Rwanda named host of 2026 Forward Africa Leaders Symposium continental Summit

Kigali has been named host city for the upcoming Forward Africa Leaders Symposium continental Summit 2026.

Being its maiden edition to be held on African soil, actors from across the continent are expected to examine strategies that will lead to Strengthening Cross-Border Digital Infrastructure in Africa: Aligning Policy, Innovation and Capacity tor Inclusive Development.

In furtherance of a key policy recommendation from the 2025 Forward Africa Leaders Symposium held at the NASDAQ in New York, a strong argument emerged that Cross-border digital infrastructure is no longer just continental integration and sustainable development but a technical enabler and a strategic public good.

Also the urgency of defining digital and digital public services equally dominated the discussions with calls for trade, governance and transformation to reflect Africa’s unique service delivery for it to become increasingly digital amid rapid global advances in AI and technology.

The 2026 Symposium will also focus on forging fragmented national policies, regulatory misalignment, consensus around digital infrastructure as the limited institutional coordination, capacity gaps,foundation of digital transformation and AI readiness.

The African Union last year commended conveners of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium for drawing the world’s attention to Africa’s digital transformation and the imperative of data sovereignty and digital identity on the Margins of the 2025 General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

Under the theme: Advancing Africa’s Digital Transformation: Inspiring Action, Accelerating Growth Accelerating Impact, the event held at the Nasdaq MarketSite – the commercial marketing presence of the Nasdaq stock exchange brought together African leaders and entrepreneurs gathered at the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium to talk about how digital technologies may boost economic growth and enhance public services, with a focus on data governance and public-private partnerships In order to guarantee that Africa’s digital future is formed cooperatively and sustainably.

In her address to the gathering, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission Selma Malika Haddadi while taking time to “commend” leadership of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium, led by Ms Hannah Awuku and the African Peer Review Mechanism for executing the convocation, pointed out that the world stands at the crossroads of Africa’s digital destiny.

She however added that the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030) is helping to make that transition a reality. “By 2030, we aim to establish an African Digital Single Market that improves the lives of our people, accelerates regional integration, and ensures that Africa is not just a consumer of digital technologies but also a creator and innovator in the global digital space”. Ambassador Malika noted.

The Forward Africa Leaders Symposium (FALS) is a high-level leadership convening dedicated to aligning Leaders perspectives to shape Africa’s digital, economic and governance future.

Set as the Continental Summit (Africa) and Global Conversations (Out of Africa), the Symposium provides a neutral, forward-looking space for dialogue between private and public stakeholders for consensus-building and strategic action on Africa’s most critical transformation priorities and shared development goals.

Positioned at the intersection of digital transformation, governance reform, infrastructure development, strategic investment and inclusive and sustainable growth, FALS is designed to move conversations toward practical frameworks, partnerships, and policy-relevant outcomes.

Some of the major highlights of activities scheduled for the Continental summit this year include the following:

The Golden Hour: A Conversation with Women in Tech A gathering of Africa’s most influential
women in technology, policy and innovation to spearhead the continent’s inclusive digital
transformation agenda through dialogue and commitments.

Set in a serene evening of glamor and purpose for women leading Africa’s digital
agenda. One evening. One agenda. One continent moving forward together.

The Young Leaders Forum
As the opening session of the Leaders Dialogue, the Forum seats Africa’s next generation of digital innovators, policymakers, and investors at the table of leaders to shape actionable
recommendations for the continent’s digital integration agenda.

The Leaders Dialogue

A convening of Africa’s foremost leaders— where national capability meets continental vision. This high-level plenary brings together the continent’s most influential voices from public and the private sectors to reimagine digital integration through the lens of Africa’s unique and diverse systems.

The conversation moves beyond aspiration: aligning sovereign priorities with regional imperatives to unlock inclusive, scalable growth across the continent

The Continental summit is enjoying supper from the KGL Group- a leading, wholly-owned Ghanaian conglomerate founded in 2018, specializing in digital innovation, fintech and logistics.

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