AfriLabs joins ITU as ITU-D Sector Member

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council has welcomed AfriLabs, the pan-African network of nodes, as a member of the ITU Development Sector (ITU-D).

AfriLabs’ membership of ITU-D marks a significant turning point in its mission to support innovation, entrepreneurship and technology development across Africa. This partnership will enable AfriLabs to participate in global conversations and initiatives aimed at driving digital transformation and sustainable development in Africa.

Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director of AfriLabs, said: “This membership not only validates AfriLabs’ efforts to support innovation and technology development in Africa, but also provides us with a unique opportunity to collaborate on a global scale.” She added: “We look forward to leveraging ITU’s vast resources and network to advance our mission of strengthening African technology hubs and startups, ultimately driving socio-economic development across Africa.”

The inclusion of AfriLabs in the ITU-D sector underlines the importance of ITU supporting technology and innovation ecosystems in emerging markets. AfriLabs’ extensive network of over 450 innovation centres in 53 African countries will bring valuable insights and perspectives to ITU initiatives and programmes.

Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunications Development Bureau noted that “AfriLabs’ vast network of technology and innovation centres is in line with ITU-D’s efforts in building innovation and entrepreneurship capacity for its members and will support the development of the African technology and innovation ecosystem.”

ITU is the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for matters related to information and communication technologies. The ITU-D Sector is dedicated to supporting international cooperation and promoting equal access to telecommunications and information technologies.

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