Africa’s Digital Ambitions Take Center Stage at GITEX 2025 | Image Source: africa.businessinsider.com
MARRAKECH (Morocco), 11 April 2025 – As the third edition of GITEX Africa prepares to open its doors in Marrakech from 14 to 16 April, the continent is in the cuspa of a transformative digital chapter. This year’s event is more than just a window, it’s a sign. Signs that Africa is no longer limited to global technological trends but is actively leading the conversation, innovation and investment in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability and beyond.
Why is GITEX Africa 2025 a lot?
Under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and led by the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform in partnership with the Digital Development Agency (ADD), GITEX Africa 2025 brings together more than 1,450 exhibitors, 350 investors and more than 45,000 participants from 130 countries. It’s not just a commercial program, it’s a continental launch.
As Amal El Fallah Sephrushni, Moroccan Minister for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, said:
“This event is the culmination of Morocco’s efforts to become a regional digital centre. It is about equipping our society with the skills and infrastructure necessary for a responsible digital future. »
From inherited technological innovations to borders, GITEX Africa captures the full spectrum of Africa’s digital evolution, highlighting local talent, enabling international collaboration and strengthening economic resilience.
What role does Morocco play in the digital future?
Morocco is not just the host – it is a case study on how government strategic policies and private public associations can accelerate digital transformation. This year’s GITEX includes initiatives such as “Morocco 200”, a curative selection of 200 startups chosen by the Ministry to show the digital feat of the country. Among them is Defendis, a promising Moroccan cybersecurity company led by AI specialized in threat detection and the prevention of data leaks for banks, governments and businesses.
The increase in these start-ups underscores Morocco’s ambition to go beyond the consumption of imported technologies to become a creator and exporter of innovation. According to Mohammed Drissi Melyani, Director General of the ADD:
“Africa is no longer happy to follow innovation – we shape, develop and export it.”
Who invests in boom technology in Africa?
Investment in African technology rebounded sharply, with prepandemic levels of over $2 billion in startups in 2024. GITEX Africa becomes a magnet for international financial institutions such as the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Through initiatives such as CFI’s SheWins Africa programme, women-led start-ups are gaining visibility and resources.
More than 350 investors with $200 billion of assets under administration will be on the ground, including names such as Techstars, Ventures Platform and AfricInvest. Your target? To respond to future African unicorns, build partnerships and support evolutionary and sustainable technological solutions that solve real world problems.
What innovations are taking place in the centre?
Beyond AI and cybersecurity, GITEX Africa is extending its thematic scope this year to include agritech, mobility, sport technology, edutech and energy transition. One of the main players to see is Mitsumi Distribution, which uses GITEX as a trampoline to expand its computer distribution empire throughout Africa.
Mitsumi announced new alliances with global technology heavyweights such as APC, SanDisk, PNY and NETGEAR. These partnerships aim to address Africa’s urgent need for secure network infrastructure, energy-efficient data centres and reliable storage solutions, while companies strive to modernize and rid existing systems such as Windows 10.
Mitesh Shah, Co-President and Managing Director of Mitsumi said:
“Our partnerships aim to provide relevant and future infrastructure to African companies. We want to empower the continent to thrive in a digital economy. »
How does Web3 fit into Africa’s future?
It works in parallel with GITEX Africa is the edition of Morocco WEB3FEST GITEX, a three-day summit organized jointly by Inacta Ventures and The Hashgraph Association. This is where blockchain meets sustainability, and where entrepreneurs meet investors in exclusive environments such as the WEB3 investor dinner, hosted in a private village in Marrakech.
With the acquisition of the lock chain as a tool for transparency and traceability, African governments and businesses are exploring their use in sectors ranging from supply chain to identity verification. WEB3FEST is where these concepts move from idea to implementation.
Kamal Youssefi, President of the Hashgraph Association, said:
“Sustainability is not a later thought – it is integrated into the same Hedera architecture and the future we build with it.”
What are the key events and reliefs?
- The Green Block Talks (April 14): Deep-dive into AI, Web3, and sustainability with thought leaders from AXA, Standard Bank, and more.
- Supernova Challenge: Africa’s largest startup competition for early-stage ventures — a true battleground for the continent’s top disruptors.
- Investor Matchmaking: Over 1,500 facilitated meetings between startups and global investors from 35 countries.
- International Debuts: Giants like Cisco, Salesforce, Ericsson, and China Mobile are using GITEX to tap into African growth markets.
By combining discussions on vision technology, healing networks and real-world product windows, GITEX Africa offers something to all stakeholders, from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
How is Africa’s technical scene reformed?
The tectonic plates of Africa’s technological landscape are changing. Countries like Morocco are paving the way by investing in infrastructure, creating enabling policies and promoting local talent. But what makes GITEX this year different is the emergence of a truly pan-African digital identity, a collective voice that seeks to build technology for Africans.
Global actors no longer approach Africa as a ”market opportunity” on their own. They enter as partners, partners and sometimes students – learn from African fruit innovation, mobile ecosystems and basic entrepreneurship.
The synergy between local startups such as Defendis and global investors indicates a deeper change in the narrative. Africa is not only a continent of potential, it is a continent of performance, resistance and creativity. From the digitisation of agricultural holdings to the protection of financial systems with AI, African innovation is increasingly coherent at global level.
As Ralf Glabischnig, founder of Inacta Ventures, rightly said:
“Morocco is the front door. Africa is the opportunity. The world pays attention.”
And this time it’s Africa that sets the pace.
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