By Florencemary Nwabueze

The University of Ghana has emerged victorious at the inaugural Inter-University Africa Debate, held at the University of Lagos as part of the disruptED Summit, a youth-focused platform promoting engagement in policy and development conversations across Africa.

Over 300 students and volunteers witnessed a high-level contest that brought together representatives of the University of Ghana and the University of Lagos in a structured debate examining major global economic and policy frameworks, including the Washington Consensus and Beijing Consensus.

After eight rounds of arguments, rebuttals, and audience engagement, the judging panel declared the University of Ghana the winner. Team Ghana was awarded a cash prize of N500,000, while Nigeria’s team received N300,000. The Best Debater of the competition also received N150,000 for exceptional performance.

Judges commended both teams for their intellectual rigor, clarity of argument, and analytical depth.
Luke Wales, Director of Global Relations and Education at the University of Birmingham, representing Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Tickell, said:”The intellectual quality of the debate was very high. At different points, the panel found ourselves re-examining our own views. The students demonstrated strong preparation, persuasive ability, and analytical depth. It was a powerful reminder of the talent and intellectual energy present in African universities.”

Director of Graduate Guidance Group,Emma Tarrant Tayou and the Creative Director of REDTV/UBA,Olufemi Bamigbetan, also served on the judging panel, praising the depth of research and engagement demonstrated by the students.

Moderated by Tosin Adebisi, founder of the Inter-University Africa Debate initiative and Head of the Programme for African Leadership at LSE, the session emphasized that the platform was designed to expose young Africans to serious policy conversations early in their academic journeys.

Adebisi explained that: “This debate is not just about competition. It is about helping students develop critical thinking skills and confidence to engage with complex global and African policy issues.

The debate format encouraged audience participation, with students actively researching key concepts in real time, turning the auditorium into a live classroom of policy engagement rather than passive spectatorship.

Originally launched at the London School of Economics by former Ghanaian President John Mahama, the Inter-University Africa Debates as gathered, had previously featured top UK universities, including Cambridge, Imperial College London, King’s College London, University College London, and Birmingham.

Organisers highlighted that extending the debate to Africa, with the support of the University of Birmingham, LSE, University of Ghana, and University of Lagos, reflected a growing commitment to youth-led intellectual exchange and cross-border academic collaboration.

Plans according to the organisers, were underway to develop the initiative into a multi-tier continental debate series, beginning with national rounds, followed by regional competitions, and culminating in an Africa-wide inter-university final.

Many participants described the debate as one of the most engaging sessions of the summit, with one attendee noting: “This is the first time I’ve seen students treated as participants in policy, not just observers.”