Edukate Africa, an edu-fintech platform has announced plans to host the Disrupt Education Summit Africa (Disrupt ED), aimed at tackling funding barriers, skills gaps and curriculum mismatch in Nigeria’s education system.
The summit, scheduled for January 29 at the University of Lagos, will bring together government officials, universities, financial institutions, private sector players and philanthropies to rethink education financing and prepare young Nigerians for the realities of today’s digital workforce.
Speaking at a press conference, Director of Edukate Africa, Francis Omorojie, said the initiative was driven by the growing rate of school dropouts linked largely to financial constraints, particularly at the tertiary level.
Omorojie said studies show that more than 50 percent of students who drop out of higher institutions do so because they cannot afford tuition and related costs, a situation he described as a major contributor to unemployment, brain drain and irregular migration.
He said Africa’s youthful population could either become an economic advantage or a liability, depending on how well education and talent development are managed.
“Education is a fundamental need, but financial exclusion has continued to shut out many promising young people. When students drop out, it feeds unemployment and social instability. Our mission is to build innovative and sustainable financial models that keep young Africans in school and help them become productive,” he said.
According to him, Edukate Africa is deploying blended financing solutions that include tuition guarantees, technology driven scholarship platforms, gig and remote work opportunities for students, and partnerships with universities and philanthropies to establish endowment and alumni funds.
He explained that the platform pays tuition directly to institutions after verifying students’ admission and academic records, ensuring transparency and accountability for donors.
Omorojie said the summit would focus on aligning education with the fast changing nature of work, driven by digital transformation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
He noted that many university curricula are lagging behind workplace realities, leaving graduates ill prepared for employment.
“There is a clear disconnect between what students are taught and what employers need. This summit will create a roundtable where government, academia and the private sector can agree on the skills required for today’s economy and how to integrate them into learning,” he said.
He added that the summit will also examine education financing models, including how banks and financial institutions can design student friendly funding products, and how existing initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Loan Fund can be strengthened and scaled.
Omorojie disclosed that Edukate Africa would use the summit to launch the CommUniversity Endowment Fund, a community led investment fund designed to generate sustainable returns that will be used to sponsor vulnerable students and support young entrepreneurs.
Unlike traditional grant models, he said the fund would invest in revenue generating businesses, with dividends channelled into education support and seed funding for student led startups.
He said the initiative would also promote innovation through activities such as Pitch My Dissertation, Africathon and inter university debates, encouraging students to turn academic research into commercial solutions and job creating ventures.
According to him, over 1,000 students and recent graduates are expected at the summit, with a partners’ pavilion providing employers and organisations direct access to top talent.
He added that Edukate Africa has already supported students in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Uganda to complete their education, in some cases with relatively small amounts that made the difference between graduation and dropping out.
Omorojie said the ultimate goal is to move beyond access to education and ensure that young people graduate with relevant skills, funding support and pathways into employment or entrepreneurship, thereby contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
Also speaking, Co Founder of Edukate Africa, Tosin Adebisi, said the DisruptED Summit was designed as a disruptive and transformative convergence that would move beyond familiar conversations to practical collaboration.
Adebisi said the summit was built around a new framework called Communiversity, which seeks to integrate universities, policymakers, industry, the third sector and students into a single ecosystem.
“Rather than everyone working in silos, Communiversity brings together policymakers, universities, industry and civil society, with students at the centre, to address access to education, the future of work and Africa’s competitiveness,” he said.
He said the Communiversity model would leverage alumni networks, high net worth individuals and diaspora support to unlock sustainable funding for universities.
The summit is being organised in partnership with the University of Lagos and the University of Birmingham, with support from the Federal Ministry of Education.
Expected dignitaries include the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; the Provost and Vice Principal of the University of Birmingham, Professor Nick; the Chief Operating Officer of Semicolon Africa, Ms Ashley; and the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Ibikwe.
