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Africa Tech Festival Unveils First Speakers for 2026, Spotlighting the Continent's Digital Infrastructure Push
04 Aug 2026
Ministers, global technology leaders and industry executives will headline the 29th edition of Africa's leading event for digital transformation, investment and innovation, returning to Cape Town this November.
Africa is entering a new phase of digital investment, with significant capital flowing into AI infrastructure, cloud platforms, subsea cables, fibre networks and data centres across the continent. As governments shape AI policy and enterprises move from strategy to implementation, Africa Tech Festival, the continent's longest-running and most influential technology event, has unveiled an expanded speaker line-up for its 29th edition, bringing together the leaders shaping the decisions driving investment across urban and digital infrastructure in Africa.
Government and Global Technology Leadership
Hon. Solly Malatsi, South Africa's Minister of Communications & Digital Technologies, whose department is a strategic partner of the event, will offer insight into building an inclusive, globally competitive digital economy, a theme closely tied to how African cities position themselves within global technology and investment flows.
Global technology companies are represented by Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Africa, at Google, who will speak to the scale of investment flowing into the continent's cloud and AI infrastructure; Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Africa Lead at OpenAI, focusing on AI adoption and readiness across African markets; and Robert Koen, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, at Amazon.
Connectivity and Telecommunications
They are joined by leaders from Africa's telecommunications sector, including Enzo Scarcella, Chief Consumer Officer at MTN Group; Norbert Prihoda, Chief Executive Officer of Tunisie Telecom; and Daddy Yogo Ngbabendo, Group Vice President, Solutions & Architecture at Airtel Africa — voices central to the connectivity backbone underpinning Africa's fast-growing digital cities and economies.
Data Infrastructure and Enterprise Transformation
Also joining the programme are Marcel Louw, Managing Director, Africa, at Digital Realty, bringing a data centre perspective directly relevant to the physical infrastructure reshaping urban tech ecosystems, alongside enterprise leaders Thato Sopeng, Vice President, Information Technology, at Sasol, and Linda Oniwe, Senior Vice President, TMT, Corporate and Investment Banking, at Standard Bank Group.
Collectively, this line-up reflects the biggest areas of investment and change happening across Africa today: connectivity, data infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, startups and enterprise transformation, spanning the sectors, regions and perspectives shaping this year's programme.
David Monaghan, Vice President of Africa Tech Festival, said:
What stands out this year is the pace of collaboration across industries. Investment is flowing, partnerships are forming, and the leaders joining us in Cape Town are turning conversation into action on some of Africa's biggest digital challenges. That's the role Africa Tech Festival plays: bringing people together to get things done.
Additional senior leaders, including ministers, enterprise CIOs, telecom operators, investors and global technology companies, are expected to be announced in the coming months.
A Platform for Africa's Digital Cities![]()
Africa Tech Festival is the continent's leading platform for shaping the future of the digital economy. Held annually in Cape Town, it brings together the full technology ecosystem, from telecoms and infrastructure providers to enterprise leaders, startups, investors and policymakers, across six core pillars: connectivity, AI, cybersecurity, data centres, digital transformation and the startup ecosystem. For cities and urban economies across Africa, the festival offers a comprehensive view of the trends, challenges and opportunities defining the continent's digital landscape, combining high-level content with large-scale exhibition and networking where strategy meets execution.
Africa Tech Festival 2026 marks the event's 29th edition, returning to the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 16 to 19 November, with content and expo sessions running from 17 to 19 November. Registration is now open through the official portal.
Africa Tech Festival is part of Informa Festivals, a division of Informa.
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Sara Srifi
Sara is a Software Engineering and Business student with a passion for astronomy, cultural studies, and human-centered storytelling. She explores the quiet intersections between science, identity, and imagination, reflecting on how space, art, and society shape the way we understand ourselves and the world around us. Her writing draws on curiosity and lived experience to bridge disciplines and spark dialogue across cultures.
