Africa Tech Festival kicks off in South Africa with focus on inclusive digital future

CAPE TOWN - The Africa Tech Festival kicked off on Tuesday in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, gathering innovators, policymakers, and investors to explore how technology can drive a more inclusive digital future for Africa.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony, South Africa's Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi noted that Africa must build strong digital foundations to ensure emerging technologies benefit everyone.

"If we want Africa to benefit from and participate in the next wave of innovation, especially AI, we must get three foundations right at scale: affordable connectivity and devices; reliable digital public infrastructure; practical digital literacy that meets people where they are," said Malatsi.

"Emerging technologies like AI will be tools for opportunity, not symbols of exclusion. We will turn prototypes into products, and products into public value in order to build a more inclusive digital future for our continent," he added.

Now in its 28th edition, the Africa Tech Festival is Africa's largest technology and digital innovation event, which runs until Thursday. It is expected to draw 17,000 delegates, 300 exhibitors, and 450 speakers.

Held under the theme "Responsible Innovation, Inclusive Investment, Connectivity for Development, and Policy Harmonization," the festival features four anchor sessions, namely AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and the AI Summit Cape Town.

AfricaCom Portfolio Manager Sean Suzuki said the continent's digital infrastructure challenges remain tied to "accessibility and affordability for connectivity."

"This is linked to regulatory challenges, and it is crucial to develop the right frameworks as well; forming key partnerships across the ICT industry; and the digital skills gap," he said.

Justin Georges Tala, global accounts manager at Cameroon Telecommunications, which attends this year's AfricaCom, said bridging Africa's digital gap requires collective action.

"We cannot do this alone -- there have to be strategic partnerships that need to be put in place to make sure that we bridge the digital gap on the continent," he said, adding that strategic partnerships are needed to provide "end-to-end meaningful connectivity" to the continent.