Inclusion must move beyond policy to measurable results – Udeme Ufot

Udeme Ufot

By Felicia Nwosu

The Group Managing Director of SO&U and Chairman of the Policy Innovation Centre, Udeme Ufot, has called on policymakers, business leaders, development partners and other stakeholders to move beyond conversations on gender and inclusion and focus on turning commitments into measurable results.

Meanwhile, the advertising executive made the call while delivering his welcome address at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2026, GS-26, organised by the Policy Innovation Centre of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

Notably,the two day summit, held on September 8 and 9, brought together government officials, members of the National Assembly, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society organisations, academics, traditional and religious leaders, innovators, young leaders and other stakeholders to examine practical approaches to advancing inclusion.

So, welcoming participants to the summit, the Chairman described GS-26 as an important platform for collective reflection, evidence sharing, collaboration and action on gender equality, inclusion and gender responsive governance.

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According to the Policy Innovation Centre chairman, the 2022 edition focused on “Connecting the Dots for a Gender Inclusive Society,” while GS-23 examined the intersection of trade and health under the theme, “Building Bridges: Advancing Gender and Inclusion through the Intersection of Trade and Health.”

He added that the 2024 edition, themed “Reimagining Gender Inclusive Pathways and Partnerships for Poverty Reduction,” placed poverty, opportunity and dignity at the heart of discussions, while GS-25 explored “New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society.”

With GS-26 themed “From Agenda to Action: Making Innovations Count for the Last Mile,” the SO&U Group Managing Director said the focus must now shift from developing policies and making commitments to ensuring that solutions produce tangible outcomes.

He explained that moving from agenda to action requires greater attention to implementation, scale and measurable results, stressing that policies and solutions must be practical, sustainable and capable of reaching the people they were designed to serve.

The marketing communications executive also argued that innovation should not be measured by novelty alone, but by its ability to improve services, expand economic opportunities, strengthen wellbeing and build more effective systems.

For such innovations to move from promising ideas to solutions that work at scale, he said they require supportive policies, appropriate financing, effective institutions, strong partnerships and accountability.

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Turning to the “last mile,” the Chairman said the summit must pay particular attention to people and communities that remain furthest from opportunities and essential services.

He identified women and girls in underserved communities, young people, persons with disabilities, rural populations and other marginalised groups as among those whose realities must be better reflected in policy design and programme delivery.

He stressed that the last mile goes beyond physical distance, describing it as the gap between policy and lived experience, innovation and access, as well as commitment and meaningful change.

Against the backdrop of rapid technological advancement, economic transformation and climate pressures, the Policy Innovation Centre chairman said Nigeria and other African countries must ensure that progress does not leave vulnerable populations behind.

He noted that Africa’s demographic strength, creativity and growing innovation ecosystem present significant opportunities, but argued that these advantages must be converted into solutions that reach communities that need them most.

In Nigeria, he observed that policies and innovations are already being deployed across areas including economic participation, education, healthcare, digital access and social inclusion. However, he said gaps remain in who benefits from these interventions, how effectively they are implemented and how far they extend to underserved populations.

The Group Managing Director therefore urged stakeholders to focus not only on generating good ideas but also on ensuring that those ideas are implemented, scaled and translated into improvements in everyday life.

He said this approach aligns with the Policy Innovation Centre’s purpose of connecting evidence, policy and innovation to make inclusion measurable.

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The Chairman further disclosed that the outcomes of GS-26 would continue beyond the two day event through the Purple Book, which will document and curate insights, recommendations and innovations emerging from the summit.

He explained that the publication would serve as a platform for continued policy engagement, advocacy and accountability, ensuring that knowledge generated through the summit does not remain within the walls of the event.

The advertising executive also called on participants to engage openly, share evidence and experiences, challenge assumptions and identify opportunities for collaboration.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that the perspectives of women, girls, young people, persons with disabilities and underserved communities are incorporated into the policies, investments and innovations that affect their lives.

He also called for practical commitments, clearly defined responsibilities and sustained implementation across government, the private sector, development organisations, civil society, academia and communities.

Closing his address, the Policy Innovation Centre chairman challenged participants to measure the success of GS-26 not by the quality of discussions alone, but by the changes those conversations generate after the summit.

He said the real work of inclusion begins when an agenda is translated into action and action produces measurable change, urging stakeholders to move from agenda to action, from innovation to impact and from the centre to the last mile.