The 28th annual Africa Tech Festival 2025 has officially commenced in Cape Town, bringing together leading voices from government, global tech companies, and Africa’s fast-growing startup ecosystem. This year’s festival carries a powerful message, that Africa’s digital transformation must be responsible, inclusive, and people-centred to ensure long-term impact and equitable progress.
Government Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Digital Growth
Opening the festival, South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Hon. Solly Malatsi, alongside Deputy Minister Hon. Mondli Gungubele, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusive digital development.
Minister Malatsi outlined three critical pillars needed for Africa to fully harness the potential of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI):
- Affordable connectivity and devices
- Reliable digital public infrastructure
- Comprehensive digital literacy
He emphasized that these pillars form the foundation for sustainable and inclusive growth across Africa’s digital economy.
Cassava Technologies Becomes Africa’s First NVIDIA Cloud Partner
A major highlight of the event came from Cassava Technologies, which announced its designation as Africa’s first NVIDIA Cloud Partner. The company revealed plans to deploy NVIDIA GPUs across five strategic sites to power AI-driven innovation across the continent.
Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Cassava Technologies, emphasized that partnerships with Google, Anthropic, and other global tech giants are giving African industries access to world-class AI infrastructure and tools, unlocking new opportunities in education, healthcare, and business.
AI and Ethical Innovation Take Center Stage
Deputy Minister Gungubele, speaking on the AfricaTech main stage, called for citizen-centric governance powered by digital systems that are transparent, sovereign, and interoperable. He cited South Africa’s national AI policy as a model for safe and inclusive AI innovation.
At the AI Summit Cape Town, experts explored themes of open-source AI, linguistic diversity, and equitable access.
Panelists included Emmanuel Lubanzadio (OpenAI Africa Lead), Akim Benamara (TechAfrica News), and Thabo Makenete (Meta), who discussed the potential of AI to empower local communities while respecting Africa’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
Another major session, titled “Unlocking Agentic AI – The Next Leap in African Innovation,” explored how autonomous AI systems could transform African industries and public service delivery, while emphasizing ethical and responsible AI design.
Africa’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship on Display
Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for Africa Tech Festival, described the event as “more than a conference — it’s a movement celebrating Africa’s ingenuity in the digital era.”
This year’s festival emphasizes:
- Responsible innovation
- Inclusive investment
- Practical, people-focused impact
The festival spans four flagship programmes, AfricaCom, AfricaTech, The AI Summit Cape Town, and AfricaIgnite, covering everything from cloud computing and digital policy to connectivity and AI ethics.
AfricaIgnite Founder Day, held on November 10, spotlighted African entrepreneurship, drawing founders, investors, and venture capitalists eager to back the continent’s next generation of innovators.
The opening day wrapped up with AFest at Grand Africa Café & Beach, giving delegates a chance to network and unwind with live entertainment by top African artists.
A Week of Collaboration and Digital Vision
The Africa Tech Festival 2025 sets the tone for a week of collaboration, innovation, and visionary dialogue, positioning Africa as a proactive and inclusive leader in the global digital landscape.
With conversations around AI ethics, digital sovereignty, and inclusive growth taking centre stage, Cape Town once again stands as the heartbeat of Africa’s technology revolution.
