Call for stronger public-private partnerships dominates Connected Africa Summit

Industry leaders, policymakers and technology stakeholders convened at the 15th annual Connected Africa Summit, held at the Edge Convention Centre, issuing a call for the removal of structural and regulatory frictions to unlock seamless connectivity across Africa.

The summit, which is a key platform for advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda, underscored the continent's vast potential to build a unified digital market. 

Speakers highlighted that while Africa possesses the fundamental ingredients, including a youthful population, growing digital adoption, and expanding infrastructure, greater collaboration and alignment are critical to accelerate progress.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Summit, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa emphasized the importance of stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.

“To unlock Africa's full potential, we must deepen collaboration between governments and the private sector. By working together, we can create enabling policies, invest in the right infrastructure and accelerate public sector digitisation in a way that is inclusive, scalable and impactful for millions of Africans”

During the summit, Safaricom showcased the digital capabilities of its converged services, a cross-functional approach that brings together Safaricom’s Enterprise Business, Financial Services, Public Sector Digitisation & Transformation (PSDT), and Technology teams. This integrated model positions Safaricom as a unified partner to governments across the continent, enabling a more cohesive approach to delivering secure, scalable, and citizen-centred digital solutions.  

The Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, emphasised the need for Public-Private partnerships and including the people in the dialogue of digital transformation.

“The public sector does not have a monopoly on resources. In order to achieve inclusion in the digital market, we must collaborate with the private sector and the citizens themselves,” he said.

As the summit continues to its 3^rd day tomorrow, the call for renewed commitment to drive collective action, recognising that Africa’s digital future will depend on coordinated efforts, policy alignment and a shared vision for a connected continent