AfIGF 2025 Dar es Salaam — In-Depth Report: Minutes Digest & 3-Line Summary

The 3-Line Summary

1. The 14th African IGF met on 29–31 May 2025 at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (the catalogue lists Nairobi, but the venue was Dar es Salaam), drawing over 1,000 participants from 67 countries under the theme "Empowering Africa's Digital Future."
2. Thirty-nine sessions ran across five tracks — digital public infrastructure, AI, cybersecurity, universal access and digital cooperation — and the outcome Dar es Salaam Declaration committed to stronger DPI, responsible AI, cross-border data flows and greater youth and women's participation.
3. With connectivity up from 2.1% in 2005 to 38% yet most Africans still offline, the forum doubled down on a unified African voice in the WSIS+20 review and Global Digital Compact — essential context for anyone tracking global digital rule-making.

Welcome — this is the Japan IGF Support Organization. This in-depth report on AfIGF 2025 in Dar es Salaam draws on official outputs, session records and on-site reporting. In a hurry? The three lines above and the diagrams carry the gist.

📍 The catalogue lists this event as 'Nairobi, Kenya', but all sources confirm the 14th AfIGF (2025) was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. No 2025 AfIGF in Nairobi could be verified. Nairobi is where the AfIGF was founded (at the 2011 global IGF) and hosted the 2013 edition, which may explain the mix-up

Conference at a Glance (from official records)

(See the source list at the end of this article.)

Discussion Digest — from the Session Records

Key exchanges extracted from session records and transcripts.

1. The Dar es Salaam Declaration — Four Pillars: DPI, AI, Data Flows, Inclusion

Sessions: Adopted at the closing session (31 May)

• The Declaration set four pillars: strengthening digital public infrastructure, responsible and inclusive AI adoption, cross-border data flows with regional policy alignment, and expanded participation of youth, women and civil society [1]
• It committed Africa to speaking with a unified voice in global processes — WSIS+20, the Global Digital Compact and UN cybersecurity discussions [1]

2. Host Tanzania Steps Up — Opening on Behalf of the President

Sessions: Opening ceremony (29 May, Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre)

"Tanzania is ready to collaborate with the international community in ensuring that the goals of the World Summit on the Information Society are achieved"
— Hon. Jerry William Silaa (Tanzania's Minister of Communication and Information Technology, on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan) [1][2]

• The Government of Tanzania hosted with UNECA and the AU Commission; the communications minister opened the forum on behalf of the President [1][2]
• Over 1,000 participants joined 39 sessions and 46 exhibition booths, with celebrations marking 20 years of the global IGF [1][2]

3. Connectivity at 38% — How to Reach the Remaining Majority

Sessions: Universal Access and Meaningful Connectivity track

• UNECA's Mactar Seck noted Africa's connectivity had grown from just 2.1% in 2005 to 38%, leaving roughly 62% still offline [2][4]
• The prescriptions on the table: more investment in digital public infrastructure, stronger digital skills, and regulatory harmonisation [2][4]
• Producing local content in African languages was discussed as key to making connectivity meaningful [2][4]

4. Youth Claim the Stage — "We Are Already Shaping It"

Sessions: Youth Track (29 May) and youth-led sessions

"Young people are not just future decision-makers—we are already shaping the digital landscape"
— Millennium Malamla (Youth IGF Tanzania) [1][2][4]

• Youth-led sessions tackled tech entrepreneurship, inclusive e-learning and the gender digital divide [1][2][4]
• The Dar es Salaam Declaration backed this up, making youth, women's and civil-society participation one of its four pillars [1][2][4]

5. A Forum on the Move — Five Tracks and Ghana Up Next

Sessions: Programme structure and closing announcements

• The programme ran on five themes — DPI and data governance, AI and emerging technologies, cybersecurity and trust, universal access, and digital cooperation — flanked by parliamentary and youth tracks and the AfriSIG school (24–28 May) [1][3][4]
• The EU's representative signalled commitment to Africa–EU digital cooperation via the Global Gateway; Ghana was announced as host of the 15th edition in 2026 [1][3][4]

Three-Minute Short Talk — Your Questions Answered

Q. Wasn't this meeting held in Nairobi?

A. No. The 14th African IGF in 2025 took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre. Nairobi is where the AfIGF was founded in 2011 and hosted the 2013 edition — an easy mix-up.

Q. Did it produce anything concrete?

A. Yes — the Dar es Salaam Declaration, built on four pillars: stronger digital public infrastructure, responsible and inclusive AI, harmonised cross-border data flows, and wider participation of youth and women. It also commits Africa to a unified voice in the UN's WSIS+20 review.

Q. Why should I care?

A. Africa is the world's biggest growth market for connectivity — 38% online, most of the continent still to come. When 67 countries coordinate their positions on AI and data before UN negotiations, the rules everyone else lives under start to shift.

What Is AfIGF? (for first-time readers)

AfIGF is a National or Regional IGF Initiative (NRI), aligning local internet governance discussion with global IGF principles.

Why It Matters to You

What was discussed here becomes the baseline for national digital policy, platform rules and AI regulation worldwide within a few years. The principles confirmed at the 2025 meeting are the foundation of the "next rules" for the phones, social platforms and AI services you use every day.

Sources & References

1. AfIGF 2025 Communiqué: Empowering Africa's Digital Future from Dar es Salaam — Africa IGF Secretariat, igf.africa (accessed 2026-07-10)
2. Tanzania hosts continental push for inclusive internet governance — UNECA (accessed 2026-07-10)
3. Africa IGF Tanzania — Africa IGF Secretariat, igf.africa (accessed 2026-07-10)
4. AfIGF 2025 Unites Africa in Dar es Salaam to Shape Inclusive Digital Future — Devdiscourse (accessed 2026-07-10)

Quotes are translated or condensed from the records listed above. Bracketed numbers [n] refer to the source list.

Related links

• IGF official (NRI list): https://www.intgovforum.org/en/content/national-and-regional-igf-initiatives
• Japan IGF: https://japanigf.jp/
• Yuki Nakazawa's blog: https://nkzw.jp/category/igf/

Revision History

Rev. 1 — published 2 September 2025, 20:00 (Article published)

Rev. 2 — updated 10 July 2026, 14:28 (Fully revised into the in-depth edition: added the 3-line summary, minutes digest, short talk, source list and diagrams (all quotes verified against the listed sources))

— 中澤祐樹