The Connected Africa Summit 2025 opened on Monday in Diani, drawing over 1,200 delegates from 24 countries. This four-day gathering brings government officials, private sector players, innovators and policymakers together to examine the next phase of Africa’s digital shift.
Many past forums have focused on vision, but this one is shaping up as a check-in on concrete delivery, especially on commitments made under last year’s Nairobi Declaration.
Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of the ICT Authority of Kenya, opened the summit by stressing the need to move from talk to implementation. “This is the second time we’re meeting at a continental level,” Kamanguya said. “We’re following up on the Nairobi Declaration to assess progress, challenges and opportunities for implementation.” His remarks set the tone: this year’s event is less about fanfare, more about accountability.
Core themes include Africa’s young population (70 per cent under 30), the need to scale homegrown innovations, and harmonising ICT policies across borders. Access remains a sharp concern, as wide internet gaps limit participation in many regions. Kamanguya pointed to the importance of exploring new financing strategies to build out digital infrastructure that can reach beyond urban centres.
A keynote by Eng. John Tanui, Principal Secretary in Kenya’s State Department for ICT and Digital Economy, outlined Kenya’s push to become a regional hub for outsourcing IT-enabled services. This reflects a broader trend: African governments are looking to position themselves not just as users of digital tech, but as producers and exporters of digital services.
Day one also tackled the rise of artificial intelligence, shifts in the gig economy, the rollout of 5G, climate-focused tech, and the backbone role of digital public infrastructure. These discussions are shaping potential cross-sector collaborations, though the real test will be whether such collaborations survive past the summit walls.
On the sidelines, the Innovation Village showcases local startups and developers who offer practical solutions to African challenges. Public sector projects are also on display in the Smart Government Zone, offering a glimpse into what digital transformation can look like inside African institutions.
A Women in Tech session is focusing on improving the participation and leadership of African women in the digital economy, a critical area often sidelined in broader tech conversations.
Over 2,000 participants are expected to have engaged with the summit by Thursday. The real measure of success will be whether this event moves the needle on Africa’s digital priorities or simply adds to a long list of well-intentioned conferences.
