Akinniyi Urges Africa to Prioritise Equity in Education Technology Investments

Funmi Ogundare

The Regional Portfolio Director for Africa at Luminate, Toyin Akinniyi, has urged African governments, development partners and private sector leaders to ensure that investments in education financing prioritise equity, warning that technology must broaden opportunities rather than deepen existing inequalities.

Speaking during the Bold Action session on education at the 2026 Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS), hosted by the Sterling One Foundation in Lagos, Akinniyi explained that the continent’s education financing agenda must move beyond expanding access to ensuring that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies create inclusive opportunities for all learners.

She noted that with Africa having the youngest population in the world, education remains one of the strongest drivers of the continent’s future, stressing that stakeholders must carefully assess whether emerging technologies are widening or restricting access to quality education.

“Africa has the youngest population on earth. Education remains one of the clearest levers we have for the future we say we want,” she stated. “The question we must keep asking is whether the technologies we are funding expand opportunity or gradually narrow it for those least able to push back.”

The director warned that the rapid pace of technological innovation is outstripping the ability of many education systems to adapt, resulting in a growing disconnect between what students learn in classrooms and the skills required in future labour markets.

According to her, governments, philanthropies and investors should prioritise the intersection of education and technology, noting that decisions made today would determine who gains access to quality education and who develops the technologies of the future.

“Get that intersection right, and we compound progress. Get it wrong, and we compound our current socioeconomic challenges,” she said.

She further stressed that every investment in education technology should be measured against a simple benchmark, whether it expands access to quality education or reinforces existing inequalities.

Stressing the importance of collaboration, Akinniyi said Luminate’s partnership with the Sterling One Foundation through the Business Coalition for Education underscores the need for governments, businesses, philanthropic organisations and civil society to work together in building more inclusive education systems.

The education session formed part of discussions on sustainable education financing at the ASIS where participants examined investment models capable of delivering long-term learning outcomes while preparing young Africans for an increasingly digital economy.

Speakers at the session agreed that with Africa projected to account for the world’s largest youth population in the coming decades, education financing must evolve beyond funding classrooms to supporting innovation, digital inclusion and equitable access to opportunities in the future workforce.