A major international conference focusing on ageing education and lifelong learning has been hosted in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the President of U3A Nigeria, Prof. Afolabi Charles Israel, under the platform of U3A Nigeria–Nigeria French International.
The conference, organised in collaboration with Association of International Universities of the Third Age (AIUTA), was held from January 21 to 24, 2026, at the House of Chiefs Chambers, Government Secretariat, Ibadan.
The event brought together experts, scholars, and delegates from different parts of the world to deliberate on issues relating to ageing and education.
Themed “Educational Gerontology in Africa Now and in the Future: Domiciling Gerontology as a Course of Study in Nigerian and African Universities,” the conference focused on the need to develop academic programmes that address the challenges and opportunities associated with Africa’s growing ageing population.
Participants at the conference included renowned academics and policy advocates who shared insights on educational gerontology and its role in improving the wellbeing of older adults across the continent.
Discussions centred on the need for African universities to incorporate gerontology into their academic curriculum and research agenda.
Among the notable speakers were François Vellas, Global President of the Association of International Universities of the Third Age, Sidi Camara, President of Université du Troisième Age du Sénégal and High Representative of AIUTA for West and Central Africa, as well as Lekan Alabi, the Abese of Ibadan.
Others included Babajide Afolabi of SpringWell Group of Companies, Canada, and Oluwafemi Esan, Vice Chancellor of El-Roi London University, United Kingdom, alongside delegates from the Republic of Benin.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Afolabi emphasised the urgent need for African universities to prioritise educational gerontology, noting that the discipline would help address the social, economic and health-related needs of the continent’s ageing population.
Delivering his address as Chairman of the occasion, Oloye Lekan Alabi commended the organisers for initiating efforts aimed at domiciling educational gerontology in universities across Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that the initiative would create opportunities for employment, career development and professional specialisation in the field of ageing studies.
Alabi also urged young graduates and health practitioners to take advantage of the emerging academic field by pursuing specialised training that would enable them to contribute to improving the quality of life of older adults.
The conference further provided a platform for networking and collaboration among participants, with discussions focusing on strategies for strengthening research, promoting community engagement and advancing educational gerontology across African institutions.
A major highlight of the event was the announcement by Prof. François Vellas that U3A Nigeria–Nigeria French International has been designated to coordinate the activities of U3A institutions across English-speaking African countries, with Nigeria serving as the central hub in partnership with the AIUTA Secretariat in France.
The development is expected to strengthen the growth of educational gerontology across the continent while also promoting intergenerational learning and collaboration among universities, researchers and community organisations.
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