The co-founder of Akon Lighting Africa, Samba Bathily, will feature at the 2019 Transform Africa Summit.
In 2014, Samba co-founded Akon Lighting Africa together with international music superstar Akon. He is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Development Solutions Group (ADS) which is a Co-Lead Sponsor for the Transform Africa Summit.
Samba Bathily is also the Chief Executive Officer of Solektra International. Solektra International is the execution arm of Akon Lighting Africa with a goal to use local youths to implement projects while also fast tracking the social and economic development of Africa in cooperation with various international partners.
The Transform Africa Summit (https://transformafricasummit.org/) is the Smart Africa flagship event. Following four successful editions, the fifth Summit will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 14 – 17 May 2019.
The Summit, under the theme “Boosting Africa’s Digital Economy”, is expected to attract over 4,000 participants, including Heads of State and Government, First Ladies, UN Broadband Commissioners, Ministers, Regulators, Mayors and Governors, Public and Private Sector, International Organizations, Industry Leaders, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Young Innovators, Civil Society and Academia.
In addition to the Smart Africa Leaders’ Summit, the Smart Africa Women’s Summit and interactive plenaries, the summit will feature subject specific streams tackling current ICT topics. Delegates will be able to attend insightful and engaging streams including Hubs as well as several customized sessions by our partners.
About Smart Africa
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SMART Africa is a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socioeconomic development on the continent, ushering Africa into a knowledge economy through affordable access to Broadband and usage of Information and Communications Technologies.
The Transform Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda on 28th-31st October 2013 culminated in the adoption of the Smart Africa Manifesto document by seven (7) African Heads of States (Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Mali, Gabon, Burkina Faso) in which they committed to provide leadership in accelerating socio-economic development through ICT’s.
On 30th-31st January 2014, The SMART Africa Manifesto was endorsed by all Heads of State and Government of the African Union at the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa. This development places the Manifesto at the heart of the ICT agenda in Africa beyond just the 7 original signatories at the Summit to all the 53 African countries.
The Smart Africa Alliance has since grown to include 24 African countries that represent 600+ million people.