By Gideon Maxwell
May 2, 2026
Former Vice President of Nigeria Yemi Osinbajo has shared details of his participation at the AfricaXchange 2026 Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, where he engaged global leaders on the future of development cooperation and Africa’s evolving role in shaping international partnerships.
He noted that discussions centred on how Africa can take a stronger position in defining the next era of global development engagement, particularly at a time of shifting geopolitical priorities and funding constraints.
Osinbajo said the session featured HE Madam Nardos Bekele Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Union Development Agency, New Partnership for Africa’s Development, AUDA NEPAD, Mamadou Biteye, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation, Moky Makura, Executive Director of Africa No Filter, and William Asiko, Vice President for the Africa Region Office of the Rockefeller Foundation, who moderated the discussion.
He further explained that participants exchanged ideas on reshaping development cooperation in response to changing global funding landscapes, alongside Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of Programs at the Rockefeller Foundation, and Peter Laugharn, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Conrad N Hilton Foundation.
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According to him, additional engagements during the summit focused on the growing role of philanthropy and the future of development finance, through wider roundtable discussions involving global development stakeholders and institutional partners.
The summit, hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office, convened more than 400 leaders from government, philanthropy, multilateral institutions and the private sector, with emphasis on repositioning Africa from aid dependence towards investment driven growth and stronger economic agency.
Participants also underscored the need for new financing models anchored on domestic capital mobilisation, private sector participation and trade led development strategies, as global aid flows continue to tighten.
The Nairobi convening further spotlighted emerging partnerships aimed at strengthening locally led systems across key sectors including energy, health, food security and climate resilience.
The 2026 edition also featured the Africa Big Bets Fellows initiative, which recognised emerging African changemakers working on community driven solutions in development, innovation and resilience building.
The discussions in Nairobi are increasingly seen as part of a wider shift in global development thinking, where African institutions, philanthropy and private capital are playing a more central role in shaping the continent’s future growth trajectory.
