The conversation around Africa’s development is shifting, and Rice University is helping lead the charge.
More than 200 students, scholars and development professionals gathered at Rice April 11-12 for the 2025 African Development Forum — a high-energy, solutions-driven event focused on unlocking Africa’s untapped potential through sustainable, community-led innovation.
Hosted by the Rice Association for African Development and Entrepreneurship (RAADE), the forum centered on the theme Sustainable by Design: Building Self-Sustaining Markets for Africa’s Development and explored new approaches rooted in RAADE’s three pillars: co-creation, human-centered design and scalable impact.
Held in partnership with Rice’s Center for African and African American Studies and the School of Social Sciences, the forum featured keynote speakers, fireside chats, hands-on workshops and an interactive design sprint all aimed at reimagining what development can look like when it’s built from the ground up with community at the center.
“We’re not just talking about development — we’re designing it,” said junior Ife Idakolo, RAADE’s co-executive director and an economics major at Rice. “This forum is about asking better questions, creating alongside communities and designing solutions that actually scale.”
Idakolo, who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, has helped shape RAADE’s unique model. Through year-round innovation studios, student teams at Rice work directly with partners on the African continent to address real-world challenges in health, finance, agriculture and beyond.
“We talk a lot about moving from nonconsumption to consumption,” Idakolo said. “That’s what innovation is — taking something previously out of reach and making it not just accessible but sustainable for the long term.”
Caroline Levander, vice president for global strategy at Rice, welcomed attendees on behalf of university leadership and emphasized Rice’s growing global engagement, including its recent international expansions in Paris and Bangalore, India.
“You’ve come at a moment when Rice is thinking bigger,” Levander said. “We’re building new partnerships across continents, and what’s happening here this weekend reflects the kind of collaborative, student-led innovation that we’re proud to support.”
Alexander Byrd, vice provost for access and institutional excellence, also addressed the crowd, grounding the weekend in Rice’s deeper historical ties to African and Africanist scholarship.
“You’re not just starting something — you’re continuing something,” Byrd told the audience. “The work you’re doing now stands on the shoulders of scholars and students who came before you, and it’s creating a foundation for what comes next.”
Saturday’s programming featured keynote talks from globally recognized figures including:
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Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, former vice president of the World Bank’s Africa Region and co-founder of Transparency International
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Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, Nigeria, and 2023 Nigeria presidential candidate
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Mezuo Nwuneli, co-founder and managing partner of Sahel Capital, focused on agricultural investment in West Africa
Attendees also rolled up their sleeves for hands-on workshops and a design sprint that challenged them to prototype real solutions to critical development issues. From financial access to health infrastructure, participants worked in teams to generate ideas rooted in empathy, equity and regional context.
“We’ve been intentional about making this an interactive experience,” said senior Precious Akinrinmade, director of RAADE’s Innovation Studio. “You’re not just here to listen — you’re here to build.”
The result? A weekend that not only elevated new perspectives on development but also cultivated a network of changemakers ready to act.
Many participants described the forum as more than just a conference — more like a launchpad for new projects, new partnerships, and a new way of thinking about Africa’s future.
RAADE’s mission continues well beyond the conference. With year-round student-led projects and partnerships across the continent, the organization remains focused on one guiding principle: to innovate for Africa with Africa.
Learn more at rice-raade.com.