Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference Charts Path for Inclusive Learning in Africa
About 600 stakeholders from over 30 countries in Africa and beyond gathered from July 8 to 10 at the inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss integrating technology into African learning systems. Hosted in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, the conference concluded with a call to action on 10 key recommendations for advancing EdTech across the continent.
Peter Materu, Chief Program Officer at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasized the need for investing in education to build resilience and prepare for future shocks. Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, highlighted technology as a powerful incentive for learning, while Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, stressed the importance of inclusion in EdTech.
Key recommendations included championing local innovation, harmonizing cross-sector policy, underwriting foundational infrastructure, driving decisions with data, enhancing delivery capacity, and diversifying learning pathways. The conference also underscored the need to lower access barriers through strategic partnerships and embed responsive inclusivity in policy and innovation processes.
The African Union’s Special Youth Envoy, Chido Mpemba, noted the global and local potential of accessible innovations, while Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Youth Development, stressed the importance of including young women’s voices in policy formulation.
The recommendations were shared at the 3rd Ministerial Forum on EdTech in Africa, prioritizing strategies to integrate EdTech into learning systems, enhance quality education data, and address the challenge of out-of-school children and youth, currently at 108 million.
Joseph Nsengimana, Director of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, highlighted the conference’s role in transforming Africa’s educational landscape. The next EdTech Conference is planned for 2026, coinciding with the Mastercard Foundation’s 20th anniversary.
