The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has said that it is in talks with Nokia in order to showcase startups at the upcoming Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) Africa Summit 2025.
The maiden summit scheduled to hold from November 27 to November 28 at Baze University in Abuja, has the theme: “Bridging Digital Frontiers: African Solutions for Universal Connectivity.”
The summit which aims to develop scalable, homegrown solutions to connect millions of underserved citizens across the continent, is a pivotal regional segment of the larger IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CTU-EMEA) Summit.
According to General Conference Chair, Chukwuemeka Okafor, at a media conference in Abuja, the summit would provide a unique platform for stakeholders to collaborate on context-sensitive connectivity solutions.
According to him, A special startup showcase would enable African innovators to present their solutions to potential investors, adding that IEEE was already in talks with Nokia to support this initiative.
He noted the event would give stakeholders an opportunity to address Africa’s connectivity challenges and opportunities and deliberate on regional collaboration models.
Okafor said that the programme would position Africa, particularly Nigeria, who is the host, to be an innovation hub, not just a consumer market but to take internet connectivity to the underserved and unreached areas.
“CTU Africa 25 will bring together engineers, policymakers, regulators, researchers, and business leaders to design scalable and context-sensitive connectivity solutions for underserved regions,” Okafor said.
He stressed the summit would equally foster collaboration between governments, industry players, and development partners, with the ultimate goal of developing actionable policy recommendations for universal connectivity across Africa.
The summit will revolve around eight critical tracks, each targeting a key pillar of Africa’s connectivity ecosystem, comprising: Infrastructure and Technologies for Universal Connectivity; Policy, Regulation, and Sustainable Financing; Rural and Community-Centric Connectivity Innovations; and Digital Transformation: Smart Cities, Education, Health, and Agriculture.
Others are: Regional Cooperation: One Africa Network and Cross-Border Initiatives; Sustainable Power & Energy for Connected Communities; People, Policy, and Sustainability; and Cybersecurity, Data Protection, and Critical Infrastructure.
“These tracks bring together all major stakeholders to address Africa’s connectivity gaps from every possible angle,” Okafor said.