The network is calling for stronger collaboration among African foundations, civil society organisations, governments, businesses and communities to mobilise local resources and build a self-reliant development ecosystem.
The call was made at the opening of the 2026 APN Assembly in Accra, which has brought together participants from more than 34 countries to discuss ways of strengthening African philanthropy and reclaiming the continent's narratives of giving.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Executive Director of APN, Stigmata Tenga, said the gathering, held under the theme “African Philanthropy in Action”, was an opportunity for stakeholders to move beyond discussions and translate commitments into practical action.
She said the network, established to provide a platform for African-led institutions to examine power relations in resource mobilisation and distribution, had grown to bring together knowledge and experience from more than 275 African-led and African-founded institutions and foundations.
According to her, APN's mission is to elevate indigenous African philanthropy practices by promoting local agency, collaboration and an ecosystem approach to development.
She noted that the Network also sought to reshape the global philanthropy landscape by providing a collective African voice against historical colonial legacies that continued to influence financial flows and development priorities.
This year's Assembly is structured around three central pillars: adopt, advance and amplify, with participants expected to engage in discussions on resource mobilisation, distribution, utilisation and systemic change.
Tenga said the ultimate objective was to develop a roadmap for philanthropic action that would inform future development strategies and strengthen an inclusive, self-reliant ecosystem capable of driving transformative change across Africa.
She noted that the Assembly would provide an opportunity for participants to move away from fragmented interventions and explore collaborative solutions to the complex challenges facing communities across the continent.
African development must be collectively financed
In his address, the Board Chair of APN, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, said Africa's development could not be achieved through isolated interventions or continued dependence on external funding but required collective action and the mobilisation of indigenous resources.
Drawing parallels with Africa's independence struggles, he cited Ghana's independence as an example of how solidarity and collective effort could produce significant continental change.
He recalled that the struggle for independence was not financed solely by foreign donors but was supported by ordinary citizens, including market women and farmers, who contributed towards the common cause.
He said the same spirit of collective responsibility should guide African philanthropy and the continent's approach to development financing.
Amidu challenged participants to reconsider the ownership and direction of development on the continent, asking: “Who owns African development? Who pays for it? And who decides its direction?”
He said the questions had become increasingly important at a time when multilateral cooperations were facing challenges, requiring African countries to rethink how they collaborated across borders and determined their development priorities.
He also linked the Assembly to the broader Shift the Power movement, which advocates a redistribution of power in development and philanthropy to enable communities and local institutions to determine their own priorities.
He said social justice philanthropy was closely connected to the need for Africans to design and control their own development structures rather than merely seeking representation in externally established systems.
“No single foundation, organisation, or expert can transform the continent alone,” Amidu stressed.
He said addressing Africa's development challenges required meaningful partnerships between civil society, governments, businesses and communities, guided by equality, inclusiveness and integrity.
He urged participants to use the Assembly to challenge existing approaches, relationships and ambitions while building diverse partnerships capable of advancing self-determined development and social justice.
From Nairobi to Accra
The APN Assembly began in November 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Building African Philanthropy in the 21st Century.”
Subsequent assemblies were held in Johannesburg in 2012, Arusha in 2014, Mauritius in 2018, Entebbe in 2022 and Victoria Falls in 2024.
The Accra Assembly was proposed by Dr. Nana Afadzinu of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu of the STAR-Ghana Foundation.
Its organisation was coordinated by an international planning team led by a representative from the STAR-Ghana Foundation, with contributions from organisations including the African Women's Development Fund, Southern Africa Trust, Kenya Community Development Foundation and Ghana Philanthropy Forum.
Participants are drawn from more than 34 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, including India, Nepal, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.
The three-day gathering is expected to strengthen regional and international partnerships and develop practical strategies for positioning African philanthropy as a major driver of the continent's development.
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