Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, takes the Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki, through Safaricom’s converged digital solutions at the Connected Africa Summit, highlighting how integrated platforms are driving seamless connectivity, payments, and enterprise innovation across sectors./HANDOUT
A strong push for seamless connectivity and policy alignment took centre stage at the 15th Connected Africa Summit in Nairobi, as industry leaders warned that regulatory barriers are slowing the continent’s digital transformation.
The high-level forum, held at the Edge Convention Centre, brought together policymakers, tech players and industry stakeholders, all rallying behind a common message: Africa must remove structural and policy bottlenecks to unlock a truly connected digital economy.
Speakers noted that while the continent has key advantages — including a youthful population, rising digital adoption and expanding infrastructure — progress remains uneven due to fragmented policies and limited collaboration.
Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, underscored the need for closer ties between governments and the private sector to accelerate change.
“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,” he said.
At the summit, Safaricom showcased its converged digital services model, integrating enterprise solutions, financial services, public sector digitisation and technology to support governments with secure and scalable systems.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki echoed the call for inclusivity, stressing that governments cannot drive digital transformation alone.
“The public sector does not have a monopoly on resources. To achieve inclusion in the digital market, we must collaborate with the private sector and the citizens themselves,” he said.
As the summit heads into its third day, leaders are now urging coordinated action, warning that Africa’s digital future hinges on unified policies, stronger partnerships and a shared vision for a connected continent.