The Africa Tech Festival 2025 commenced on Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa, bringing together a diverse array of innovators, policymakers, and investors to deliberate on fostering an inclusive digital future for the continent. South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, emphasized the necessity of establishing robust digital foundations to ensure that emerging technologies, particularly AI, benefit all Africans. Malatsi highlighted three critical pillars: affordable connectivity and devices, reliable digital public infrastructure, and practical digital literacy tailored to meet people’s needs. He asserted that emerging technologies should serve as tools of opportunity rather than symbols of exclusion, transforming prototypes into products and products into public value. Now in its 28th iteration, the Africa Tech Festival is the continent’s premier technology and digital innovation event, running until Thursday. It is anticipated to attract 17,000 delegates, 300 exhibitors, and 450 speakers. The festival, themed ‘Responsible Innovation, Inclusive Investment, Connectivity for Development, and Policy Harmonization,’ features four key sessions: AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and the AI Summit Cape Town. Sean Suzuki, AfricaCom Portfolio Manager, pointed out that Africa’s digital infrastructure challenges are primarily tied to accessibility and affordability of connectivity, regulatory hurdles, and the digital skills gap. Justin Georges Tala, global accounts manager at Cameroon Telecommunications, stressed the importance of strategic partnerships in bridging Africa’s digital divide, advocating for end-to-end meaningful connectivity across the continent.
Africa Tech Festival kicks off in South Africa with focus on inclusive digital future
