Africa’s digital economy is accelerating. Investment is flowing into data centres, cloud platforms, AI infrastructure, subsea cables and fibre networks. Governments are shaping policy frameworks. Enterprises are moving from strategy to implementation. Startups are raising more equity capital even as overall funding patterns shift. Against this backdrop, the continent’s longest-running and most influential technology gathering returns to Cape Town.
Applications have opened for the Africa Tech Festival (ATF) 2026
The 29th edition takes place from 16 to 19 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Expo and content sessions run 17–19 November, with VIP and partner events beginning on the 16th. Organised by Informa Festivals, the event has evolved far beyond its origins as AfricaCom. It now serves as the primary annual meeting point for the full technology ecosystem: telecom operators, hyperscalers, infrastructure providers, enterprise leaders, startups, investors and policymakers.
A Platform Built on Six Interconnected Pillars
The 2026 programme is structured around six core pillars that mirror where capital and innovation are concentrating:
· Telecoms & Connectivity — Expanding access and advancing networks so more people, businesses and communities can participate in the digital economy.
· Data Centres — Building the physical foundation for AI and cloud at scale. Africa still hosts only about 1% of the world’s data centres, a gap that frames much of the conversation.
· AI — Moving beyond adoption toward production. Sessions will probe what is required for Africa to become a creator of AI capabilities rather than primarily a consumer, including agentic AI in enterprise decision-making.
· Cybersecurity — Strengthening trust and resilience as digital adoption accelerates and threats grow more sophisticated.
· Startups — Fuelling entrepreneurship, investment and ecosystem growth. Recent data shows African startups recording a 23% rise in equity funding, even as the overall mix of capital evolves.
· Digital Transformation — Helping organisations harness cloud, fintech and SaaS to modernise operations and drive growth.
These themes are deliberately interconnected. Connectivity enables cloud and AI; data centres underpin scale; transformation depends on secure, trusted systems.
Scale, Speakers and Seniority
Recent editions have grown substantially. The 2025 event drew nearly 13,000 in-person attendees from more than 100 countries and 6,000 companies. Organisers are planning for 350–400+ speakers across multiple stages, more than 100 hours of content, and a large international exhibition.
Headline voices already confirmed include:
· Hon. Solly Malatsi, South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (the department is a strategic partner of the event).
· Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations.
· Hon. David Tshere, Botswana’s Minister of Communication and Innovation.
· Senior executives from MTN Group, Vodacom, Orange Middle East and Africa, Airtel Africa, Google (Alex Okosi, Managing Director for Africa), OpenAI (Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Africa Lead), Microsoft, Amazon, Digital Realty, Equinix, and enterprise leaders from banking, retail and industry.
Additional features include the invitation-only Leaders In Africa Summit (16 November), the Ministerial Summit, the AI Summit Cape Town, masterclasses limited to small groups for deeper practical discussion, startup showcases, and AFEST—the official networking event.
How to Apply
For full details, the latest speaker list, agenda and registration options, visit the official site using the Link provided 👉 Here
Why It Matters
Africa Tech Festival functions as more than a conference. It is where operators, hyperscalers, investors and policymakers meet face-to-face to turn conversation into partnerships and deals. Pre-arranged 1:1 meetings, curated introductions and sector-specific community meetups are designed to accelerate commercial outcomes. For startups it offers visibility and investor access; for enterprises and governments it provides insight into infrastructure priorities, regulation and real-world AI use cases; for the broader ecosystem it remains the most comprehensive annual snapshot of Africa’s digital trajectory.
Sponsors and exhibitors already include major names such as Meta, Huawei, Microsoft, Google Cloud, Sage, Naspers Labs and MTN MoMo, underscoring the event’s commercial weight.
With registration open and the programme still expanding, Africa Tech Festival 2026 arrives at a moment when the continent’s digital foundations are being laid at unprecedented speed. The questions on the agenda include: how to close the data-centre gap, how to move from AI consumption to production, how to expand inclusive connectivity, and how to build resilient digital economies will shape the next decade of African technology development.
Cape Town in mid-November will once again become the temporary capital of African tech. Those building, funding, regulating or scaling the continent’s digital future will be there.
