Agenda

Arrival/Registration/Networking

Welcome Remarks

Presentation by GSMA

A Spotlight Conversation on Africa’s Digital Economy

Theme: A continental Narrative of Innovation and Digital Advancement
This celebratory session showcases Africa's most inspiring digital transformation success stories, highlighting remarkable achievements, measurable impact, and extraordinary growth across the continent. The discussions will feature compelling narratives of how African innovators, entrepreneurs, and institutions have created breakthrough solutions that are changing lives, transforming economies, and establishing Africa as a global leader in digital innovation. From unicorn startups processing billions in transactions to central banks revolutionizing financial inclusion, from telecommunications companies connecting millions to creative platforms amplifying African voices worldwide—these are the stories that demonstrate Africa's incredible journey from digital adoption to digital leadership. Each speaker will share real impact metrics, inspiring growth trajectories, and powerful examples of how African solutions are not only serving local needs but setting global standards for innovation.

Investing in the Future – People, Infrastructure and AI

Opening Keynote: H.E. Inkosi E.M. Buthelezi, Minister, Department of Public Services and Administration, Republic of South Africa
This theme examines the essential building blocks for a sustainable and inclusive digital future: investing in skilled human capital, robust digital public infrastructure, and responsible AI adoption. The discussion highlights the critical need to invest in connectivity, data centers, and cloud capacity while developing a talent pipeline capable of building, managing, and regulating modern digital systems. The session also explores AI's transformative potential for public services, SME empowerment, and productivity enhancement—while ensuring ethical safeguards, data privacy, and equitable access to AI tools. The central narrative focuses on aligning finance, policy, and innovation to deliver bankable projects that accelerate Africa's digital transformation.

Welcome and Introductory remarks

Keynotes Remarks

Pathways to digital prosperity: Amplifying cross-border data flows, digital corporation, standardized identity and harmonized digital frameworks.

This session will highlight the foundational elements of trust, interoperability, and regulatory alignment necessary to unlock Africa's digital single market. The discussion spotlights the development of interoperable digital identities, common privacy and cybersecurity baselines, and streamlined cross- border data transfer regulations. The focus centers on enabling trade in digital goods and services under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by eliminating regulatory fragmentation and fostering mutual recognition of standards such as e-signatures and e-invoicing. This cooperative framework is designed to provide African businesses and citizens with seamless, secure access to markets and services, supporting both economic integration and digital sovereignty.

Making Governance work for Tech Innovation in deepening Africa’s Participation in Global Value Chains

This theme focuses on governance reforms and policy frameworks that enable African businesses to advance up the technology value chain in production, services, and exports. The discussion examines how coherent regulations, predictable tax regimes, and harmonized standards can reduce barriers to scale and attract investment. Moving beyond consumption, the session champions an industrial policy approach that nurtures local manufacturing, content creation, and tech-enabled services capable of competing globally. Public policy and e-governance are positioned as strategic tools to stimulate domestic innovation and create market certainty for local technology solutions. The overarching goal is to transform governance from a bottleneck into a catalyst for continental competitiveness through the adoption of e-governance frameworks that drives growth.

Closing Remarks

Networking Cocktail Reception