Ms. Anna Ekeledo

Anna Ekeledo is the Executive Director Emerita of AfriLabs, a Pan-African network organization comprising over 500 technology and innovation hubs across more than 225 cities in 53 African countries and the diaspora. She led the AfriLabs community for nearly a decade, driving its vision of a thriving innovation economy in Africa through impactful initiatives and multi-stakeholder partnerships that supported innovation hubs, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem stakeholders across the continent.

Since May 2026, she has continued to support AfriLabs’ mission while focusing on advancing intra-African trade and industrialisation. In addition to her role at AfriLabs, Anna is a founder and Council Member of the timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that addresses critical gaps in the African startup ecosystem by working with governments, investors, corporates, and universities to accelerate entrepreneurship and innovation.

Anna serves on several prestigious networks and councils, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Innovation and Impact Council, the Africa Europe Foundation’s Strategic Group on Digital, and as a Founding Board Member of the Africa Creatives Alliance (ACA). She has also represented AfriLabs as an observer at the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) General Assembly and as a Private Sector Member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

As an international speaker, trainer, innovation ecosystem builder, and advisor, Anna contributes to shaping policies and fostering collaborations that promote innovation, digital transformation, intra-African trade, and industrialisation. She has also served as a judge and mentor for global initiatives such as the Cartier Women’s Initiative, which supports women entrepreneurs worldwide.

Anna holds a first-class degree in Psychology from Covenant University, Nigeria, and an MSc in International Marketing Management from Leeds University Business School, United Kingdom. She is a Skoll Fellow and has been recognized among Africa’s leading economic and technology leaders by organizations including Choiseul 100 Africa, Agile 50, and Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD).