Across six countries, twelve events will bring together founders, investors, engineers, policymakers, and professionals. Multiple sectors will have dedicated platforms for conversation and collaboration, from energy and fintech to AI, private equity, ocean innovation, and angel investing.
This concentration of events strengthens a new confidence in African innovation as funding rebounds and local solutions gain global attention. Founders are building with renewed focus, investors are gradually re-engaging, and governments are showing stronger interest in innovation ecosystems. The March lineup offers something for every stakeholder in the tech ecosystem.
Here is every major event you should know about.
March 2026 Africa Tech Events at a Glance
| Event | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Africa Energy Indaba | March 3–5 | Cape Town, South Africa |
| AIBC Africa Summit | March 11-14 | Cape Town, South Africa |
| SAVCA PE Conference | March 10–11 | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Inclusive FinTech Forum | March 10–12 | Kigali, Rwanda |
| Connected Banking Summit – East Africa | March 11 | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Digital Transformation Summit | March 11 | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Diaspora Angel Playbook Workshop | March 12 | London (Global Livestream) |
| Kasi AI Summit | March 18 | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Ocean Innovation Africa Summit | March 23–25 | Durban, South Africa |
| Tech Unite Africa 5.0 | March 26 | Lagos, Nigeria |
| East Africa Investment Forum | March 26–27 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
| Change The World (CTW2026) | March 27–28 | Cape Town, South Africa |
| AfricArena Kinshasa Summit | March 4 2026 | Kinshasa, DRC |
1. Africa Energy Indaba
Cape Town hosts Africa Energy Indaba from March 3 to 5, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The 18th edition of Africa’s premier energy event brings together ministers, CEOs, investors, and experts to address the continent’s energy transformation.
Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, endorsed the 2026 edition. This support confirms the event’s role as a leading platform for energy collaboration, investment, and transformation. The minister’s involvement ensures policy discussions connect directly to implementation.
The conference tackles sustainable growth through innovation and partnership. Delegates exchange knowledge and collaborate on solutions that address Africa’s energy challenges. The exhibition component allows companies to showcase technologies and services that support the energy transition.
The event draws private sector participants from across the world. Strategic global partnerships ensure the content addresses pressing issues impacting the African energy sector. Partners influence the program to keep discussions relevant to current challenges and opportunities.
2. AIBC Africa Summit
Cape Town hosts the AIBC Africa Summit on March 11-14, 2026. The event focuses on blockchain, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. AIBC has built a global reputation for bringing together leaders in distributed ledger technology and digital innovation.
The continent leads in certain use cases, particularly in cross-border payments and remittances. Cryptocurrency adoption rates in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa rank among the highest globally. The AIBC Africa Summit taps into this momentum.
The summit features inspiring panels, keynotes from industry veterans, and workshops. Networking events allow delegates to build relationships in relaxed settings. AIBC’s experience in the events industry shows in the quality of networking facilitation.
Attendees come from diverse backgrounds and countries. Business leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, artists, and innovators bring varied perspectives to discussions. This diversity enriches conversations about how blockchain and AI can address African challenges.
The summit includes an awards night that recognizes deserving individuals and companies.
3. SAVCA PE Conference
The South African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association hosts its annual conference in March 2026. SAVCA represents over 230 members who collectively manage more than R237 billion in assets across private equity, private debt, and venture capital.
The conference serves as the industry’s main gathering for private capital in Southern Africa. Fund managers, investors, advisors, and service providers attend to discuss market intelligence, regulatory developments, and investment strategies. SAVCA’s role extends beyond hosting conferences to actively shaping the environment for investment and growth.
The conference provides a venue to unveil new reports and discuss findings. Members gain insights into deal flow, valuations, exits, and returns across the Southern African private capital market.
The association’s engagement with regulators and policymakers gives the conference political relevance. Discussions influence frameworks that govern private capital deployment. SAVCA’s advocacy work supports the growth and professionalism of Southern Africa’s private capital markets.
Training sessions and workshops help members strengthen their capabilities. Topics cover fund management, portfolio company development, ESG integration, and exit strategies. The conference balances high-level strategic discussions with practical skill development.
4. Inclusive FinTech Forum
Rwanda hosts the Inclusive FinTech Forum from March 10 to 12, 2026, at the Kigali Convention Centre. This gathering has grown into Africa’s leading platform for discussions on financial inclusion. More than 3,000 leaders, investors, and fintech associations will participate in dialogues that advance policies and regulations while creating long-term partnerships.
The forum runs three concurrent stages. The Global Leaders’ Dialogues stage features heads of state, central bank governors, and regulators addressing AI, capital markets, and financial stability. The Founders Peak offers entrepreneur-focused sessions with candid conversations between investors, policymakers, and experienced founders. The Talent & Careers Forum creates space for professionals exploring opportunities in fintech.
5. 26th Connected Banking Summit – East Africa
On March 11, Nairobi hosts the 26th Connected Banking Summit at the Radisson Blu Hotel. This single-day event focuses specifically on digital banking transformation across East Africa. Banks, fintech companies, mobile money operators, regulators, and tech vendors share one room.
East Africa’s banking sector is one of the most dynamic in the world. Mobile money penetration in Kenya remains among the highest globally. Digital-first banks are growing rapidly across Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. The summit brings together the people driving that transformation for a full day of panels, keynotes, and networking.
The Innovation and Excellence Awards form part of the program, recognizing organizations and individuals who have made a measurable impact on digital banking in the region. For banks and fintech companies looking to benchmark their progress and build partnerships, this summit delivers concentrated value in a single day.
6. Digital Transformation Summit South Africa 2026
March 11 also sees Johannesburg host the 45th Digital Transformation Summit South Africa at the Indaba Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre. This is part of a global summit series hosted across more than ten cities worldwide. The South Africa edition focuses on what digital transformation actually means in a local and African context.
The agenda covers AI, IoT, Web 3.0, quantum computing, and cybersecurity, with direct focus on how these technologies impact operational efficiency and risk exposure for African enterprises. This is not a future-gazing exercise. Decision-makers from South African corporates, government departments, and tech companies come specifically to discuss implementation, not just possibility.
7. Kasi AI Summit 2026
On March 18, Johannesburg hosts the Kasi AI Summit 2026 at a venue in Diepkloof, Soweto. This event takes a genuinely different approach to AI conferences. Rather than focusing on enterprise technology, it centers AI innovation in the informal economy, education, and healthcare. Over 100 innovators are expected at the venue.
The informal sector drives a significant portion of Africa’s economic activity. AI tools built for corporate environments often miss the mark entirely when applied to informal FMCG traders, community health workers, or township-based educators. The Kasi AI Summit addresses this gap directly. It creates space for builders who are developing AI solutions for contexts that most AI conferences ignore.
8. Ocean Innovation Africa Summit 2026
Durban hosts the Ocean Innovation Africa Summit from March 23 to 25 at eThekwini. This event focuses on Africa’s blue economy, an increasingly important sector for a continent with 38 coastal countries and over 26,000 kilometres of coastline.
The summit brings together scientists, technologists, investors, conservationists, and entrepreneurs all working on ocean-related challenges and opportunities. GIZ, IUCN, the EU, and Schmidt Marine Technology Partners are among the partners. The calibre of attendees reflects the seriousness of the agenda.
Africa’s fishing industry, offshore energy sector, shipping routes, and coastal tourism all depend on healthy, well-managed ocean environments. Startups developing solutions in mariculture, ocean monitoring, sustainable fisheries, and coastal resilience will find both an audience and potential investors here. The summit includes B2B meetings, curated workshops, and Regenerative Ocean Week programming alongside the main conference.
For tech founders working at the intersection of environmental science and innovation, this event opens conversations that rarely happen at standard startup conferences.
9. Tech Unite Africa 5.0
Lagos hosts Tech Unite Africa 5.0 on March 26, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos. The event enters its fifth year with new partnerships that raise the stakes for African entrepreneurs. This edition partners with Startup World Cup, the largest startup competition globally, giving Nigerian founders a path to compete for $1 million in San Francisco.
Tech Unite Africa draws strength from its track record. Four successful editions have positioned the platform as a gateway to Africa’s tech landscape. The 2025 event attracted thousands of on-site attendees and reached millions through digital channels. Exhibitors and sponsors reported increased deal flow, expanded pipelines, and boosted brand credibility.
The event merges three core elements: exhibitions, conferences, and networking. The exhibition arena showcases solutions across the entire technology value chain. Tech companies present innovations to the business community, creating direct connections between solution providers and potential clients. Categories span AI and cloud computing, banking, health tech, identity and fraud prevention, Web3 and DeFi, climate tech, creative economy, digital infrastructure, e-commerce, fintech, and financial inclusion.
Curated networking lounges facilitate high-value engagements among investors, founders, corporates, exhibitors, and policymakers. The spaces enable targeted business matchmaking and strategic discussions. Tech Unite Africa goes beyond typical conference formats by building a year-round community.
10. East Africa Investment Forum
Dar es Salaam hosts the East Africa Investment Forum on March 26-27, 2026, at the Serena Hotel. The Tanzania Fintech Association organizes the event under the theme “Fintech Forward: Innovation & Inclusion.” The forum connects fintech leaders across East Africa and beyond.
The forum addresses specific challenges facing East African fintech companies. Regional payment interoperability, regulatory harmonization, and access to capital top the agenda.
The forum attracts investors specifically interested in East African opportunities. The region’s demographics and mobile penetration create favourable conditions for digital financial services. Population growth and urbanization drive demand for convenient, affordable financial products.
Tanzania’s position as co-host alongside Kenya and Uganda gives the country visibility in regional fintech discussions. The forum strengthens connections between Tanzanian entrepreneurs and investors from across East Africa.
11. Change The World Summit
Cape Town’s Workshop17 Watershed venue hosts Change The World on March 27-28, 2026. This social entrepreneurship platform distinguishes itself through a clear focus on measurable outcomes. The event operates on a discover-develop-showcase-sustain model that takes founders from initial screening through to investment backing.
CTW 2026 runs across two days with distinct programming. Day one features the main pitch competition where ten startups present to judges. The event includes panels on BRICS and the new trade map, plus discussions on capital that works for African founders. Networking sessions give attendees time to connect with the startups, investors, and sponsors.
Day two shifts focus to students and emerging entrepreneurs. Panels cover intellectual property protection, trademarks, and contracts. Another session explores export strategies and global go-to-market approaches. The top six finalists pitch on the main stage, competing for the winner’s title and associated benefits.
The event attracts 300 decision-makers, including investors, corporates, government leaders, and founders. Workshop17 Watershed provides an ideal setting in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront area. The venue offers easy access for both local and international attendees.
12. AfricArena Kinshasa Summit
Kinshasa hosts the AfricArena Summit on March 4, 2026, marking an expansion of AfricArena’s presence in Central Africa. The event, organized with Silikin Village and supported by the International Trade Centre with UK International Development backing, creates a flagship ecosystem gathering for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The summit brings together startup founders, investors (angels and VCs), corporates, ecosystem builders, and public-sector partners for high-impact conversations and curated connections. This focus on quality interactions distinguishes AfricArena from larger conferences that prioritize attendee numbers over relationship depth.
Central Africa’s tech ecosystem has received less attention than hubs in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt. The Kinshasa summit addresses this gap by creating infrastructure for founder-investor connections. Silikin Village’s role as co-host brings local ecosystem knowledge and networks to the planning process.
What March 2026 Reveals About African Tech
This concentration of major events in one month shows ecosystem maturity. Organizers feel confident that founders, investors, and corporates will invest time and money to attend multiple gatherings. The diversity of focus areas, such as fintech, energy, social impact, blockchain, and private capital, indicates specialization within the broader tech ecosystem.
For anyone working in African tech, March 2026 offers something specific. Founders get access to investors. Investors get access to curated deal flow. Corporates find innovation partners. Policymakers engage directly with the people building the solutions their regulations need to accommodate. Engineers and operators find communities of practice. March is an entire ecosystem activating at once.
