This coming Saturday, 1 November 2025, the vibrant city of Lagos will once again become the stage for ideas and conversation as the annual gathering of TEDxLagos marks a major milestone: its 10th anniversary. Under the theme “Woven Together”, this edition blends reflection on the past decade with a fresh invitation to build future connections across Nigeria’s creative, technological and educational sectors.
In many ways, the story of TEDxLagos mirrors Nigeria’s evolving narrative: from individual voices to collective ambition, from isolated innovation to interconnected ecosystems. As Convener Mercy Akamo put it, “Our success is a tapestry woven from countless individual threads.”
For Lagos-based professionals, students, educators and innovation-enthusiasts, this event does more than talk ideas—it offers a platform to network, to ideate and to connect across disciplines.
In this article, we’ll explore how TEDxLagos has developed over the years, what “Woven Together” means for this moment, and why the 2025 edition promises fresh momentum for Nigeria’s edtech, culture and innovation sectors.
Table of Contents
The Evolution of TEDxLagos: From Singular Stage to Idea Web
When TEDxLagos made its independent appearance, it sought to bring the ethos of TED—ideas worth spreading—to Nigeria’s fast-growing cultural and innovation landscape. Over years it has convened thinkers, creatives, entrepreneurs and reformers, creating a trusted stage locally.
Key markers in its evolution:
- A broadening speaker roster: This year’s line-up includes an eclectic mix such as entertainer Bovi Ugboma, pediatrician and health digital creator Dr Ayodele Renner, disability advocate Eva Chisom‑Chukwunelo, and visual storyteller Nifemi Marcus‑Belo.
- A venue that underscores its significance: The event returns to the iconic Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (formerly the National Theatre, Iganmu, Surulere), Lagos.
- A growing agenda that spans business, culture, education and technology — not just isolated talks. The “Woven Together” theme explicitly signals that interdisciplinary link-ups matter.
Looking back on ten years, TEDxLagos has become a lens through which Nigeria’s creative-intellectual evolution can be seen: early talks might have focused on singular narratives; today, the framing is around networks, systems and collective impact.
As I reflect personally on past editions I attended, the shift is obvious: once you came for the talk, now you stay for the connections. That shift in culture is important in a city like Lagos, where ideas and actions are often separated.
“Woven Together”: Meaning, Significance & What to Expect
The theme for this year—“Woven Together”—is not just poetic. It draws explicitly from the African art of weaving, where individual threads, colours and textures join to form something durable and expressive.
In practical terms, here’s what that looks like at this edition of TEDxLagos:
- Interdisciplinary talks and workshops: Attendees will engage not only with main-stage speakers but also breakout sessions, live digital experiences and communal moments. The event design itself aims to mirror the “weaving” of connections..
- Global link-ups and local roots: As part of the global TEDx community, this event also highlights the TEDx Global Idea Search, meaning local narratives may reach international platforms.
- Legacy meets future-focus: The decade-mark provides an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved, but more critically, to ask: What next? How do we build more connected systems in EdTech, culture and innovation?
- Diverse voices, broader impact: With speakers from entertainment, health, energy, education and policy, the curation reflects a broadening of what “ideas worth spreading” means in Nigeria’s contemporary context
For attendees, this theme suggests not just listening but engaging: who will you meet? What conversations will you begin? What thread will you add to the tapestry?
From a personal standpoint, it reminds me of network weaving in action: the value often lies not only in what is said, but who you sit beside, what you ask afterwards, and how you follow up. As someone who’s covered countless events, the moments of change often happen during “side-conversation” in a corridor, not just under the stage lights.
Why It Matters for Nigeria’s EdTech and Innovation Landscape
While TEDxLagos is not exclusively an education-technology conference, its tenth edition could not come at a more relevant time for Nigeria’s edtech, culture, and innovation ecosystem.
Here’s why:
- Platform for EdTech storytelling: With speakers such as visual educators, policy advisors and health content creators in the mix, the event becomes a showcase for how education, technology and storytelling intersect in Nigeria.
- Networking for impact-oriented initiatives: The “woven” theme encourages collaboration across sectors — so entrepreneurs building learning technologies, creatives using storytelling for change, and policymakers advocating for inclusive education can all find intersections.
- Amplification of Nigerian talent: By positioning local voices on a stage that links to global TEDx networks, the event helps amplify Nigerian ideas and solutions for global audiences. That visibility can fuel investment, partnerships and scaling.
- Cultural-tech convergence: Lagos as a city thrives at the intersection of culture and technology. An event like this leverages that unique context — showing how EdTech is not only about delivery platforms but about culturally-relevant narratives, makers, and communities.
From my own experience editing tech-education features in Nigeria, one recurring gap is the connection between visionary thinking and implementable frameworks. TEDxLagos offers the chance to bridge that gap: hear the big idea, meet the practitioner, connect to a funder.
For the youth, students, teachers and innovators reading this in Abuja or beyond, this isn’t a far-off Lagos event. It is a moment to plug into the national conversation and ask: How can I add my thread to this tapestry of ideas?
Looking Ahead: What to Watch & What to Do
As the event approaches and afterwards, here are some pointers for readers who might be attending or following remotely:
- Speakers to keep an eye on: Among the names announced are Bovi Ugboma, Dr Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau (Kaffy) and others from creative, education and policy backgrounds.
- Moments of connection: Make sure to participate in breakout sessions, workshops and networking segments. These are the “threads” that the theme emphasises.
- Think beyond the event day: Note how ideas connect to practical next steps. Are there EdTech ventures you can join? Collaborations you can initiate?
- Stay in the loop after: The performance of ideas often lives beyond the stage. Follow social channels, speaker blogs, and event recaps to carry the conversation forward.
- Reflect on your role: Whether you are a student, educator, innovator or observer, ask yourself: “What unique thread do I bring?” The theme invites each attendee not just to witness but to contribute.
In sum, this decade milestone isn’t simply about celebration — it’s about momentum. TEDxLagos has built a stage; now the challenge is to fill it with actionable ideas, meaningful collisions and lasting connections.
As I wrap up, I reflect on the growth I’ve witnessed in Nigeria’s innovation scene: from isolated projects to ecosystems, from one-off talks to ongoing networks. Events like this act as the loom: they give structure, rhythm and visibility. But the real weaving happens when participants take what they hear, meet who they meet, and start what they start.
Here’s to the next ten years of ideas worth spreading — and to the countless threads waiting to join the fabric.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
