Smart Africa and Guinea Launch Landmark Digital Summit Focused on AI Innovation

The 7th edition of the Transform Africa Summit (TAS) officially opened on Wednesday, November 12, in Conakry. Organized by the Smart Africa Alliance in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Guinea, the continent’s premier digital transformation event marks the beginning of several days of high-level discussions, exchanges, and major announcements dedicated to Africa’s digital future.

Held under the theme “AI for Africa: Innovate Locally, Impact Globally,” this year’s summit places Conakry—hosting for the first time in Francophone West Africa—at the center of continental cooperation and innovation.

Guinea Steps Into Continental Digital Leadership

For three days, Conakry becomes Africa’s digital capital, reflecting a shared ambition between Smart Africa and the Guinean government to harness technology as a driver of sovereignty, inclusive development, and economic transformation.

Guinea’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, Rose Pola Pricemou, highlighted the significance of hosting TAS, noting the alignment with national goals under the Simandou 2040 Strategy. She emphasized progress in digital sovereignty, citing the Tier III Data Center, the reinstated .GN domain name, and major modernization efforts such as FUGAS for civil service management and TELEMO, a new digital public procurement platform launched in partnership with Rwanda.

In the area of infrastructure, Guinea has quadrupled its fiber-optic capacity, deploying over 12,000 km nationwide, strengthening subregional connectivity and reinforcing its position as a digital corridor supported by a second submarine cable. The country is also scaling digital skills development, connecting over 500 schools through the GIGA initiative and planning a national technopark to anchor future innovation.

These achievements laid the groundwork for Guinea’s emerging national AI strategy, shaped through a UNDP-supported workshop held in October 2025.

Smart Africa Calls for an Inclusive Digital Revolution

Smart Africa’s Director General, Lacina Koné, underscored the summit’s strategic importance in accelerating digital policy reforms and shaping a competitive African tech ecosystem.

“Artificial intelligence is more than technology—it is a chance to redefine Africa’s development using our own creativity, talent, and realities. Our task is to ensure AI becomes a tool of transformation benefiting African citizens.”

– Lacina Koné, Director General, Smart Africa

A Convergence of Leaders and Global Tech Players

The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Mamadi Doumbouya, President of the Republic of Guinea, and H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Chairperson of the Smart Africa Board. President Doumbouya emphasized Guinea’s commitment to digital transformation and innovation-driven development, calling for collaborative African solutions to the opportunities and challenges posed by AI.

President Kagame reflected on TAS’s evolution since its inception in Kigali over a decade ago, urging African nations to accelerate investment in infrastructure and deepen collaboration to sustain digital progress.

The summit also brings together global leaders from ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, the World Bank, regional economic blocs, and leading technology companies including Meta, Microsoft, Huawei, and Kaspersky. More than ten African ministers of digital economy and innovation are participating, further establishing TAS as a premier decision-making platform.

A Dynamic Program to Shape Africa’s Digital Future

TAS 2025 is hosting over 3,000 participants from more than 40 countries, offering plenary discussions, workshops, exhibitions, and live demonstrations.

By convening heads of state, policymakers, investors, innovators, and youth, the Transform Africa Summit aims to catalyze the continent’s next digital decade. With this prestigious event, Conakry asserts its place as a rising epicenter of technological innovation in Africa.

“Africa’s digital future will be built by Africans, on African soil, for the benefit of African citizens. That vision is on full display here in Conakry,” said one participant attending the opening ceremony.