Sterling One Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing inclusive finance across Africa, participating in a high-level Presidential Breakfast Meeting held alongside the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa.
According to a statement issued on Friday, the meeting focused on strengthening financing frameworks and renewing commitments toward gender equality and economic inclusion across the continent.
The gathering brought together African leaders, including Ghanaian President John Mahama; Vice President of The Gambia Muhammed Jallow; ministers; development finance institutions; private sector executives; and other continental stakeholders to explore actionable funding strategies for women and youth-led enterprises.
Delivering a keynote call to action, President Mahama stressed the urgency of prioritising gender inclusion in Africa’s economic transformation.
“Women are Africa’s most underutilised asset. If we are to accelerate Agenda 2063 and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals at scale, we must harness the full strength of our human capital,” he said.
“Africa cannot grow by leaving its women behind. Gender equality must be embedded in macroeconomic planning, public finance systems, and peace and security frameworks; otherwise, our development will remain incomplete. Despite decades of declarations, Africa’s gender agenda remains chronically underfunded, and gender-responsive programmes are often the first casualties during fiscal constraints. That must change.”
Also speaking, Director of the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate at the African Union Commission, Ms Prudence Ngwenya, urged stakeholders to translate commitments into measurable results.
“More than half of Africa’s population is either a young person or a woman,” she said. “As we reflect on our continental gender equality journey, we must ask ourselves: Are we truly upholding the commitments we have made? Are we consolidating institutional gains or regressing on hard-earned progress?
“And most importantly, what concrete actions will we take to ensure African women are empowered, productive, and central to the realisation of Agenda 2063? The time for reaffirmation must now translate into measurable financing and systemic change.”
As a strategic partner of the African Union through AU WYFEI, Sterling One Foundation said it continues to champion structured financing frameworks, blended finance partnerships and catalytic platforms aimed at unlocking capital for women- and youth-led enterprises.
Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, emphasised the economic importance of inclusion.
“Financial inclusion is not a social intervention; it is an economic imperative. Africa’s transformation depends on how intentionally we finance women and youth at scale,” she said.
“Through strategic partnerships, blended finance mechanisms, and investment readiness platforms, we are working to bridge the capital gap and unlock Africa’s $100bn Investment Agenda. Our commitment is clear: to move from conversations to capital, from pledges to structured partnerships, and from intent to measurable impact.”
The foundation added that its initiatives, including the Women Investment Readiness Accelerator Programme, demonstrate that inclusive finance can be both scalable and transformative for Africa’s economic future.
