Africa agrees to One Africa Network push, commits to cutting roaming costs at Nairobi summit
By Kiprono Keileb, April 30, 2026Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and Digital Economy William Kabogo has announced a major continental shift following the conclusion of the Connected Africa Summit 2026 held in Nairobi, where African leaders agreed to prioritise the creation of a unified digital system known as the One Africa Network.
The announcement followed three days of discussions focused on digital integration, infrastructure expansion, and cross-border connectivity across the continent.
In a statement shared on X on Thursday, April 30, 2026, the CS said the summit brought together ministers, policymakers, and technology stakeholders from across Africa and beyond, all of whom reviewed progress on digital transformation and agreed that the continent must now focus less on planning and more on implementation.
The CS added that the discussions also focused on reducing communication barriers between African countries, especially high roaming costs that continue to affect cross-border digital access and trade.
Kabogo went on to appreciate the wide participation of ministers, delegates, and partners who contributed to making the summit a success, noting that the engagement reflected Africa’s growing unity in pursuing a shared digital future.
“Today, we concluded the 15th edition of Connected Africa Summit, 2026 with a renewed commitment.”
“As we conclude the Connected Africa Summit 2026 here in Nairobi, I extend my sincere appreciation to all Ministers, delegates, partners, and stakeholders from across our continent and beyond who made this gathering a success,” he wrote.
The CS further emphasised that Africa has consistently demonstrated strong ambition and clear frameworks in the digital space, but stressed that the real challenge lies in turning those ideas into action that benefits citizens across all member states.
“Over the past three days, Africa has demonstrated that it is not short of vision, frameworks, or ambition.”
Kabogo stressed that leaders had now collectively agreed that execution must take priority over discussions, marking a shift in how continental digital projects will be handled going forward.
“What is required, and what has been collectively committed to, is execution,” he wrote.
He further explained that clear priorities were agreed upon to guide the continent toward a more connected and inclusive digital ecosystem, with the One Africa Network emerging as a central pillar of this vision.
“Clear, actionable priorities were agreed upon to advance a truly connected and inclusive digital Africa,” the statement reads.
The CS highlighted a key agreement to fast-track the African Continental Free Trade Area Digital Trade Protocol and establish a One Africa Network aimed at reducing roaming costs and enabling smoother digital communication across African borders. He went ahead to point to commitments made on expanding digital infrastructure, including fibre networks and data centres, supported by stronger financing mechanisms involving both public and private sector investment.
“There was consensus to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Digital Trade Protocol and work towards a One Africa Network, including the reduction of cross-border roaming costs, to unlock a seamless African Digital Single Market,” he added
“There was also agreement to scale investment in resilient, shared digital infrastructure, expanding fibre networks, data centres, and cross-border connectivity, while mobilising financing through strong public-private partnerships and continental instruments. We now move from commitments to delivery,” he wrote.
He concluded by reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to ensuring that the summit outcomes are implemented, stressing that Africa is now moving from policy discussions to actual delivery of digital transformation projects across the continent.