Topco Media proudly announces the return of the Centec Africa Tech Week Conference 2026 to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC 2). As the continent's premier executive forum for shaping Africa's digital economy, the event convenes ministers, regulators, C-suite leaders, infrastructure providers and technology pioneers driving change at scale.
The cornerstone of this year's event is the continued partnership with Centec, which proudly returns as a platinum sponsor. This ongoing collaboration reflects Sentech’s continued commitment to advancing connectivity and sovereign AI, strengthening digital infrastructure, and enabling inclusive technological progress across South Africa and the wider continent.
As governments digitize public services, enterprises accelerate AI adoption, and connectivity expands beyond urban centres, the focus has shifted from whether Africa will digitize to how it will be achieved. Centec Africa Tech Week 2026 brings together the leaders shaping that future.
The two-day event focuses on the fundamental pillars of Africa's digital future, including:
- Resilient continental infrastructure: Building Africa's digital backbone, from 5G and 6G networks to satellite connectivity and data centres.
- Responsible AI and data governance: Scaling artificial intelligence safely, ethically and profitably.
- Cyber and Financial System Security: Protecting Africa's digital economy and sovereignty in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
- Energy Digitization and Grid Intelligence: Smart grids, IoT, and digital devices are transforming energy management.
- Industrial Automation and Smart Supply Chains: Leveraging robotics and AI for faster, more adaptive operations.
- Inclusive Digital Participation: Platforms like fintech, skills development, expanded connectivity and pitching dens enable startups and entrepreneurs to drive economic inclusion across Africa.
Unlike startup expos or developer-focused conferences, the Sentech Africa Tech Week Conference 2026 is a leadership platform where policy meets platform and infrastructure meets industry. The program moves from theory, focusing on applied technologies, regulatory alignment and commercial scalability across all sectors.
A key feature of the event is the Africa Tech Week Pitching Den, where selected startups will present their solutions to a panel of investors, industry leaders and potential partners. The platform is designed to accelerate high-impact innovation, providing emerging businesses with visibility, strategic guidance and access to potential funding opportunities.
Startups ready to showcase their solutions and amplify their impact can apply here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RJJ37MF
The program will also highlight excellence in the ecosystem through the Africa Tech Week Awards 2026, recognizing organizations and leaders making measurable impact in technology, infrastructure and digital innovation.
The Africa Tech Week Awards 2026 will feature a curated set of categories designed to reflect the full spectrum of Africa's digital economy. These include awards dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Digital Infrastructure, Fintech Innovation, Emerging Technologies and Enterprise Digital Transformation as well as exceptional startups, scale-ups and visionary leadership.
Each category is linked to the core themes of Africa Tech Week, ensuring that recognition is not only celebratory but strategically relevant to the continent's most significant technological advancements. Category sponsorship opportunities are available to organizations that want to align their brand with innovation leadership, offering partners direct engagement with excellence in their respective fields.
Judging by a panel of industry experts, business leaders and technology experts, the awards maintain a rigorous and credible evaluation process, ensuring that winners represent true impact, scalability and innovation within Africa's tech ecosystem.
“Africa’s digital transformation will not be built on innovation alone,” said Ralph Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media. “This will require trust, governance, investment and collaboration across borders and sectors. Africa Tech Week is where these conversations happen, and where the architects of Africa's digital backbone come together and design what happens next.”
“What matters now is implementation at scale, transforming the policy platform and infrastructure into real economic opportunity,” said Tebogo Leshope, CEO of Centec. “Centech Africa Tech Week creates a space where decisions are accelerated, partnerships are formed, and practical solutions are advanced to support a more competitive and self-reliant digital ecosystem.”
Sponsors and Partners
The Centec Africa Tech Week Conference 2026 is made possible with the support of its partners:
- Platinum Sponsor: Centec
- Host City Partner: City of Cape Town
- Silver Sponsor: Telkom, LexisNexis
- Bronze Sponsor: iOCO Technology Group
- Breakaway Workshop: Jumo
- Activation Sponsor: Zoho
- Coffee Café Sponsor: ZA Registry Consortium (ZARC)
- Showcase Counter: 4IRI, Boxfusion, Tech Note IT, iLook, Vision-AI.Tech
- VIP Client Hosting Sponsor: NEMISA NPC
- Silver Impact Sponsor: Q-Kon
The Centec Africa Tech Week Conference 2026 will take place on 12-13 May 2026 at CTICC 2, Cape Town. For more information, program details and registration, visit https://lp.topco.co.za/africatechweek/.
Entries for the Africa Tech Week Awards 2026 are now open. Organizations, startups and leaders shaping Africa's digital future are invited to submit their nominations and position themselves among the continent's most influential innovators.
To enter or explore category sponsorship opportunities, visit: https://lp.topco.co.za/atw_awards