The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC), an initiative of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, will host the fourth edition of the Gender and Inclusion Summit (GS-25) in Abuja on September 3 and 4, 2025. The summit is expected to draw over 1,000 participants, both in person and virtually, to deliberate on strategies for creating a more inclusive Nigerian society.
With the theme, “New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society,” the 2025 edition will focus on solutions to urgent social challenges, including economic inequality, unequal healthcare access, education disparities, climate-related vulnerabilities, housing insecurity, and the exclusion of marginalized populations such as women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
The two-day summit will feature plenaries, thematic roundtables, breakout sessions, exhibitions, and poster presentations. A learning workshop will also be held to deepen participant engagement with evidence-based inclusion strategies. Stakeholders confirmed to attend include policymakers, civil society leaders, development agencies, private sector actors, youth advocates, academics, diplomats, and community organisers.
According to the organisers, GS-25 aims to build on the momentum of previous summits by incorporating new perspectives and practical tools into the design of inclusive policies and programs. Since its inception in 2022, the summit has grown into a leading pan-African platform promoting gender-transformative governance, digital inclusion, and the use of behavioural insights in policy design.
“This summit is more than a convening. It’s a time to pause, reflect, learn, refuel, and refire. It’s a call to action to reimagine Africa’s development path through equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu, Executive Director of the Policy Innovation Centre.
Key themes for GS-25 will include education and gender equity, women’s leadership and governance, access to healthcare, inclusive digital rights, sustainable agriculture, legal reforms, and the role of men as allies in advancing gender justice. The summit will adopt a hybrid format to allow broader participation from across Africa and beyond.
