G20 Summit and Africa Tech Festival: A Shared Vision for Africa’s Future

As the world’s leaders prepare to gather in South Africa for the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the country is already abuzz with events addressing critical global and regional priorities. Just weeks before Africa Tech Festival, these discussions are heating up, focusing on themes that resonate deeply with the festival’s mission: African interconnectivity, affordable energy, female empowerment, climate change, and more. The convergence of these two landmark events in South Africa underscores the nation’s pivotal role in shaping the future of Africa and the world.

At Africa Tech Festival, we are not only observing these developments but actively expanding the conversation. By aligning our initiatives with the priorities of the G20, we aim to amplify Africa’s voice in global dialogues and drive meaningful change across the continent’s tech and telecom sectors.

Energy Transitions: Powering Africa’s Future

The Energy Transitions Working Group Ministerial Meeting, held in Kruger National Park on 10 October 2025, will focus on energy security, affordability, and reliable access. The meeting’s priorities include establishing Green Industrialisation Hubs and developing cross-border energy projects, both of which are critical to Africa’s economic growth and development.

Key G20 Priorities on Energy Transitions

• Energy Security and Affordability: The G20 is developing a comprehensive Energy Security Framework to bridge the energy access gap. This includes promoting resilient and sustainable energy systems that enhance global energy access and affordability.
• Just and Inclusive Energy Transitions: The G20 is creating a roadmap for Green Industrialisation Hubs in Africa, with socio-economic safeguards for coal-dependent regions. This includes job preservation, workforce reskilling, and economic diversification.
• African Interconnectivity and Power Pools: The G20 is working on a Ten-Year Infrastructure Investment Plan to support cross-border energy projects. This includes identifying key regional energy interconnection initiatives and establishing robust financing mechanisms with international partners.

Africa Tech Festival will expand on these themes by exploring how technology can accelerate Africa’s energy transition. From innovative financial models to cutting-edge technologies, our sessions will delve into strategies for bridging the energy access gap and promoting resilient, sustainable energy systems. By fostering dialogue on African interconnectivity and power pools, we aim to support the continent’s efforts to achieve energy security and affordability.

Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability: A Shared Responsibility

The Climate and Environmental Sustainability Working Group Ministerial Meeting, held in Cape Town on 16–17 October 2025, will address pressing issues such as climate resilience, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

Key G20 Priorities on Climate and Sustainability

• Climate Resilience and Adaptation: The G20 is working on strategies to enhance global climate resilience, particularly in vulnerable regions like Africa. This includes promoting sustainable land use, water management, and disaster risk reduction.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The G20 is aligning its efforts with the United Nations SDGs, focusing on sustainable urbanisation, renewable energy adoption, and biodiversity conservation.
• Green Financing and Innovation: The G20 is exploring innovative financial mechanisms to support green projects, including carbon markets, green bonds, and public-private partnerships.

At the festival, we will host discussions on how technology can be harnessed to address Africa’s unique environmental challenges. From renewable energy solutions to climate-smart agriculture, our panels and showcases will highlight the role of tech in building a sustainable future. By bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators, we aim to foster collaboration and drive actionable solutions that align with the G20’s goals.

Empowering Women: Bridging the Gender Gap in Technology

One of the standout events leading up to the G20 Summit is the Empowerment of Women Working Group Ministerial Meeting, scheduled for 24 October 2025, in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. This meeting will tackle critical issues such as the care economy, financial inclusion for women, and gender-based violence.

Key G20 Priorities on Women’s Empowerment

• Policy Perspectives on the Care Economy: The G20 is collaborating with institutions like the University of Cape Town, UN Women, and the OECD to address unpaid care work. This includes research and policy measures to quantify and value women’s contributions to the care economy, a critical step toward gender equity.
• Promoting Financial Inclusion for Women: The G20 is hosting a global conference to explore innovative approaches to financial inclusion, focusing on access to land, property, and assets. Discussions will also address the gender pay gap, gender-responsive procurement, and budgeting strategies to close financial inclusion gaps.
• Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: A dialogue on positive masculinity and the role of G20 leaders in eliminating violence against women and girls is planned, with a potential pledge of commitment from global leaders.

At the festival in November, we will build on these discussions through workshops, panels, and pitch showcases dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements and addressing the ICT gender gap. Initiatives like our Mentorship Power Hour: Unfiltered Advice from VCs to Female Founders that will provide a unique opportunity for female founders to connect directly with venture capitalists (VCs). In this intimate and interactive session, five VCs will sit down with female founders to provide unfiltered advice, answer questions, and share insights on navigating the funding landscape. By fostering diversity and inclusion, we aim to inspire the next generation of female leaders in Africa’s tech ecosystem.

The G20’s focus on financial inclusion for women, addressing access to land, assets, and equitable pay, mirrors our efforts to create opportunities for women-led businesses and entrepreneurs in the tech space. Through gender-responsive procurement and budgeting strategies, we can collectively work toward a more inclusive economy that benefits women from diverse backgrounds, including rural, peri-urban, and urban areas, as well as marginalised groups such as women with disabilities and those in the LGBTQIA+ community.

A Unified Vision for Africa’s Progress

As we prepare for Africa Tech Festival in November, we are inspired by the conversations taking place at the G20 events. By aligning our efforts with the summit’s priorities, we aim to amplify Africa’s voice, drive innovation, and create a more inclusive, sustainable future for the continent. The intersection of these two events is not just a coincidence, it is a testament to Africa’s growing influence on the global stage.

Let’s continue the conversation at Africa Tech Festival, where the ideas sparked at the G20 will find their practical application, driving progress across Africa’s tech and telecom sectors. Together, we can shape the future of Africa and the world.

Follow the link for more information on G20 South Africa 2025 - https://g20.org/

Africa Tech Festival, 10–13 November 2025, CITCC, Cape Town