5G Summit - Scaling 5G in Africa: from Deployment to Impact

As of early 2026, 53 operators across 29 markets have launched commercial 5G services, with a further 14 countries committed to follow. Yet 5G adoption still accounts for just 3.8% of Africa’s total mobile connections - a signal that deployment alone is not sufficient. For 5G to translate into economic impact at scale, Africa must move from building networks to putting them to work.

Across the continent, 5G is beginning to power new services for businesses and citizens - from broadband connectivity for underserved households to connected solutions in agriculture, health, and industry. The convergence of 5G and AI is further expanding what is possible, enabling a new generation of applications built for African realities. But realising this potential at scale requires more than technology - it demands the right applications, the right partnerships, and the right conditions for demand to grow.

The 5G Summit at MWC Kigali 2026 is a platform for that conversation. Under the theme “Scaling 5G in Africa: from Deployment to Impact” the summit brings together leaders from government, the mobile industry, and the broader digital ecosystem to make the case for 5G’s value, explore the applications driving adoption, and define the policy, investment, and partnership conditions needed to scale 5G’s impact across the continent.

Agenda

The summit will run across two 90-minute sessions. Session 1 makes the strategic case for 5G in Africa and addresses the policy, investment, and partnership conditions needed to scale. Session 2 moves from argument to proof, showcasing practical 5G use cases already delivering impact across African markets, followed by a panel with the innovators behind them.

Session 1: 14:00 – 15:30

Topic: 5G for Africa: Beyond Coverage, Towards Impact

This session makes the economic and social case for 5G in Africa and sets out the structural conditions that will determine whether deployment momentum translates into continent-wide impact. It brings together leaders from government, industry, and investment to address demand drivers, spectrum and policy frameworks, regulatory reform, and the cross-sector partnerships needed to move from early deployments to lasting impact.

Session 2: 15:30 – 17:00

Topic: 5G Applied: A showcase of use cases across the African market

The gap between deployment and adoption will not close without applications that are relevant, proven, and built for African realities. This session moves from argument to proof. It showcases five practical 5G solutions being deployed across African markets - spanning broadband, private networks, and sector-specific applications - and closes with a panel bringing together the innovators behind them to discuss what is working, what it took to get there, and what will unlock scale.