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Marrakech hosts global leaders as AI, digital infrastructure and startups drive Africa’s next growth phase.
GITEX AFRICA Morocco, the continent’s largest AI, technology and startup event, has officially opened its fourth edition, bringing together influential technology leaders, policymakers, investors and innovators to accelerate Africa’s next chapter of digital and economic transformation.
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Holding from 7–9 April in Marrakech, the event places artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and frontier technologies at the heart of Africa’s competitiveness agenda, as governments and enterprises respond to growing demands for digital sovereignty, connectivity, intra-African trade and domestic innovation.
High-Level Government Backing Signals Strategic Digital Intent
The event is held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, under the authority of the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, hosted by the Digital Development Agency and organised by KAOUN International.
The official inauguration was led by Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, who welcomed an international delegation of senior government officials, global enterprises and institutional partners.
“Africa has the talent, energy and ambition. What it needs now is structured funding, targeted support for entrepreneurs, job-creating training programmes and integrated markets. To digital sector investors, we say: we are ready,” Akhannouch said.
Digital Sovereignty and Ethical AI Take Centre Stage
Morocco’s Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, described the country’s technology ambition as a unifying force that places innovation at the service of development and the global common good.
Echoing this, African diplomatic leaders emphasised that digital sovereignty and ethical AI are no longer optional. Artificial intelligence, they noted, has become both an everyday reality and a development accelerator, requiring strong regulation, inclusive infrastructure and forward-looking policy frameworks.
Private Sector, Trade Integration and Global Partnerships Align
Business leaders highlighted AI’s evolution from emerging technology to core economic infrastructure. Chakib Alj, President of Morocco’s General Confederation of Enterprises, stressed that the key question for Africa is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how quickly and strategically it can be deployed.
Trade integration also featured prominently, with African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat Secretary-General Wamkele Mene describing digital technologies as critical to unlocking Africa’s full potential. He pointed to the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol as a global first that positions Africa at the cutting edge of digital innovation.
AI, Data Infrastructure and Smart Cities Define the 2026 Agenda
This year’s programme reflects the urgency and scale of Africa’s digital priorities, with expanded focus areas including:
- Data Centre Intelligent Infrastructure
- Cybersecurity and digital resilience
- Fintech, digital finance and financial inclusion
- Future mobility and smart cities
According to Amine El Mezouaghi, Director General of the Digital Development Agency, Africa’s challenge has shifted from keeping pace with digital transformation to actively shaping it through investment, collaboration and South–South cooperation.
North Star Africa Connects Startups to Global Capital
Running alongside the main exhibition, North Star Africa—the continent’s largest startup showcase—brings together more than 800 startups and over 400 global investors managing significant capital, reinforcing GITEX AFRICA Morocco’s role as a bridge between African innovation and international markets.
A Platform for a Digitally Sovereign and Competitive Africa
As stakeholders from across Africa and the world converge in Marrakech, GITEX AFRICA Morocco continues to consolidate its status as a global platform where policy, capital and technology execution align—supporting a digitally sovereign, globally connected and economically competitive African continent.
