Town Hall · Press Conference
Town Hall & Press Conference
June 12, 2026
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
University of Lagos
A focused, press-conference-style town hall where ~20 stakeholders align on MSMEs as a pathway for human capital development in Africa.
Festival of Change · Lagos · 2026
Africa's greatestasset is its people.
FOC'26 explores how education, creativity, policy and technology can leverage MSMEs as the engine for human capital development — turning Africa's vast potential into sustainable wealth and innovation.
830M
Africa's youth population by 2050 (UN)
2,500
Participants expected at FOC'26
2
Anchor events: June 12 & October 3
The four pillars
How LEVERAGE works.
MSMEs sit at the intersection of opportunity and constraint. FOC'26 is anchored on four pillars — each one tackling a specific gap in the MSME ecosystem.
- 01
Education
Most MSME owners lack the structured training required to scale sustainably.
→ Well-equipped entrepreneurs capable of building structured, scalable, sustainable businesses.
- 02
Policy
MSMEs operate within complex and often restrictive policy environments.
→ More informed businesses and a policy environment that actively supports growth rather than constrains it.
- 03
Storytelling
Limited positioning and poor market perception hinder MSME growth.
→ A new generation of entrepreneurs who can position, communicate, and scale through compelling storytelling.
- 04
Technology
Many MSMEs remain excluded from digital transformation.
→ Businesses that are not only locally relevant but globally competitive and scalable.
Two anchor moments
From conversation to coordination.
Main Festival
Festival of Change
October 3, 2026
9:00 AM onwards
University of Lagos
The main edition. 2,500 participants. Symposium across four pillars, career fair, and trade fair — turning insight into action.
Voices for FOC'26
Speakers shaping the room.
Baddest
Deving guyyyyy · TBA
"Leveraging MSMEs for Human Capital Development"
- S
Speaker To Be Announced
Discussant · TBA
"Policy Bridges for Youth Employment"
- S
Speaker To Be Announced
Panelist · TBA
"Storytelling as an Economic Driver"
- S
Speaker To Be Announced
Panelist · TBA
"AI & Automation for Small Business"
Partners & sponsors
- diamond · Become a partner
- platinum · Become a partner
- gold · Become a partner
- silver · Become a partner
Past editions
Two years of momentum.
'25
CONNECT
Connecting Education and Technology at All Levels — held at the J.F Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos.
1,000+ attendees
Students, educators, tech innovators
12 mentors
Across thematic areas
Career fair + hackathon
Long-term partnerships formed
'24
REVIVE
What the Government, Business, and Development Sector Need to Do to Revive Education in Nigeria.
100+ participants
Changemakers across sectors
₦100,000 bursary
Annual, to secondary completion
Documentary screening
Dreaming of a Brighter Classroom
Join the movement
Africa's next chapter is being written. Come help write it.
Whether you're a student, MSME owner, educator, policymaker or investor — there's a seat at FOC'26 for you.