By Juliet Umeh

Organisers of STEM Africa Fest have said this year’s edition will equip African children with practical skills in artificial intelligence, AI, robotics and other emerging technologies to prepare them as the continent’s next generation of innovators and problem solvers.

The organisers described the event as Africa’s largest STEM festival for children, announcing that the sixth edition, themed: Building Future Innovators, will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.

Co-convener of STEM Africa Fest, Mrs. Jadesola Adedeji, said the initiative was established to transform children’s learning from rote memorisation to experiential education that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, innovation and problem-solving.

She explained that the idea was conceived in 2021 after she connected with co-founder, Titi Adewusi, on Instagram and discovered they shared similar concerns about Nigeria’s education system.

“We both shared the same frustration around education and the way teaching and learning was done in Nigeria. We believed STEM education offered children a more experiential way of learning, moving away from rote learning, cramming and regurgitating, to building innovation, creativity and critical thinking,” she said.

According to Adedeji, the festival was intentionally designed as an interactive learning experience where children actively engage with science and technology rather than passively receiving information.

“We wanted a learning festival where children could learn through participation, exploration and experimentation. Learning should be hands-on. When children learn by doing, they retain more and become problem solvers rather than mere consumers of knowledge,” she added.

She recalled that the maiden edition was held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the first physical event attracted more than 6,000 participants, demonstrating the growing appetite for practical STEM education.

Beyond the annual festival, Adedeji said the organisers are expanding access through sponsorships for children from underserved communities and encouraging more girls to pursue careers in science and technology by connecting them with female role models.

She added that the initiative has attracted interest from education stakeholders in countries including Ghana and Egypt, prompting the development of a playbook to help replicate the model across Africa.
Speaking on this year’s theme, Co-founder and Co-organiser, Titi Adewusi, said the festival is focused on preparing children not only for today’s technology but for future innovations.

“We want to build tomorrow by giving children the skills, exposure and opportunities they need. Technology will continue to evolve, but critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and the ability to learn will always remain valuable,” she said.

According to her, children aged seven to 15 will participate in robotics, artificial intelligence, electronics, engineering, drones, chess, 3D printing, science experiments and interactive museums through eight specialised learning laboratories.

“We don’t want children to simply hear about technology. We want them to touch it, build with it, experiment with it and imagine themselves creating solutions,” Adewusi said.

She added that the festival would feature a Tech Career Corner where Nigerian professionals in science and technology would mentor participants, exposing them to emerging careers and inspiring them to become inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs.