In just one week, the GSMA will launch MWC Kigali 2023, the most important and influential event on the African continent in the connectivity sector. Returning to the Kigali Convention Center from October 17 to 19, MWC Kigali will bring together the industry to merge technology and purpose, foster innovation and advance the continent's digital economy in pursuit of a better future.

This year, the event will bring together leading players from across the mobile ecosystem to celebrate Africa's impressive strides in connectivity and its growing adoption of digital, while discussing the connectivity challenges facing the continent. Keynote speeches will be delivered by some of the most influential players in the technology and telecommunications sector in Africa, including MasterCard, Wi-Flix, Gamma, Huawei, Orange MEA, Smart Africa, Samena Council, Vodacom Tanzania, Take Back the Mic and ZTE.

Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, will present Keynote 1 dedicated to digitalization: “Digitizing Everything”. It will address smart connectivity and the opportunities it represents for the African economy, providing high-quality access to communication services and networks at an affordable price.

So what else do we have in store for this year's MWC Kigali?

This year, MWC Kigali is partnering with the Africa Health Technology Summit and Smart Africa to offer three events in one unique experience. All sub-regions of Africa will come together in a single event, along with international guests who wish to expand their operations in Africa.

The innovative summits and meetings explore the four key themes of MWC Kigali: Accelerate Africa, FinTech, HealthTech and Powering Digital, and allow reflection on how to move forward in the digital era. The sessions will include a series of high-level discussions on topics such as how we can jointly close the digital divide, socio-economic development through mobile technology and the impact of our sectors on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Accelerate Africa

African tech startups set records in 2022 by raising more than $3 billion in funding thanks to the digital revolution. This has significantly transformed the way business is done and created new opportunities for entrepreneurs, innovators and consumers. Our Accelerate Africa theme includes several sessions dedicated to the growth of connectivity across the African continent and the strong willingness of businesses in the region to adopt disruptive new technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented/virtual reality, Web3 and the metaverse. .

This theme includes the GSMA Meeting for African Policymakers, which brings together key stakeholders from ministries, regulators and the entire mobile ecosystem to discuss topical issues such as affordable access to phones, lack of investment or reducing the digital divide. Leading industry experts will participate in Keynote 2. It is an opportunity to discover best practices and use cases that promote collaboration between governments and businesses to shape a connected Africa.

FinTech

FinTech has revolutionized the African financial sector by driving economic growth and connecting millions of people. The continent has seen many innovations, starting with mobile payments, which have paved the way for a dynamic ecosystem. Sub-Saharan Africa currently has more than 760 million mobile payment accounts and will have transacted more than $830 billion by 2022. FinTech discussions will focus on new technologies, products and services driving the evolution of the sector, provide clients with access to innovative services and strengthen financial inclusion.

Join us for our FinTech Summit on October 18, where leading players in the FinTech sector in Africa will address current trends in the field, share their experiences with customer-facing propositions and explore innovation opportunities.

HealthTech

Technology plays an important role in transforming the healthcare sector in Africa, redefining the way diseases are diagnosed, treated and prevented. Our HealthTech theme includes a series of sessions exploring innovations in the health sector in Africa and how they are enabling sustainable and accessible care for all.

The HealthTech Summit for Africa, organized in collaboration with Africa CDC and Smart Africa, focuses on policies, partnerships and platforms that promote digital health innovation across the continent. October 17 and 18 will provide the opportunity to discover how the power of innovation and digital connectivity is transforming and empowering communities.

Digital Power

The growth of connections in Africa in recent years has been phenomenal: there are currently more than 1.2 billion connections and more than 650 million mobile users. With the accelerated adoption of 4G and the emergence of 5G, Africa is entering the digital age. Our Power of Digital theme focuses on how leaders are collaborating to transform networks and deliver next-generation services, from Open RAN to FWA to satellite connectivity.

As the most important and influential event on the African continent in the connectivity sector, MWC Kigali is the ideal place to discover the future of the booming African digital economy. You can register here to get your pass. See you soon at the exhibition!

Article source: info-afrique.