Africa Internet Governance Forum 2025

This session addresses the sub themes of Universal Access and Meaningful Connectivity and AI and Emerging Technologies, emphasizing the pivotal role of internet access in dismantling the stigma around mental illness and building resilient, supportive communities. In this session, we will address the stigma surrounding mental health and educate participants on its multifaceted nature—falling into medical, spiritual, and psychological domains. In doing so, we will:
1) showcase the intersection of technology and cultural context in promoting mental health awareness.
2) discuss the transformative impact of equitable internet access on mental health support and resources, especially in underserved areas (justice-involved individuals); and
3) highlight the critical role of founders and leaders in driving policy changes and creating safe spaces that prioritize mental health in African, and diasporic communities.

Driving our discussion will be a moderated panel featuring dynamic stakeholders who expertise spans mental health, academia, policy, technology, and community organizing and engagement. Attendees can expect an interactive conversation about understanding mental illness and conscientiously using technology and the internet access as both foundational and an enabler of dismantling the stigmatization of mental health to build resilient communities. We anticipate attendees will leave our session energized with:
1) an increased awareness of the complex nature of mental health and its interconnected domains,
2) a roadmap for leveraging internet access to support African communities in Africa and beyond, and
3) policy recommendations for integrating mental health and suicide into digital governance.
4) Building Resilient, Inclusive Communities: Shared insights from community-driven projects blending cultural understanding with mental health initiatives all to Action

This Panel discussion positions as a visionary leader in addressing global mental health challenges through technology and AI. By emphasizing equity, cultural sensitivity, and inclusion, the company invites governments, NGOs, medical professionals, AI developers, and CSR-driven corporations to join in creating meaningful change. Together, we can tackle the global mental health crisis and ensure no one is left behind.

In an increasingly digital world, reliable and affordable internet access has become a critical enabler for economic development, education, healthcare, and civic participation. However, significant disparities remain, particularly for rural communities in developing African countries. These communities often face deep-rooted barriers to digital inclusion, such as geographic isolation, insufficient infrastructure, socio-economic inequality, and restrictive gender norms. As a result, millions of people, particularly women, youth, and other marginalized groups, are excluded from opportunities within the digital economy and society at large.

This session, convened by WOUGNET and its partners, will explore the transformative role of rural broadband connectivity in bridging the digital divide. It will highlight how inclusive, community-driven connectivity models are closing access gaps and fostering meaningful digital inclusion in rural and underserved regions. Drawing on practical experiences and case studies from Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, the discussion will showcase innovative broadband initiatives, such as community network models and solar-powered internet hubs, that have successfully enhanced connectivity for marginalized populations.

Participants will also engage in a collaborative discussion on the structural and systemic challenges rural communities face in accessing digital technologies. These include inadequate policy and regulatory frameworks, high costs of connectivity, limited access to digital literacy programs, and persistent gender inequalities that limit women’s participation in the digital space. The session will also explore how locally-led, gender-sensitive connectivity initiatives can address these barriers by promoting affordability, sustainability, and community ownership.

By convening stakeholders from various sectors, this session aims to foster dialogue around scalable broadband models and policy recommendations that can be replicated across the continent. The discussion will focus on actionable strategies to empower women and other marginalized groups through inclusive internet access, thereby contributing to sustainable development and a more equitable digital future.

Objectives:
1. To explore the importance of rural broadband connectivity in fostering an inclusive digital economy and society.
2. To identify and discuss key barriers preventing gender-equitable access to digital technologies for marginalized populations in rural areas.
3. To present effective, replicable rural broadband connectivity models and community network approaches from Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.
4. To propose actionable strategies and policy recommendations that ensure all individuals, especially women, youth, and marginalized groups, can meaningfully participate in the digital world.

In 2022, the African Union Commission (AUC) adopted the African Union Data Policy Framework (AU DPF) as a continental guide to help Member States establish coherent, inclusive, and rights-based data governance systems. The AU DPF addresses key challenges such as data protection, privacy, ethical data use, cross-border data flows, and data sovereignty, while promoting digital innovation and economic integration across the continent. It provides a common vision and principles for Member States to develop and harmonise national and regional data governance frameworks aligned with Africa’s development priorities, including Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
To support implementation and domestication of the AU DPF, the “Data Governance in Africa Initiative” has been assisting African countries in developing data policies that are context-specific but aligned with the AU DPF.
This session at the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) will focus on the experiences, lessons and best practices related to three interrelated areas:
• Aligning National Data Policies with the AU Data Policy Framework
• Utilising Multistakeholder, participatory and inclusive Approaches in Data Policy Development.
• Fostering effective Interorganisational Collaboration for the effective development of Data Policies.
The panel will bring together representatives from governments, data protection authorities, civil society, the private sector and project implementation partners to share insights on the policy development process, practical experiences in aligning with the AU DPF, and the challenges encountered. It will examine how national governments are adapting AU DPF principles to their local contexts.
A key focus will be the importance of multistakeholder approaches in shaping inclusive, transparent, and effective data policy development. Engaging a broad spectrum of actors—ICT ministries, regulators, private sector, academia, civil society, and affected communities—ensures that data policies are not only technically sound but also socially relevant and widely accepted.
The session will also explore how interorganisational cooperation is essential to harmonisation. Examples will be drawn from countries that have initiated collaborative structures or policy dialogues to align their frameworks with the AU DPF.
Participants will gain:
• Practical insights on aligning national data policies with the AU DPF
• Lessons on inclusive policy development through multistakeholder processes
• Strategies for effective coordination across institutions
This session will contribute to building a unified and resilient data governance landscape in Africa—one that balances innovation, economic growth, and the protection of rights in the digital age.

This panel discussion explores how Africa can harness its existing data infrastructure alongside the strategic development of new continental digital platforms to assert digital sovereignty amidst rising global digital trade barriers and tariffs. This provides a foundation to discuss the need to promote sovereignty across key digital ecosystems and platforms, such as the mobile app ecosystem, payment solutions, e-hauling solutions, corporate solutions, server infrastructure, social media platforms, and data sharing platforms.

The discussion directly supports the objectives of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) of ensuring that the ICT infrastructure being developed is complemented by sovereign digital capabilities.
3. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) as Sovereignty Foundations (10 minutes)
- Which critical African and Member State digital public infrastructure needs sovereign protection?
- How can the existing DPIs be actively leveraged now to strengthen Africa's negotiating stance against unfavourable digital trade barriers?
- Focus: Practical use cases and identify the data gaps.
4. Building Continental Digital Platforms (15 minutes)
- Beyond data repositories, what are the priority new continental platforms (e.g., African App Stores, secure e-logistics/e-hauling platforms)? What are the essential technical, governance (balancing AU coordination & national ownership), and sustainable funding models required for their success?
- Focus: Feasibility, interoperability standards, public-private partnership models.
5. Frameworks for Data Sovereignty & Resilience (15 minutes)
- What specific policy and technical mechanisms can ensure collective African data governance while respecting national controls? How can Africa develop defensive strategies against extraterritorial data laws and digital protectionism?
- How do integrated data systems such as the African Infrastructure Database enhance Africa's voice in global digital governance forums?
- Focus: Data localization vs. flow, cybersecurity collaboration, regulatory harmonization approaches.
Expected Outcomes
1. Outlining the need for a vibrant and well-coordinated digital continental platform ecosystem.
2. Key principles for interoperability and data exchange.
3. Balancing continental needs and national sovereignty.

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the internet by developing open standards and protocols that underpin global connectivity. However, African participation in IETF activities remains significantly low, as highlighted by the fact that as of August 2024, only 22 RFCs (Request for Comments) have authors from Africa, representing just 0.24% of all RFCs. This underrepresentation limits the continent's influence on key technical decisions that impact its digital future and weakens Africa’s role in shaping global internet standards.

This session aims to explore the barriers to African engagement in the IETF and propose strategies to increase participation. It will address the following key points:
The role of the IETF in internet governance and its impact on Africa’s digital transformation.
The importance of African representation in IETF working groups such as DNSOP, v6ops, and Green.
The correlation between IETF meeting locations and regional contributions to RFCs.
The absence of an IETF meeting in Africa and the potential benefits of hosting one on the continent.
Strategies to increase African contributions to IETF standards, including awareness campaigns, capacity-building programs, and funding opportunities for participation.

The broader impact of African participation in IETF on Enhancing Digital Cooperation and Universal Access to Meaningful Connectivity.
A stronger African presence in IETF deliberations will not only enable the continent to have a say in shaping protocols that directly affect its internet ecosystem but also reinforce regional digital sovereignty. Enhancing digital cooperation between Africa and global internet governance institutions such as IETF, ICANN, ISOC, and the ITU is crucial for sustainable digital development. Moreover, as Africa continues to develop its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and improve access, ensuring that the continent is actively involved in the technical standardization process will help build an inclusive, secure, and resilient internet ecosystem.

As an African policymaker and a recent participant in the IETF Policy Maker Programme, I had the opportunity to attend IETF 122 in Bangkok (March 2025). During the Open Mic session, I questioned the IETF leadership about the lack of meetings in Africa. This session will build on that discussion and seek to mobilize African internet governance stakeholders to advocate for increased African involvement in the IETF, ensuring that Africa plays an integral role in the future of the global internet.

Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/internet-engineering-task-force-ietf-meeting-africa-i-karim-hqdue/
DNSOP WG: https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/dnsop/about/
GREEN WG: https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/green/about/
V6OPS WG: https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/v6ops/about/
Stats on RFCs per continent: https://www.arkko.com/tools/rfcstats/d-contdistr.html

Security is no longer a specialized issue as Africa speeds up its digital transformation; rather, it is a fundamental component of digital trust, resilience, and sovereignty. The goal of this session is to examine the ever-changing opportunities and difficulties associated with safeguarding Africa's digital environment, from national infrastructures to connectivity at the local level.

Through a multi-stakeholder lens, the panel will bring together views from academia, civic society, the private tech sector, and the state sector. They will jointly investigate how Africa can develop a robust cybersecurity posture that fosters innovation, protects user confidence, and strengthens international collaboration.
The discussion will bother on:
1. Africa's evolving threat landscape includes ransomware, critical infrastructure attacks, and cyber-enabled misinformation.
2. Capacity building and local talent development in cybersecurity.
3. The role of policy, regulation, and cross-border collaboration in driving continental cyber resilience.
4. Trust-building strategies between governments, technology companies, and citizens.
The session will be interactive, including audience engagement, and will conclude with actionable insights and recommendations that can be adapted across countries and sectors.
Session Objectives:
1. To explore the key cybersecurity threats and trends impacting African digital development.
2. To examine multi-stakeholder roles in building cyber resilience and trust.
3. To identify gaps in capacity, policy, and collaboration — and suggest practical solutions.
4. To foster partnerships that will drive Africa’s digital safety forward.
Target Audience:
• Policy makers and regulators
• Network and cybersecurity professionals
• Civil society and digital rights advocates
• Telcos, ISPs, and infrastructure providers
• Researchers and academia
• Youth and emerging tech leaders

Moderator & Panelist Structure:
Moderator:
Experienced facilitator with cybersecurity governance and multistakeholder dialogue expertise.
Panelists:
Government Representative – a cybersecurity agency in Nigeria
Private Sector Leader – Cybersecurity Firm
Civil Society Advocate – digital rights and data protection representative
Academic/Special interest Leader – researcher and innovator in cyber resilience
Mode: Hybrid:
Online audience : We will utilize zoom for speakers and attendees while slido will be used for questions and polls.
Physical audience : Will be able to contribute directly from the venue.

To explore how the Global Digital Compact (GDC) can catalyze Africa’s digital transformation by aligning with regional frameworks like the African Digital Compact (ADC), fostering South-South/triangular cooperation, and addressing challenges such as digital divides, data governance, and AI regulation.
1. Policy Alignment: Strategies to harmonize GDC and ADC goals, particularly on digital divides and data governance.
2. Cooperation Roadmap: Prioritized actions for South-South/triangular partnerships in AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy.
3. Advocacy Toolkit: Guidelines for African stakeholders to leverage the GDC in regional and global negotiations.
Aligning Global and Regional Agendas.

GDC Priorities: Closing digital divides, advancing equitable data governance, and governing AI for humanity.
ADC Synergies: Bridging Africa’s digital divides, enhancing cybersecurity, and fostering a Digital Single Market.
Case Study: The EU-Smart Africa partnership (e.g., deploying secure networks, e-governance, and AI initiatives) demonstrates how global frameworks can support regional goals.

South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
Triangular Models: Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Germany collaborate on drone-based biodiversity solutions and cross-border regulatory harmonization.
Regional Knowledge Sharing: Platforms like UNOSSC’s South-South Galaxy facilitate exchanges on mobile money, agricultural tech, and digital governance.
Cross-Regional Learning: Lessons from Latin America’s eLAC2026 and ASEAN’s Digital Integration Framework can inform Africa’s Digital Single Market.

Addressing Critical Challenges
Digital Inclusion: Scaling affordable connectivity, digital literacy, and inclusive e-governance
Data Governance: Harmonizing national frameworks and advancing interoperable standards
AI and Emerging Tech: Establishing ethical guidelines and capacity-building partnerships.
Relevance to the Global Digital Compact:
The session directly addresses the GDC’s call for inclusive multistakeholder governance and equitable data governance

As Africa advances the development of its Digital Single Market and scales up Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) including digital identity systems, interoperable cross-border payment platforms, and regional data exchange frameworks – the governance of data has emerged as a defining pillar of the continent’s digital transformation.
Data now underpins public service delivery, economic growth, artificial intelligence, innovation, digital trade, and regional integration. Yet, in the absence of coherent, trusted, and harmonized data governance frameworks, Africa’s ability to fully realize its digital potential remains constrained. Fragmentation across national laws, regulatory regimes, and institutional capacities—further complicated by concerns over sovereignty and uneven political will—continues to hinder the establishment of secure, interoperable cross-border data flows.
This high-level panel will convene senior leaders and experts from governments, regional bodies, international organizations, civil society, and academia to examine what effective, inclusive, and future-oriented data governance should look like for Africa. The session comes at a pivotal moment, as ongoing developments—including the domestication of the AU Data Policy Framework, implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, and regional initiatives in ECOWAS, SADC, and EAC—present unprecedented opportunities for regulatory coherence and multilateral cooperation.

Panelists will explore how African institutions can:
• Design governance systems that protect digital rights and ensure equitable access to data.
• Redefine data sovereignty to enable secure and interoperable cross-border data flows,
• Foster innovation, economic resilience, and sustainable digital development, and
• Address the growing influence of emerging technologies such as AI, on the data governance landscape and the African data ecosystems.
Drawing on national, regional and continental experiences, the panel will engage with the following key questions:
• What does “good data governance” look like in the African context?
• How can data governance frameworks embed inclusion and representation, particularly for marginalized groups and communities?
• In what ways can institutions safeguard data sovereignty while enabling cross-border data flows?
• What forms of continental leadership and coordination are needed to harmonize frameworks across diverse legal, political, and economic landscapes?

Session Description:
The session aligns with the broader theme of the AfIGF, focusing on enhancing internet governance mechanisms in Africa. It will explore the critical role of national and regional IGFs in shaping inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered digital policies across the continent.
National and Regional IGFs are essential platforms for multi-stakeholder dialogue on IG issues. In Africa, these forums play a pivotal role in addressing local and regional challenges, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that African voices are heard in global internet governance discussions. However, they face significant challenges, including limited resources, low stakeholder engagement, and varying levels of institutional support. At the same time, there are immense opportunities to leverage these platforms for advancing digital transformation, promoting digital rights, and addressing Africa-specific issues such as connectivity gaps, cybersecurity, and data governance.

Session Objectives:
1. Assess the Current State: Evaluate the effectiveness of national and regional IGFs in Africa in addressing internet governance challenges.
2. Identify Challenges: Discuss the key challenges faced by these forums, including funding, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement.
3. Explore Opportunities: Highlight opportunities for strengthening national and regional IGFs, such as partnerships, innovation, and alignment with global IGF initiatives.
4. Develop Recommendations: Propose actionable strategies to enhance the impact and sustainability of national and regional IGFs in Africa.
Key Discussion Questions:
1. What are the key achievements of national and regional IGFs in Africa so far?
2. What are the main challenges hindering their effectiveness, and how can these be addressed?
3. How can national and regional IGFs better engage underrepresented stakeholders, including women, youth, and rural communities?
4. What role can regional collaborations and partnerships play in strengthening these forums?
5. How can national and regional IGFs contribute to achieving the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy and Agenda?

Panelists:
Mr. Ahmed Farag – North Africa
Ms. Lilian Nalwoga – Eastern Africa
Ms. Mary Uduma – West Africa_
Mr. Jacob Munodawafa – Southern Africa
Mr. Michel Tchonang Linze – Central Africa

Onsite Moderator:
Ms. Carol Roach, MAG Chair - UN IGF

Online Moderator:
Ms. Thoko Miya, South Africa ISOC Chapter