By Henry Oladele
The Lagos State University (LASU) is hosting the 2026 edition of International Conference of Community Psychology (ICCP), aimed at promoting well-being and positive change at community and societal levels.
The Vice-Chancellor, LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, made this known to journalists on Monday at a news conference at LASU.
She said that the engagement formed part of the university’s strategic efforts to sensitise the public, stimulate participation and mobilise partnerships and sponsorships at national, regional and global levels.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LASU will host the conference in partnership with the Nigerian Psychological Association and the Pan-African Psychology Union.
“On the structure of the conference and timeline, the ICCP 2026 will be held in three distinct phases.
“The pre-conference activities will be on Aug. 28-30. The main conference is on Sept. 1-4, and the post-conference activities, Sept. 8-7.
“Each phase has been carefully designed to maximise academic engagement, community interaction, professional networking and cultural exchange,” she said.
She noted that community psychology was a branch of psychology that focused on the relationship between individuals and their social, cultural, economic and physical environments.
“Its primary goal is to promote well-being and positive change at community and societal levels, not merely at the individual level.
“It is an action-orientated discipline that applies research to address social injustice, mental health challenges and systemic inequalities by working collaboratively with communities as partners to develop sustainable solutions.
“Against this background, the theme of ICCP 2026 is ‘Gathering in the Motherland: Celebrating Waves of the Waters, and Reconnecting to the Source’.
“This theme reflects Africa as the cradle of humanity and knowledge, and underscores the need to reconnect global psychological practices to indigenous wisdom, collective resilience and community-centred solutions,” she said.
According to the vice-chancellor, Lagos and, indeed, LASU were chosen because Lagos is Nigeria’s most popular state, safest commercial hub, and a destination of choice for tourism, trade missions, and innovation.
“Individuals, visitors, tourists, and foreign partners arrive daily in Lagos for diverse purposes and live fulfilled.
“Lagos proudly stands as a centre of excellence and a megacity renowned for its intellectual leadership, cultural vibrancy, economic vitality, and innovation.
“Hosting ICCP 2026 at LASU, a living public tertiary institution with a strong tradition of scholarship and community engagement, further affirms LASU’s role as a hub for international academic exchange,” she said.
She said that the conference participants would not only engage in high-level scholarly discourse, but also experience the rich cultural, social and creative offerings of Lagos State.
“We assure our global audience, including multidisciplinary practitioners and eminent scholars, of adequate safety, security, transportation, entertainment and accommodation.
“These are all provided to international standards to ensure a safe, comfortable and rewarding stay in Nigeria,” she said.
She added that ICCP 2026 would introduce a broader-than-shoot in psychology approach to addressing Africa’s systemic human development challenges.
“Hosting this conference in Nigeria provides Africa with the unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to global research and innovation in community psychology.
“The discipline offers tools to address structural poverty, political instability, nepotism and economic self-sabotage.
“We therefore call on governments at all levels, multinational companies, philanthropists and public and private organisations to partner with and support Lagos State and LASU in hosting this global event.
“ICCP 2026 offers significant opportunities for branding, advertising, networking and commercial engagements, innovation and community impact,” she said. (NAN)
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
