The Connected Africa Summit 2025, which officially opened on Monday in Diani, is calling for harmonization of ICT policies across Africa, to increase trade and collaboration.
The four-day summit, which brought together over 1200 delegates from 24 countries has drawn top government officials, private sector leaders, innovators, and policymakers to explore the next frontier of the continent’s digital future.
“Africa will be the ones that will make the real gains,” said William Kabogo, Kenya’s CS for ICT and Digital Economy speaking at the launch of the Connected Africa Summit 2025 being held in Diani. “Africa will greatly benefit from Artificial Intelligence, as opposed to just looking at the West. That is just about it for me. So we pull up our socks, we (need) get together sometimes. I hope we can close our boundaries for some time and just deal with ourselves in there.”
The first day featured robust discussions on the future of work, artificial intelligence, the gig economy, 5G and connectivity, climate tech solutions, and the critical need for digital public infrastructure. These conversations are laying the groundwork for cross-sector collaborations that could redefine Africa’s digital agenda.
According to Stanley Kamanguya, CEO, ICT Authority of Kenya, “The Connected Africa Summit has kicked off in a big way,” said Kamanguya. “When you look at the attendance, it tells you that we are attracting a lot of attention from around the world.”
Kamanguya highlighted that the summit is not only expected to produce actionable policy recommendations but also explore alternative financing strategies to drive digital infrastructure development across the continent.
Key areas of focus during the summit include youth empowerment, given that 70 per cent of Africa’s population is under 30 years old, scaling local innovations, harmonizing ICT policies across African nations, and promoting digital inclusivity by addressing the internet access gap.
Beyond the plenary sessions, the summit is showcasing African innovation through an Innovation Village, where local startups and developers are displaying tech-driven solutions for real-world challenges. A Smart Government Zone is also featured, highlighting digital transformation projects from public sector institutions across Africa.
The summit is further amplifying inclusion efforts through a special Women in Tech session, aimed at empowering African women to actively participate and lead in the digital economy.
With more than 2,000 participants expected by the end of the week, the Connected Africa Summit 2025 is positioned to be a milestone event in the continent’s pursuit of a digitally inclusive, innovative, and interconnected future.