Africa's Digital Transformation: Morocco Rallies Stakeholders

The 2026 edition of the technology exhibition show, GITEX Africa, officially opened yesterday, April 7, 2026, showcasing some of the latest technological innovations from across the continent. Held at Place Bab Jdid, in Marrakech and hosted by Morocco’s Digital Development Agency, the event runs until Thursday, April 9 under the theme, “Catalysing Africa’s Digital Economy in the age of Artificial Intelligence.” It is expected to draw an estimated 55,000 participants from around the world, all with the shared goal of advancing discussions on how technological innovation can support African countries in their pursuit of digital economy growth. Attendees include global tech leaders; founders and CEOs of leading tech startups in fintech, agritech, and edtech; ICT and digital economy ministers from several African countries; civil society advocates; as well as investors and international development partners. Three Moroccan government representatives, who spoke at the opening ceremony, emphasised the critical role of technological innovation in boosting Africa’s growth. They stated that it is time for more intentional action and visionary leadership to accelerate technology adoption on the continent, referencing their country which is increasingly investing in digital technologies such as AI, and also building the required skills. They praised GITEX Africa as a flagship event whose main objective is to support the realisation of this vision by creating a multi-sector platform for the exchange of ideas and the development of strong collaborative frameworks with actors from various domains. The CEO of the organising entity, Kaoun International (part of the Dubai World Trade Centre), Trixie LohMirmand, reaffirmed GITEX Africa’s objectives and how...