Africa Tech Festival returns to Cape Town from 16–19 November 2026 for its landmark 29th edition, bringing together the people, companies and ideas shaping the continent’s digital economy. Hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), the festival’s VIP and partner events begin on 16 November, followed by the main exhibition and conference programme from 17–19 November. TechAfrica News is proud to return as the official media partner of Africa Tech Festival 2026. Our team will be on the ground in Cape Town, bringing readers closer to the conversations, developments and people driving Africa’s technology industry. Beyond our editorial coverage, we will also be actively contributing to the festival’s programme, with our Founder, Akim Benamara, and Senior Editor, Joyce Onyeagoro taking the stage to moderate key sessions and contribute to important industry discussions. Through exclusive coverage, keynote insights, exhibitor spotlights, speaker interviews and updates from across the stages and exhibition floor, we will bring our audience closer to the ideas, perspectives and innovations shaping the continent’s digital future. Africa Tech Festival has established itself as one of the continent’s leading gatherings for the global technology and telecommunications industries. It brings together telecom operators, hyperscalers, enterprise leaders, investors, startups, policymakers and innovators from across Africa and international markets. The 2026 edition brings these communities together through six interconnected pillars, supported by multiple stages, more than 100 hours of content, and a dedicated startup and investor ecosystem. Across the programme, the focus is on the infrastructure, technologies and business models that will influence Africa’s next phase of digital development. The future of Africa’s digital economy depends on stronger, more accessible networks. This pillar explores the evolution of telecommunications infrastructure, 5G, broadband expansion, satellite connectivity and the technologies extending digital access across the continent. As demand for cloud computing, AI and digital services grows, data centres are becoming increasingly important to Africa’s digital infrastructure. Discussions will examine capacity, investment, energy efficiency, infrastructure development and the role of local data facilities in supporting the continent’s digital ambitions. From enterprise applications to public services, AI is opening new possibilities across African industries. This pillar examines the technologies, investment and practical applications moving AI from experimentation into business operations, while addressing the questions of infrastructure, skills, governance and responsible adoption. The expansion of digital services brings growing demands for security, privacy and trust. This pillar addresses the evolving cyber threat landscape, organisational resilience, data protection and the strategies required to safeguard Africa’s increasingly connected economies. Africa’s startup ecosystem continues to produce solutions addressing local and regional challenges. The focus here is on entrepreneurship, access to capital, venture investment, scaling businesses and building stronger connections between founders, investors and the wider technology industry. Digital transformation is changing how businesses, governments and institutions operate. Covering areas such as cloud, fintech, SaaS and enterprise technologies, this pillar explores how organisations can modernise their operations, improve service delivery and create new opportunities for growth. These pillars are deliberately interconnected: connectivity enables cloud and AI, data centres underpin digital scale, and transformation depends on secure, trusted systems. Every session, speaker, and experience at the festival is built around them. Getting Ready for Africa Tech Festival 2026? Here’s How to Make Your Presence Count Architecting Africa’s Digital Ecosystem Through Satellites and Strategic Alliances AfricaCom 2025 Post-Show Report: Exploring Africa’s Digital Potential Through Stories, Voices, and Vision Building for the Next Decade: How Openserve Plans to Drive Carrier-Grade Fibre into Rural and… Preparing South Africa for the Data Economy: Openserve on Fibre as the Country’s Most Critical… Multi-Orbit Momentum: SES Outlines Growth Path for Africa’s Operators and Enterprises Pablo Catapodis, Vice President, Africa, SES Vertiv Maps Out What It Takes to Build Future-Ready Data Centers for AI in Africa Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director for Africa, Vertiv Navigating Africa’s Telco Challenges: Protei on  Data, AI, and Opportunities for Alternative Vendors Vladimir Freinkman, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Protei Affordable, High-Quality Fiber: Open Access Metro on Transforming Internet Access Across the Continent Kevin McLoughlin, Vice President, Open Access Metro How Ciena Drives Africa’s Connectivity Expansion with  Submarine, Optical, and AI-Ready Networks Joe Marsella, Vice President, International Business Development, Ciena Spectronite’s Approach to High-Capacity Wireless Backhaul for Faster, More Efficient Networks in Africa Jean-Philippe Fournier, CEO and Founder, Spectronite Clouds2Africa: Telcables South Africa on Building Local Cloud Capacity and Ensuring Continuous Network Access Sudhir Juggernath, CEO, Telcables South Africa AI for Advancing Inclusion: Minister George Outlines Ghana’s Strategy for Localized and Responsible Innovation Honorable Samuel Nartey George (MP), Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Ghana Nokia’s Vision for Africa’s Next Era: AI, Premium Connectivity, and End-to-End Networks Toni Pellegrino, Managing Director of Nokia South Africa