The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has announced plans to host the “IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Africa Summit 2025 (CTU Africa 25),” aimed at advancing inclusive digital development in Nigeria and across the African continent.
The event, themed “Bridging Digital Frontiers: African Solutions for Universal Connectivity,” is scheduled to take place from 27th to 28th November 2025 at Baze University, Abuja.
The summit will serve as the African edition of the IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CTUS-EMEA) series and will bring together engineers, policymakers, regulators, researchers, and business leaders to design scalable, context-sensitive connectivity solutions for underserved regions.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Chukwuemeka Okafor, General Conference Chair for Connecting the Unconnected, said the summit would “set the mark for supporting inclusive digital development in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.”
According to him, the summit will also promote collaboration between governments, industry players, and development partners to develop actionable policy recommendations to achieve universal connectivity across Africa.
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“The significance of this event is that it offers an opportunity to address Africa’s connectivity challenges and opportunities, deliberate on regional collaboration models, discuss cross-border connectivity, and position Africa — particularly Nigeria — as an innovation hub, not just a consumer market,” Okafor said.
He noted that the IEEE CTU Africa Summit aims to address the global challenge of 2.9 billion people without stable or affordable internet access, and will explore deeper collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to support rural telephony initiatives that seek to connect over 100 million Nigerians currently outside network coverage.
Okafor explained that discussions will focus on sustainable financing models and policy frameworks to attract investment in rural connectivity projects.
“The goal is to bring all stakeholders together to identify the challenges, opportunities, and data realities while exploring financial models that support small operators focused on rural deployment,” he said.
He further revealed that a special startup showcase would provide African innovators with a platform to present their connectivity solutions to potential investors, with Nokia pledging its support for the initiative.
The two-day event will feature keynote addresses from global technology leaders, panel discussions, technical paper presentations, hands-on workshops, and an exhibition showcasing innovative connectivity solutions.
The IEEE CTU Africa 2025 Summit is expected to mark a major milestone in Africa’s digital inclusion journey, providing a roadmap for universal connectivity, regional collaboration, and sustainable digital transformation across the continent.