Ralph Oyini Mbouna

Speaker Bio

Dr. Ralph Axel Oyini Mbouna is Director of Digital Transformation and Services at the Smart Africa Secretariat, where he oversees a portfolio of continental digital programmes operating across more than 40 African countries, supported by partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, European Union, GIZ, and the Mastercard Foundation.

An Electrical Engineer holding a Ph.D. from Temple University (Philadelphia, USA), Dr. Oyini Mbouna began his career as a faculty member in Engineering at Temple University before returning to Africa to lead the Universal Service and Access Fund at ARCEP Gabon, where he delivered the country's first large-scale rural connectivity project, connecting 15,000 citizens across 33 villages to mobile and 4G Internet services.

At Smart Africa, he leads the Digital Transformation and Services Directorate, heading flagship initiatives including the Smart Africa Data Exchange (SADX), a continental digital public infrastructure initiative designed to enable trusted cross-border digital services, and a $31 million technology-driven entrepreneurship programme supporting innovation and startup growth across Africa.

Dr. Oyini Mbouna is a recognized voice on African digital sovereignty, cross-border interoperability, and the development of Africa's Single Digital Market.