Spotlighting the 6 biggest tech events in Africa 2021

Communities, either virtual or physical, are great for developing ideas, propelling innovation ahead, and serving as the beating heart of a vibrant digital ecosystem.

The tech community has been a great source of inspiration for tech talents, both existing and new entrants. They act as the first line of defence by providing emotional and technical support for the various challenges experienced on the tech journey. 

Creating a robust, inclusive tech community where tech enthusiasts can learn, grow, and be inspired, on the other hand, does not happen by itself. Hundreds of tech groups are now bringing tens of thousands of tech talents together across Africa

Some of the intuitive events that have brought together a community of tech enthusiasts across Africa in 2021 include:

Lagos Digital Transformation and Innovation Summit 2021

On Thursday, March 4, 2021, the Institute of Enterprise Management and Analytics hosted digital transformation experts, business leaders, and global disruptors at the Lagos 2021 Summit.

The event, also known as the Lagos DX Summit, provided African businesses with the opportunity to leverage digital transformational initiatives and solutions to position their businesses for global competitive advantage.

Participants met to address future projects, offer sales pitches, expand networks, and position their enterprises for global market entry. 

The event also offered tools and insights regarding the incorporation of digital infrastructure and modelling for companies engaging in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and machine learning projects.

The summit included case study presentations, breakout sessions, panel discussions, and technical workshops focused on key strategies, technology, and solutions for developing and reaching targeted DX goals.

2021 Blockchain Africa Conference

The annual Blockchain Africa Conferences, the first of their kind in Africa, have been hosted by Bitcoin Events since 2015. 

As usual, the event had an exciting list of interesting speakers and brands that graced the conference. The 2021 edition was held between March 18 and 19, 2021 in South Africa.

The theme for the 2021 conference evolved in line with the global adoption of blockchain technology and was titled ‘Beyond the Hype, From Hype to Mainstream’ and now ‘Ready for Business?’

The theme seems quite relevant given the enormous 2021 bull run and the continuous expansion of the DeFi and NFT markets. 

As blockchain technology matures, we’re seeing fewer blockchain experiments and more development of enterprise-ready solutions that are transforming many digital businesses. 

This, as such, helps improve cross-border blockchain-based payments that are faster, cheaper, and much more secure.

There has also been an improvement in supply chain management as blockchain technology tools also improve tracking, reduce transaction settlement time, and automate payments using smart contracts. 

The conference focuses on blockchain technology’s global opportunities and use cases, as well as those in Africa, the world’s second-most populous continent, with 1.3 billion people.

The opportunities for African economies and emerging markets in the new Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in a global pandemic environment were also examined at the event.  

Internet of Things Forum Africa Exhibition 2021

The Internet of Things Forum Africa Exhibition is a highly anticipated yearly conference that provides a platform for all players to share their knowledge of real-world IoT trends, challenges, and solutions. 

The conference was aimed at thought leaders, IoT ecosystem participants, and experts in Africa. 

The 2021 IoT Forum Africa was no exception as it brought together thought leaders, solution providers, and decision-makers from a wide range of industries. 

The increased rate of IoT implementation creates significant advantages, but it also poses substantial cybersecurity vulnerabilities. 

The IoT Forum 2021 brought together corporate executives, government officials, IT decision-makers from various industries and experts to debate and provide delegates with the information and tools needed to design and implement successful IoT initiatives and security measures. 

For organizations that wish to implement the technology or take their IoT pilots from the project phase to real-world production, the Forum also looked at methods for dealing with security concerns, IoT platforms, and managing the complexity IoT produces.

Technext coinference 2021

Africa’s enthusiasm for digital currencies is rising rapidly, and there is a greater need than ever to address the industry’s concerns. 

As demand for digital currency grows across Africa, a number of African innovations have emerged, including governments considering launching their own virtual currency backed and issued by central banks.

While the crypto space looks to have a lot of promise, navigating the cryptocurrency world requires a thorough understanding of the market’s mechanics; it also carries a lot of risks. 

As one of the major steps towards changing this narrative, Technext, a tech media firm, hosted the first edition of its Coiinference to create a space where like-minded people in the crypto sector could voice their observations and challenges. 

The event also provided an opportunity for tech enthusiasts, notably blockchain industry pioneers, to privide answers to critical customer problems and propose viable solutions.

The event, which was held physically in Lagos, Nigeria, had audiences from all across Africa and beyond. It reinforces discussions aimed at inspiring, empowering, and connecting crypto enthusiasts in Africa.

At the event was a lineup of some of the most influential speakers who shared insightful thoughts that inspired the attendees to take advantage of the numerous benefits of cryptocurrency. 

Africa Tech Summit 2021

The Africa Tech Summit which was held in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together African and international tech experts under one roof. 

The event provided room for the industry players to connect with important industry stakeholders such as IT corporations, mobile carriers, fintechs, DeFi and crypto enterprises, investors, top startups, and regulators to help move business and investment ahead. 

The Africa Tech Summit delivered unrivalled knowledge, networking, and commercial possibilities for African and worldwide tech executives and investors looking to drive Africa’s progress. 

Through keynotes, breakout sessions and networking events, the two-day African tech event explored the newest trends and connected 250+ important stakeholders from around the continent. 

The event served as a drive for a lot of companies ahead while learning about Africa’s potential unicorns in Rwanda, the continent’s emerging epicentre of technology and innovation.

The event is comprised of the Africa Money & DeFi Summit, the Africa Mobile Summit, and the Africa Startup Summit. These events deliver an array of discussions around a cross-sectional view of new technologies, solutions and opportunities across the African technological landscape. 

The summit once again brought together players in the tech sector from around Africa to discuss opportunities and problems in the ecosystem, as well as investment potentials. 

The event focuses on fostering cooperation with the goal of advancing Africa’s thriving entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem by linking investors, corporations, and startups.

Africa Tech Festival 2021

The Africa Tech Festival 2021 was held virtually from November 8 to November 12, 2021, in celebration of African tech talents.

The Africa Tech Festival, along with its two anchor events, AfricaCom and AfricaTech, is Africa’s largest and most influential tech event. 

These events featured over 300 visionary speakers and over ten premium conference tracks, each with a laser-sharp focus on the most cutting-edge connectivity and enterprise tech trends. 

The festival, which had always informed and connected business executives, IT specialists, policymakers, and investors at the vanguard of Africa’s digital revolution for the last 24 years, brought together technology and talent for socioeconomic effect. 

The Africa Tech Festival was backed by the greatest businesses in tech and telecoms, making it one of the largest and most significant tech and telecoms events on the continent, ensuring that attendees knew they were networking with the best.

Participants who purchased a free visitor ticket were given access to 10 content tracks, roundtable talks, and interactive elements. 

It also enables them to create a unique event experience for themselves, participate in relevant debates and sessions, and find exhibitors and solutions that meet their specific business needs.