by Jewel Stephen

Nigeria’s social development landscape is beaming brightly as development practitioners prepare to meet, engage, share ideas and lend their voice to pressing issues at the forthcoming Development Dialogue: Stakeholders’ Edition, holding 9 a.m. on Thursday, 21st May 2015 in Lagos.

Development Dialogue is a melting point of thought leadership, innovation-conversations, policy discussions and collaboration for Africa’s social prosperity.

The Stakeholders’ Exchange Edition will create a rallying point for development actors (social entrepreneur​s​, non-profit/ NGO professional​s​, CSR practitioner​s​, government worker​s​/ public servant​s​, community development agent​s​ or for-profit entrepreneur​s​ with a social mission) to share ideas, collaborate and grow capacity for igniting social innovation ​in Africa.

The high-impact gathering themed “Igniting Social Innovation in Africa: A Development Narrative” will host a select cohort of 100 change agents around key discussions to shape the future of development, across various impact sectors including education, healthcare, media and arts, economic empowerment and financial inclusion, housing, environment, gender advocacy amongst others.

The Dialogue will spark interesting conversations around the most critical global development issues facing Nigeria, inspire discussions around the interventions for equipping development actors to innovatively deliver on their social purpose as well as create linkages between and across impact sectors to heighten possible collaborations.

Debola Deji-Kurunmi, Executive Director of Ideation Hub Africa (host of the event) expressed enthusiasm saying “We believe that the social profit terrain in Nigeria is an enormous one, and an event as this provides a desperately needed platform to explore the narratives around Africa’s development through social innovation. This is about seeking new, creative and ethical ways for solving the daunting challenges in our communities.”

Gbenga Sesan, Founder at Paradigm Initiative Nigeria will deliver the Keynote Speech on The Leadership Question: How ethical and values-based leadership will shape development and social prosperity.

A bright Panel Discussion on “How Social Innovation Emerges and Thrives” will consist Chude Jideonwo (Future Project Africa), Peju Jaiyeoba (Brown Button Foundation), Oje Ivagba (former Prog Director at LEAP Africa and Lead Consultant, PLEASE Inc.), Maureen Iyasele (JobMag), Tolu Sangosanya (LOTS Charity/ Dustbin School), Babatomiwa Adesida (Sahara Foundation) and Nelson Okwonna (ONEL)

Delegates can also expect Open Conversations to share their field experiences and contextualize answers to interesting debates as well as Case Discussions syndicated around specific areas of interest and social work. Outcomes of the Dialogue will be curated into a Post-Dialogue Review showcasing thoughts, trends, perspectives and recommendations for development actors and institutions.

Partners to the Development Dialogue include Amani Institute, Brazil; Future Project Africa, HACEY Health Initiative; amongst others. Media Partners are Ventures Africa, Y!Naija, Bella Naija, BrandWorldMedia ,Pride Magazine, NAN amongst others.