Collaboration & Connectivity: Kenya’s ICT Authority Prepares for Connected Africa Summit 2025

Africa’s Readiness for Digital Transformation

He opens the conversation by highlighting Africa’s emerging role as a global digital powerhouse. The Connected Africa Summit 2025 aims to bring together innovators and policymakers from Africa and beyond to collaborate and showcase the continent’s tech potential. Kamanguya proudly refers to Kenya as “the cradle of mankind,” welcoming participants to a homecoming that symbolizes Africa’s central role in this transformation. The summit is more than an event; it is a call to action for Africa to assert its place in the global digital economy.

“The African continent is now ready to take lead in digital transformation and take its position as the digital powerhouse for the continent but also for the entire world. And so, the Connected Africa Summit is looking to host not only the African continent but also the rest of the world from Europe to the U.S. to Middle East. We are calling upon all tech players to come and collaborate with us. Bring innovations, global innovations, come discuss policy, come network and also see what Africa has to offer from a tech perspective.”

– Stanley Kamanguya, CEO, ICT Authority of Kenya

Connectivity: The Foundation of Digital Progress

At the heart of digital transformation lies connectivity, which Kamanguya identifies as both a challenge and an opportunity. While Africa’s average internet penetration stands at about 44%, this figure is still below the global average of 60-66%.

Kamanguya stresses that expanding connectivity must be done thoughtfully to avoid exacerbating existing divides.

“Technology is supposed to help us to actually close the digital divide,” he explains. The summit aims to address this by promoting cross-border infrastructure sharing, such as leveraging neighboring countries’ investments and data centers, to avoid costly duplication and ensure redundancy and resilience.

Digital transformation requires collective effort. Kamanguya emphasizes that success depends on collaboration between the public sector, private companies, development agencies, and civil society. “This issue of digital transformation cannot be successful if everybody does not put their hands on deck.” Pooling resources and aligning visions are essential to achieving digital prosperity.

Media as a Catalyst for Shared Vision

As the official media partner for the Connected Africa Summit, TechAfrica News will play a pivotal role in amplifying the summit’s message. Our role in shaping the narrative around this summit and Africa’s digital future aims promote a shared vision and communicate the long-term benefits of harmonizing ICT regulations, taxation, and data sharing across borders.

“I can tell you for a fact that media will play an important and big role in this summit. Not only covering the summit but also helping us to push the message of a shared vision like I’ve talked about. We’re challenging you, Tech Africa News and the other media stations and organizations to really help us get this message out and show people the importance of not necessarily the summit, but the long-term benefits and the long-term outcomes that we expect to get out of these deliberations.”

– Stanley Kamanguya, CEO, ICT Authority of Kenya

Join the Conversation at Connected Africa Summit 2025

The Connected Africa Summit 2025 promises to be a defining moment for the continent’s digital trajectory. Kamanguya extends a warm invitation to all stakeholders to participate in this collaborative journey: “We welcome everybody home to Kenya.”

For more information and updates on the summit, visit https://connected.go.ke/ 

As the official strategic media partner, TechAfrica News will provide comprehensive coverage and insights, helping to keep the conversation alive well beyond the event itself.