Dr. Seyi Oyesola takes a searing look at health care in underdeveloped countries. His photo tour of a Nigerian teaching hospital -- all low-tech hacks and donated supplies -- drives home the challenge of doing basic health care there.

On April 14, 2014, the terrorist organization Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, Nigeria. Around the world, the crime became epitomized by the slogan #BringBackOurGirls -- but in Nigeria, government officials called the crime a hoax, confusing and delaying efforts to rescue the girls. In this powerful talk, j...

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former finance minister of Nigeria, sums up four days of intense discussion on aid versus trade on the closing day of TEDGlobal 2007, and shares a personal story explaining her own commitment to this cause.

Kola Masha is the founder of Babban Gona, the first for-profit social enterprise in history to be awarded the prestigious Skoll Award, due to its financial sustainability and highly scalable impact. The organization is part-owned by the farmers they serve.

In a rich conversation full of practical insights, former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard and former Finance Minister of Nigeria Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala reflect on their experiences as women leaders in positions of global power -- and share six standout lessons on what it takes to lead and build solidarity in the face of gender bias and st...

Alison Quirk tells the personal story of taking in a teenager from Nigeria who was recruited to play basketball at her daughter's high school. Through midnight phone calls, hospital visits, and important milestones, Alison explores the wonderful messiness of families – and how to leave a mark on the world.

Drawing on a rich cultural and personal history, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò studies philosophy of law, social and political philosophy, Marxism, and African and Africana philosophy.

Centuries of inequality can't be solved with access to technology alone -- we need to connect people with training and support too, says tech inclusionist 'Gbenga Sesan. Sharing the work behind the Paradigm Initiative, a social enterprise in Nigeria that's empowering young people with digital resources and skills, Sesan details a vision for crea...

African growth is a trend, not a fluke, says economist and former Finance Minister of Nigeria Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. In this refreshingly candid and straightforward talk, Okonjo-Iweala describes the positive progress on the continent and outlines eight challenges African nations still need to address in order to create a better future.

Mandatory lockdowns, quarantines and shelter-in-place orders meant to contain COVID-19 have created a shadow pandemic of domestic abuse, says physician Kemi DaSilva-Ibru. Sharing alarming statistics on the rise of gender-based violence worldwide, she describes how Nigeria quickly retrained a squadron of basic health care providers to respond to ...

Poor countries need support in order to advance, but there are limits to how much aid can be gifted. How can developed nations encourage long-term help on a grand scale? Financial economist Paul O'Connell proposes a radical approach: enlist private investors to take on the challenge of high-impact causes in developing countries, such as expandin...

In the center of Caracas, Venezuela, stands the 45-story "Tower of David," an unfinished, abandoned skyscraper. But about eight years ago, people started moving in. Photographer Iwan Baan shows how people build homes in unlikely places, touring us through the family apartments of Torre David, a city on the water in Nigeria, and an underground vi...

A powerhouse of scientific leadership in Africa, Christian Happi sequences and studies the genomes of infectious diseases like Ebola, HIV and coronavirus.

Christian Benimana wants to build a network of architects who can help Africa's booming cities flourish in sustainable, equitable ways -- balancing growth with values that are uniquely African. From Nigeria to Burkina Faso and beyond, he shares examples of architecture bringing communities together. A pan-African movement of architects, designer...

Every artist has a name, and every artist has a story. Laolu Senbanjo's story started in Nigeria, where he was surrounded by the culture and mythology of the Yoruba, and brought him to law school, to New York and eventually to work on Beyoncé's "Lemonade." He shares what he calls "The Sacred Art of the Ori," art that uses skin as canvas and conn...

Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

A qualified physician with more than 15 years of experience in private practice, Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru dedicates her time to addressing the needs of girls and women.

'Gbenga Sesan empowers underserved people with information and communications technology.

Underneath every shiny new megacity, there's often a story of communities displaced. In this moving, poetic talk, OluTimehin Adegbeye details how government land grabs are destroying the lives of thousands who live in the coastal communities of Lagos, Nigeria, to make way for a "new Dubai." She compels us to hold our governments and ourselves ac...

Achenyo Idachaba is the head of MitiMeth, a Nigeria-based company that makes handicrafts from aquatic weeds and other agro-waste.

Amina J. Mohammed is the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group. Previously she served as Minister in the Nigerian government.

A respected global economist, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's parents instilled in her the value of service to others.

Laolu Senbanjo's motto is: “Everything is my canvas.”

Temie Giwa-Tubosun is saving lives, one bag of blood at a time.

Newton Aduaka's award-winning Ezra, told through the eyes of a young boy in Sierra Leone, illuminates one of the most harrowing consequences of war: the recruitment of child soldiers.

A leading advocate for Africa in the US, Zainab Usman pioneers research on the technology, policy and politics influencing natural resources management throughout the developing world.

Zachariah Mampilly is an expert on the politics of both violent and non-violent resistance.

TEDGlobal 2009 Fellow Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has announced his candidacy for president of Nigeria. In his first North American interview since the announcement, the anti-corruption activist spoke with TED's Emeka Okafor, keeper of the seminal Africa blog Timbuktu Chronicles. There is a tremendous amount of interest in your run for presidency....

Magatte Wade creates jobs in Africa -- and calls attention to the obstacles to job creation on the continent.

Anand Giridharadas writes about people and cultures caught amid the great forces of our time.