Abuja gathering will bring together innovators and institutional leaders to explore how AI and emerging technologies can drive inclusive growth, jobs, and globally competitive African businesses.

The Future Project and The Future Awards Africa will convene The Future Conference 2026 on Tuesday, 20 October, at the United Nations House, Abuja, to examine how Africa can turn innovation into sustainable businesses, decent jobs, and solutions that compete globally.

Held under the theme “Redefining Africa’s Future: AI, Innovation and the Power to Scale”, the conference will address a central question: What will it take for Africa’s AI generation to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive economy by 2035?

Amb. Philbert Johnson, UNIDO Country Representative and Sub-Regional Director, will deliver the opening keynote, “What Will It Take to Scale Africa’s Future?” The programme will also feature an executive dialogue, “Building the Innovation Economy: From Talent to Scale,” exploring the roles of innovation ecosystems, technology, investment, and enterprise development in helping African ideas reach wider markets.

Ayodeji Razaq, CEO of Red Media Africa, said: “Africa’s future will not be shaped by ideas alone, but by our ability to turn those ideas into solutions that create value, expand opportunity, and compete globally. The Future Conference is a platform to move beyond conversations about potential and focus on what it will take to scale.”

The conference will also spotlight Redefiners 2035, a continental initiative by The Future Project to identify and connect young Africans building solutions that could shape the continent’s future, while examining the systems, partnerships, and investment needed to scale their impact.

Together, The Future Awards Africa, The Future Conference, and Redefiners 2035 connect recognition with action: celebrating the young people shaping Africa, bringing decision-makers into the conversation, and identifying pathways to scale their work.

Event details

• Event: The Future Conference 2026
• Date: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
• Time: 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., followed by networking and media reception
• Venue: United Nations House, Abuja
• Theme: Redefining Africa’s Future: AI, Innovation and the Power to Scale

About The Future Project

The Future Project works to empower citizens through inclusive enterprise and active citizenship, with a focus on employability, entrepreneurship, and civic participation.

About The Future Awards Africa

The Future Awards Africa recognises and celebrates exceptional young Africans, spotlighting their achievements and the ideas shaping the continent’s future.