Building Ecosystems, Not Just Solutions: A Reflection on Goalkeepers 2024 in Lagos
There are moments in our journey that feel like coming full circle.
In 2019, I received my first invitation to the Goalkeepers event, hosted by the Gates Foundation, in New York. It was a milestone, being in a global space that amplified stories and solutions advancing the SDGs. I was inspired by the energy in the room and the boldness of the ideas being shared.
Fast forward to 2023, and I was unable to attend due to conflicting commitments. But in 2024, something remarkable happened: Goalkeepers came to Lagos. And being part of this conversation on home soil felt different. It wasn’t just about global voices anymore; it was about the pulse of our cities, our communities, our continent.
Africa in Motion: From Theme to Reality
The theme, “Future of Progress: Africa in Motion,” wasn’t a distant aspiration. It felt real, visible in the people, the energy, the ideas. Whether on stage or in the side conversations, there was one consistent message: Africa’s future is not ahead of us. It is unfolding now—within us and around us.
Hearing from changemakers like Eniola Mafe-Abaga, Nkem Okocha, Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti, Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, and Wariwa Njiru of Food4Education reminded me of something crucial: that the resilience, creativity, and solutions we often romanticise are not abstract concepts. They are alive, in the people innovating at the grassroots, in the systems quietly transforming communities, and in the bold reimagination of what is possible.
Beyond Solutions: Wariwa’s Insight on Ecosystems
One insight that stayed with me came from Wariwa Nijiru:
“Building for Africa isn’t just about solutions; it’s about building ecosystems around those solutions.”
That statement hit deep.
Too often in the social impact space, and even in design and innovation, we reward the creation of “solutions.” A clever app. A smart campaign. A powerful intervention. But without ecosystems, supporting structures, policies, cultural fluency, networks, and local ownership, those solutions remain fragile, dependent, or unsustainable.
Wariwa’s reminder reframes the task at hand: If we truly want to see change that lasts, we must zoom out and ask:
- What systems are these solutions nested in?
- What power dynamics are being challenged or reinforced?
- Who holds the knowledge, and who holds the reins?
For me, as a designer and strategist committed to transformational leadership, this insight strengthens my resolve: Design is not just the product. It’s the ecosystem it activates and is shaped by.
Whether we’re building platforms for health, education, climate, or entrepreneurship, we must think in systems, designing with scale, sustainability, and context at the core. That’s where transformation lies.
The Future of Progress Must Be Local
I’m deeply grateful to the Gates Foundation and the entire Goalkeepers community for creating space for African voices, not as afterthoughts, but as leaders and agenda-setters. There’s something powerful about holding these conversations here, among the people closest to both the challenges and the solutions.
Africa is not just rising.
Africa is leading.
And it’s time we built like it, intentionally, systemically, and together.
Author
Abraham Ologundudu
I am an award-winning changemaker, designer, and multimedia storyteller. I am committed to the global agenda for economic growth and social inclusion and dedicated to promoting ethical and digital leadership for the development of communities. One of my mission in life is to help contribute to a new African narrative by challenging the mindset, culture and traditions that inhibit our growth.
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