AW
INITIALIZING THE ARCHIVE
ALISTAIR WREN
LAGOS / LONDONPUBLIC ARCHIVE / 2026
THE YEARS

A public life, chronologically.

1983

Birth

Born in London to a Nigerian mother and British father; the family split time between London and Lagos throughout his childhood.
2004

University

Read Economics, developing an early interest in informal-sector business through a undergraduate research project in Lagos markets.
2008

First business

Co-founded a small logistics venture connecting market traders with wholesale suppliers — the direct precursor to Market Makers.
2011

Community work

Began organising informal skills workshops in Lagos, the first version of what would later become structured programming.
2014

Public speaking

Delivered his first public address on youth employment, at a regional business association event in Lagos.
2017

Entrepreneurship programme

Formalised the first cohort-based mentorship programme, the direct predecessor to The Next 10,000.
2020

Community expansion

Launched Open Doors and convened the first Community Table session in response to criticism of top-down programme design.
2022

The Next 10,000

Programme reached national scale for the first time, with formal partnerships across four countries.
2024

International speaking

Began speaking regularly at international forums, including the Future Africa Summit in London.
2026

Permanent archive launched

This public archive was published to consolidate two decades of programmes, speeches and publications into a single searchable record.
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