ISF Forum 2026 Officially Launches Its Fourth Edition, Themed “Scale Without Borders” -

West Africa’s foremost innovation summit returns to Ibadan on 27–28 November 2026 at the International Conference Centre, expecting 3,000 in-person delegates, 50+ global speakers, and an online audience exceeding 10,000 across 20+ countries

IBADAN, NIGERIA — JULY 2026

ISF Forum has confirmed its fourth edition for 27–28 November 2026 at the International Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The event, themed Scale Without Borders, will bring together more than 3,000 in-person delegates, 50+ speakers from across Africa and the world, and an online audience projected to exceed 10,000 viewers across 20+ countries.

The Innovation and Scale Forum has built a reputation over three prior editions as one of West Africa’s most substantive gatherings at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and investment. Previous editions featured the US Consul General, the Director General of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Group Chief Information Officer of the African Development Bank Group among their speakers. Media coverage has spanned Business Insider, BusinessDay, TechCabal, Vanguard, and The Nation.

“The 150+ speakers across four editions of ISF Forum share one defining quality: they are building, funding, or enabling the things that will determine what Africa’s economy looks like in 20 years. We created this platform because those conversations belong in a room that any serious founder or investor can access. Scale Without Borders names the chapter Africa is in right now. Ibadan is where we are going to work through it.”

David Adeleke, Convener, ISF Forum 2026 and CEO, Zeeh Africa

The 2026 theme reflects where Africa’s most ambitious organisations currently stand. Across fintech, consumer technology, infrastructure, agriculture, and creative industries, African companies are outgrowing their first markets. Founders are raising cross-border capital. Products built for Lagos are being deployed in Nairobi. Platforms designed for Accra are reaching Dakar. Scale Without Borders puts a direct question to every participant: what does it actually take to scale across this continent, and who is helping you do it?

ISF Forum 2026 will feature a two-day main-stage conference programme, curated sector panels, and structured networking sessions across both days. The event will close with an evening awards gala recognising outstanding achievement across six categories.

ISF FORUM 2026 AWARDS

The ISF Forum 2026 Awards recognise founders, brands, and institutions across Africa whose work has moved the needle in innovation, entrepreneurship, and impact. The six award categories for 2026 are:

AWARD CATEGORY	DESCRIPTION
Innovator of the Year	Recognising the individual whose work has most significantly advanced technology, entrepreneurship, or social impact across Africa in the past year.
Woman Entrepreneur of the Year	Celebrating a female founder or business leader whose vision and execution has built something durable and meaningful.
Startup of the Year	Awarded to an early-stage company that has demonstrated exceptional traction, product clarity, and growth potential.
MSME Scale-Up of the Year	For the small or medium enterprise that has grown its market, its team, or its impact in ways that define what responsible scaling looks like.
Digital Infrastructure Award	Recognising an organisation whose work in technology infrastructure has meaningfully expanded access, connectivity, or digital capability across Nigeria and Africa.
Consumer Innovation Award	For the brand that has most effectively solved a real consumer problem through product innovation engineered for the African market.

Award nominations are now open. Individuals and organisations may be nominated through the ISF Forum website at awards.theisfforum.com. Category sponsors and presenting partners for the awards gala are available — organisations interested in award category partnerships are invited to contact the ISF Forum team.

Delegate registrations, speaker nominations, and media accreditations for ISF Forum 2026 are now open. Organisations seeking partnership and sponsorship opportunities are invited to contact david@theisfforum.com.

ABOUT ISF FORUM

ISF Forum is Nigeria’s premier platform for innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment. Now in its fourth edition, the forum convenes founders, investors, policymakers, executives, and institutions from across Africa and beyond to build the connections, share the knowledge, and accelerate the ventures that will define the continent’s next chapter. ISF Forum is convened by David Adeleke, CEO of Zeeh Africa.

Event	ISF Forum 2026
Theme	“Scale Without Borders”
Date	27–28 November 2026
Venue	International Conference Centre (ICC), Ibadan, Nigeria
Website	theisfforum.com
Media Contact	david@theisfforum.com