At the Connected Africa Summit 2025 held in Diani, Kenya, African leaders made a significant move from talk to tangible progress.
This year’s summit went beyond declarations. For the first time, leaders formally committed to establishing a multi-stakeholder working group tasked with tracking how individual countries implement the Declaration’s seven pillars.
Leaders will launch a dedicated digital portal to publicly track progress, share resources, and hold stakeholders accountable
One of the most impactful moments came from Leonard Mabele, whose keynote presentation struck a nerve.
He didn’t sugarcoat the situation: while some African cities are enjoying high-speed internet and new tech opportunities, rural and underserved communities remain on the sidelines.
Mabele asked a pointed question that set the tone for the summit: “Are we building a digital future for everyone, or just the privileged few?” His challenge sparked a deeper, more honest conversation among policymakers, private sector players, and civil society.
Nairobi Declaration
Building on that momentum, the summit reaffirmed the Nairobi Declaration, a framework adopted in 2024 that outlines seven pillars for Africa’s digital transformation.
These include universal broadband access, digital skills development, harmonized digital policies, inclusive public-private partnerships, data protection, innovation support, and cross-border digital trade.
To make progress measurable, leaders announced the development of a continental digital portal. This platform will serve as a centralized dashboard where stakeholders can track how each African country is implementing the Declaration.
The portal will offer real-time updates, country-specific digital policies, progress indicators, and resources. It’s designed for everyone, from policymakers to developers, journalists, investors, and citizens, offering visibility into who’s doing what and how far they’ve come.
Alongside the portal, a multi-stakeholder working group will be formed. This group will include representatives from governments, the private sector, development partners, and civil society.
Its role will be to coordinate regional efforts, assess country-level progress, and promote collaboration across borders. The group will also help identify challenges and recommend ways to overcome them, ensuring the digital transformation journey is consistent and inclusive.
The launch of this portal and working group represents a major turning point. Africa’s digital ambitions have long been ambitious but fragmented. Without a unified system for tracking progress, many great ideas have faded with time.
