By David Indeje and Neema Mujesia, 

KICTANet is announcing the inaugural Africa Tech Policy Summit (AfTPS), a landmark event set to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 12 – 16, 2025. 

This summit will convene policymakers, private sector leaders, academia, civil society representatives, and tech startups from across Africa to promote the harmonization of tech policies and drive technological development across the continent.

AfTPS will build upon the legacy of the Kenya IGF Week and feature a dynamic program including workshops, exhibition booths showcasing policy innovations, and regulatory sandboxes. 

The summit will focus on aligning regional, continental, and national efforts to create effective policies and incentives for emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on Artificial Intelligence and its potential for societal transformation in Africa.

“The overall aim of the Summit is to generate actionable recommendations for harmonizing tech policies across Africa, foster partnerships among stakeholders, and identify pathways for supporting innovation and inclusive digital transformation.”

Key Events

• Kenya Internet Governance Forum (KeIGF) – May 14, 2025: The 18th edition of KeIGF, themed “Tech for human development: Policy, Innovation and Inclusive Governance,” will explore championing home-grown tech solutions, building a thriving AI ecosystem, bridging digital access gaps, and harmonizing tech policies for sustainable growth. Outcomes from the KeIGF will contribute to discussions at regional and global IGFs.
• East Africa Internet Governance Forum – May 15-16, 2025: This forum, the 12th edition in partnership with the East Africa Community (EAC) and other East Africa NRIs under the theme, “Advancing East Africa’s Digital Governance Together,” will focus on reflections on the development of Internet Governance and the consequential policy implications of the Internet Governance engagements across East Africa.
• Thematic Workshops: Deep dives into specific policy issues, including AI Governance, Data Policy, Digital Inclusion, Internet freedom, and industry-specific tech policy forums (healthcare, education, finance, agriculture).

Other activities include the Kenya School of Internet Governance, the Children Internet Governance Forum which will be held in Tharaka Nithi County, the Youth Internet Governance Forum  which are aimed at bringing new voices into the internet governance space.

Summit Objectives

• Generate actionable recommendations for harmonizing tech policies across Africa.
• Foster partnerships among stakeholders.
• Identify pathways for supporting innovation and inclusive digital transformation.
• Form African stakeholder positions in global tech governance forums.
• Build capacity on tech policy across all stakeholders.

Expected Participants

The summit anticipates participation from approximately 300 individuals representing government, the private sector, civil society, the technical and academic community, and the public.

Sponsorship

AfTPS welcomes sponsorship from organizations interested in supporting tech policy development in Africa. Detailed sponsorship packages are available.