Vodafone Egypt Hosts Africa’s Largest Customer Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Conference
A key milestone of the day was the launch of the Vodacom Accessibility Guide, designed to give Vodacom markets and their partners a practical reference for embedding accessibility into products, services and customer experiences, and to set a common standard across the Group’s footprint.
Vodafone Egypt hosted the Vodacom Customer Accessibility & Disability Inclusion Conference on 9 November 2026 at Giza Palace Hotel, the largest conference on customer accessibility and disability inclusion ever held in Egypt. Held under the theme “Every Connection Starts with Access,” the conference brought together around 200 participants from government entities, private sector, international organizations and civil society, with a strong representation of persons with disabilities and disability advocates. All gathered under one goal of moving accessibility from commitment to practice and agreeing on practical steps to make products, services and customer experiences accessible to all.
The conference opened with a keynote address by H.E. Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, and was attended by senior government officials and industry leaders, Mohamed Abdallah, CEO of Vodafone Egypt and Vodacom International Markets; Ayman Essam, Chief External Affairs Officer of Vodacom Group; Khalil Al Americani, CEO of Vodacom DRC; and Mohale Ralebitso, CEO of Vodacom Lesotho. The conference also welcomed senior representatives from the African Union Commission, UNDP, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, National Disability Fund of Egypt, alongside development partners and civil society organizations.
Across a full day of high-level discussions, leaders and experts explored practical solutions to advance accessibility and inclusion across Africa. Discussions focused on translating policy into action, ensuring that people with disabilities have a meaningful role in shaping the decisions that affect them, strengthening the business case for inclusion, and mobilizing investment and technology to drive progress. The discussions also reinforced a shared commitment to shaping a more accessible Africa, with clear priorities for turning ambition into action. A key message throughout the day was that meaningful progress requires collective action, with governments, businesses and partners working hand in hand with people with disabilities to embed accessibility into policies, products, services and everyday experiences.
As part of the conference programme, the “Africa Access Lab” showcased Vodafone Egypt’s accessible store experience alongside nine startups and organizations presenting assistive solutions for visual, hearing and communication, physical and mobility, intellectual, and neurodivergent needs, as well as solutions supporting inclusive education, employment and digital accessibility. Beyond the exhibition, selected startups will receive complimentary digital advisory and consultation services from Vodafone Business, while one exceptional startup will be awarded a free listing on the Vodafone Business Digital Store, helping them strengthen their digital capabilities and reach a wider business audience.
A key milestone of the day was the launch of the Vodacom Accessibility Guide, designed to give Vodacom markets and their partners a practical reference for embedding accessibility into products, services and customer experiences, and to set a common standard across the Group’s footprint. The Guide builds on Vodacom’s role as a pioneer driving accessibility leadership across Africa, while also serving as a practical reference that organizations beyond the Group can draw on to embed accessibility into their own businesses, products, services and customer experiences.
The conference builds on Vodafone Egypt’s progress as one of the Group’s leading markets in accessibility. Over 10 months, the company recorded 47.4% growth in acquiring new customers with disabilities, supported by Egypt’s first dedicated call center for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing customers since 2016, retail teams trained in sign language and disability etiquette, and an in-house website accessibility widget that supports nine profiles of disabilities and has recorded more than 1.2 million clicks in nine months. The company is also well underway in making all its stores fully accessible within three years.
The conference closed with a shared ambition for an Accessible Africa, where accessibility is built into how businesses, governments and communities serve people. By hosting it, Vodafone Egypt and Vodacom reinforced Egypt’s position as a regional hub for accessibility and laid the groundwork for lasting partnerships that will turn the day’s commitments into action across the continent.
