The 13th Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition (DACE), scheduled to hold on October 28 and 29, 2025, in Abuja, has announced a line of speakers from both the public and private sectors of the economy.
Keynote speakers have confirmed attendance, and they include Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Takang; Founder and President of the IPv6 Forum and Chair of the AI & Blockchain Global Forum, Prof. Latif Ladid; and National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunju, among others.
This year’s conference, themed “Sovereign Intelligence: Africa’s Voice in the Global AI Order,” will examine how the continent can assert technological sovereignty and define its own path in the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.
Ahead of the event, the Chairman of Digital Africa Global Consult and convener of DACE, Dr. Evans Woherem, said the theme underscores Africa’s urgent need to be an active participant in shaping the global AI order rather than a passive onlooker.
“We are entering an era powered by artificial intelligence,” Dr. Woherem stated. “Just as electricity became the invisible force behind modern civilization, intelligence will soon be embedded in almost everything. AI will not only exist as a standalone technology but will also be integrated into our daily lives, from cars to communications, healthcare, governance, and even social interaction.”
He likened the current global competition in AI development to an arms race, with major powers such as the United States, China, Europe, and South Korea vying for dominance, warning that Africa must not stand aside in this race or risk being digitally recolonized.
“Whoever controls intelligence will control the world,” he warned. “Global tech giants such as Google, Meta, X, Netflix, are gathering enormous amounts of data from Africa. Data is the new gold, and the more we allow it to be mined and exported without ownership or regulation, the poorer we become.”
Dr. Woherem stressed the importance of data sovereignty and decolonization, insisting that African nations must take control of the data produced within their borders and ensure it serves their own development agenda.
“When we use foreign technologies, we unconsciously adopt foreign cultures and standards,” he noted. “Africa must develop its own frameworks, policies, and ethical codes that reflect our Ubuntu philosophy of ‘I am because you are.’ We need to promote communalism over individualism.”
He further argued that Africa must contribute to setting global standards in technology and AI ethics, incorporating its human-centred values into system design and governance.
“We must teach the world how to be human again,” he said. “Africa is the cradle of humanity, and we must lead in humanizing technology, ensuring that AI serves people, not the other way around.”
The Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition is one of the continent’s longest-running technology gatherings, bringing together policymakers, innovators, researchers, and investors to explore strategies for leveraging digital technologies to accelerate Africa’s development.
This year’s edition will focus on AI ethics, data sovereignty, indigenous innovation, and the continent’s role in shaping the future of global intelligence systems.
