Nigeria To Host Africa Internet Governance Forum 2023

Nigeria is all set to host 54 African nations and other continental Internet governance stakeholder blocs at the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2023) in Abuja from Sept. 18 to 21 under "Transforming Africa's Digital Landscape: Empowering Inclusion, Security, and Innovation" theme.

This will mark the 12th edition of the annual event and it will be hosted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on behalf of Nigeria's federal government. The event will be preceded by the African Youth Internet Governance Forum from Sept. 13 to 18.

NCC's Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka explained that this platform will be used for meaningful dialogue and collaboration on Internet Governance to advance digital connectivity alongside addressing the challenges faced by African countries.

"The series of events at this year's programme will commence with the Parliamentarian Symposium," Muoka said, adding that all participating countries will grab the opportunity to consult and network with one another, Leadership reported.

The director noted that this crucial gathering of stakeholders and investors in Africa's digital future will be a rare assemblage of several stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, and many private sector players.

Aside from this, there will be other important sessions during the event including plenary discussions, interactive workshops, and expert panels focusing on digital inclusion and connectivity; cyber security and data protection; digital rights and freedom of expression; artificial intelligence (ai) and emerging technologies; e-commence and digital economy; and data governance and trust, among others.

"Participants are also expected to discuss the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the context of digital literacy and internet access in a manner that can accelerate development for the continent," he said.

The director shared that the event will feature high-ranking speakers, policymakers, industry experts, and thought leaders from across Africa and beyond.

He continued, "Through participants' expertise and insights, the forum will generate actionable recommendations that can inform policymaking, drive investments, and shape the future of Internet Governance in Africa, by reshaping the trajectory of the continent's digital landscape and paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous digital future."

Last year, the annual event was hosted by Malawi, which is a country in East Africa.

The AfIGF forum is used to address issues related to internet governance in the African continent including raising awareness, capacity-building sessions, workshops, training opportunities, policy development, and more.

Talking about Nigeria's condition, the country is currently dealing with several internal issues including hiked fuel and food prices, planned strikes due to inflation, and banditry.