Africa Tech Festival returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre this month for its 29th edition. The expo and content sessions run from 17 to 19 November, with VIP and partner events starting a day earlier on 16 November. The organisers say it is the continent’s longest-running technology event, and this year’s programme leans heavily on where the money is going: AI, cloud, data centres and connectivity.
Six Pillars and Eight Stages
The 2026 programme is built around six pillars. These are telecoms and connectivity, data centres, AI, cybersecurity, startups and digital transformation. Sessions will be spread across eight dedicated stages. The AI Summit Cape Town is co-located with the festival and sits within the AI pillar.
A Minister and Big Tech on the Same Bill
South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, is set to speak on building an inclusive and globally competitive digital economy. His department is a strategic partner of the festival.
Three global technology names are also on the lineup. Alex Okosi, Google’s managing director for Africa, will address the scale of investment flowing into cloud and AI infrastructure. Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI’s Africa lead, will focus on AI adoption and readiness across African markets. Robert Koen, Amazon’s managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa, completes the trio.
Telecom Heavyweights
Telecoms remain the festival’s historic core. MTN Group’s chief consumer officer, Enzo Scarcella, will speak, alongside Norbert Prihoda, chief executive of Tunisie Telecom, and Daddy Yogo Ngbabendo, group vice president for solutions and architecture at Airtel Africa. Vodacom’s Lazola Ndamase, who leads big data and AI technology, is also confirmed.
Data Centres and the Money Behind Them
Marcel Louw, Digital Realty’s managing director for Africa, brings the data centre view. Linda Oniwe, who leads technology, media and telecoms in corporate and investment banking at Standard Bank Group, is expected to speak on the financing side. Senthil Kumar Velayutham, chief technology and digital officer at the African Development Bank, is also on the list.
The AI Producer Question
One panel to watch is titled “Beyond Adoption: What Will Make Africa an AI Producer, Not Just a Consumer?” It will examine what the continent needs to build globally competitive AI capabilities rather than simply buying them. That framing matches a wider debate on infrastructure, skills and who captures the value from AI investment.
Enterprise and Public Sector Voices
The organisers have also lined up corporate and government technology leaders. They include the chief executive of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Nomsa Chabeli, and Thato Sopeng, vice president of information technology at Sasol. Chief information officers and executives from banking, retail and public institutions will round out the speaker pool. Organisers say more names will be added.
What Startups Should Know
Startups have their own pillar, so founders should look for sessions on funding and partnerships with enterprise buyers. The festival’s attraction is the mix of operators, infrastructure players, investors and policymakers in one venue, which makes it a practical place to find customers and partners.
Plan Your Attendance
General and media registration are open on the official festival website. With the event less than three weeks away, early booking is wise, especially for anyone planning to attend the VIP and partner events on 16 November.
