Ghanaian academic and development advocate, Dr Abena Nyarkoa, is set to participate in a high-level panel discussion during the 2026 Africa Together Conference (ATC 2026) at the University of Cambridge.

The conference, organised by the African Society of Cambridge University, will take place from 22 to 23 May under the theme, “Africa in the Age of Disruption”.

Dr Nyarkoa, who is based in the United Kingdom, is among a number of African professionals and changemakers invited to contribute to conversations on Africa’s future amid evolving global political, economic and technological shifts.

In introducing her as one of the conference participants, organisers described her work as existing “at the powerful intersection of education, trade, advocacy and sustainable growth”.

According to the organisers, her contribution reflects the broader objective of the conference to explore issues of inclusion, leadership and access in an era of rapid transformation.

“Voices like hers matter at the ATC 2026 because disruption extends beyond technology or markets; it is also about who gets access, who gets included, and how leadership is reimagined,” the African Society of Cambridge University stated.

Among other speakers are His Excellency Makoloo Maurice, Kenya’s High Commissioner to the UK; Macenje Mazoka, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the UK; former Minister for Planning and Development of Somaliland, Hon. Cawaale Shirwac; and other young and middle-aged African entrepreneurs and developers.

The event will feature a series of panel discussions and engagements focused on Africa’s development trajectory and its role within a changing global order.

Dr Nyarkoa will join Dr Memuna Williams and Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh on a panel discussion themed “Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Youth as the Engine of Transformation”.

Another session will examine “Africa’s Place in a Fragmenting World Order”, featuring Kenya’s High Commissioner and other distinguished speakers.

Africa Together is the flagship annual programme of the African Society of Cambridge University and has, over the past six years, developed into a prominent platform for dialogue on African leadership, innovation and sustainable development.

About Dr Abena Nyarkoa

Dr Abena Nyarkoa, popularly known as Abbie, is an education advocate, lecturer and gender analyst whose work centres on education equity, human rights advocacy and sustainable development.

She is the founder of the NKUNIM Education Project, which seeks to address disparities in educational opportunities, and co-founder of the Trade Growth Network, which promotes sustainable trade and regional integration.

A fellow of the Institute of Labour and Industrial Relations and a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the UK and Ghana, she has served in advisory and board roles within the research and NGO sectors.

Dr Nyarkoa is also a youth coach, media host and international speaker. She earned her PhD from the University of Warwick, where her research focused on education equity, access and fairness.