:25pmClosing address from co-host universityProf Hester Klopper
4:45pmVote of thanks and invite to networkChidi Ogbata
5:00pmNetworking receptionHosted by Prof Adam Habib Paul Webley Wing Cloisters

Image: Zoe Reeve via Unsplash

Share this page

Related events