West Africa Internet Governance Forum 2025
Building a Resilient, Inclusive, and Safe Digital Future for West Africa.
Venue: Nigeria Communication Commission NCC Annex Office Plot 1253 Cadastral Zone, Jabi – Airport Road, Mbora Disctrict, Abuja
Date: May 19 – 23, 2025
Register for WAIGF 25
Sq Ft
May 19
Bed
to
Bath
May 23
Listed at
2025
HOSTED BY NIGERIA
Connecting Africa,
redefining technology.
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) stands as a pivotal multistakeholder platform facilitating policy dialogues that tackle current and emerging issues within the Internet governance ecosystem.
WAIGF 25 Concept Notewelcome note
A Note from Nitda
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) stands as a pivotal multistakeholder platform facilitating policy dialogues that tackle current and emerging issues within the Internet governance ecosystem.
Overview of Event
The full schedule of the WAIGF 2025 is on Sched. Once register and logged in you should be able to have an overview of the sessions.
Thursday, May 22
| Time | Room | Title | Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00am – 09:00am | Room 1 | Advancing West Africa’s Digital Future through the Global Digital Compact | Ihueze Nwobilor, Engr. Kunle Olorundare, SMIEEE, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Adeboro Odunlami |
| 08:00am – 09:00am | Room 3 | Fortifying Digital Resilience in West Africa: Cybersecurity, Data Protection, and Online Safety | Emmanuel Kwasi Gadasu |
| 08:05am – 09:05am | Room 2 | National AI Policies and Startup Ecosystems in West Africa: Bridging Governance Gaps for Innovation | Yazid S. Mikail, Mohammed Bayero Yayandi |
| 08:55am – 09:55am | Room 1 | Think Global, Build Local: DPI for West Africa | Evelyn Kwarteng, Obaloluwa Ajiboye |
| 08:55am – 09:55am | Room 3 | Model of a voice translation system for African languages in case of a pandemic for hospitals | Mamadou Lamine Diallo |
| 09:00am – 10:00am | Room 2 | Enhancing Digital Resilience: Navigating Online Threats and Privacy Risks in the Digital Age | Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, Yunusa Yau |
| 10:00am – 11:00am | Room 1 | Coffee Break | — |
| 10:55am – 11:55am | Room 2 | Integrating AI and Data Governance into West Africa DPI (5 ISOC CHAPTERS COLLABORATION) | Engr. Kunle Olorundare, SMIEEE, Levy Syanseke, Raymond Mamattah, Eng T.D Nyarufuka |
| 11:00am – 12:00pm | Room 1 | Opening Ceremony & Keynote | — |
| 11:00am – 12:00pm | Room 3 | Unplugged Progress: The Impact of Internet Shutdowns on African Youth and Enterprises | Aaron Promise Mbah, Ganna Ayman, Olamiposi Fasina |
| 12:00pm – 01:30pm | Room 1 | High-Level Panel | — |
| 01:30pm – 02:55pm | Room 1 | Lunch Break | — |
| 02:55pm – 03:55pm | Room 1 | Plenary session 1 | — |
| 04:00pm – 04:30pm | Room 1 | Coffee Break | — |
| 04:30pm – 05:30pm | Room 1 | Greening West Africa’s Digital Future: Addressing Tech-Driven Emissions | Omoniyi Lawson, Praise Adebisi |
| 04:30pm – 05:30pm | Room 2 | Universal Acceptance and the New gTLDs: Unlocking West Africa’s Digital Potential | Abdulkarim Oloyede, Amina Ramallan, Seda Akbulut |
| 04:30pm – 05:30pm | Room 3 | Strengthening Digital Security for Investigative Journalists in West Africa | Christiana Longe |
Friday, May 23
| Time | Room | Session Title | Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:05am – 09:05am | Room 1 | Beyond Awareness: Embedding Digital Security Practices in Marginalized Communities | Godsway Kubi, Angela Onyegbuna, Persis Yentumi |
| 08:05am – 09:05am | Room 2 | Strengthening Digital Rights Protection: STANDS as a Best Practice Model | Khadijah El-Usman, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Adeboro Odunlami |
| 08:10am – 09:10am | Room 3 | Prévenir et contourner les coupures de l’internet en Afrique. | Emmanuel Maurice Diokh |
| 09:00am – 10:00am | Room 1 | Building a Secure and Trusted Digital Africa: Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives | Tinuade Oguntuyi, Karen Ajibade, Confidence Osein |
| 09:05am – 10:05am | Room 2 | From Policy to Progress: The Role of Africa’s Parliaments in Advancing Tech Development | Khadijah El-Usman, ‘Gbenga Sesan |
| 09:05am – 10:05am | Room 3 | Governing AI in Health: from citizen vision to legislative action in West Africa | Ismaél Rachid Boro |
| 10:00am – 11:00am | Room 1 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00am – 12:30pm | Room 1 | Plenary Session 1 | |
| 12:30pm – 02:00pm | Room 1 | Plenary Session 2 | |
| 01:45pm – 03:05pm | Room 1 | Lunch | |
| 03:00pm – 04:00pm | Room 1 | DPI, Data Governance, and Gender-Sensitive ICT Policies: Fostering Inclusive Community Networks | Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo |
| 03:00pm – 04:00pm | Room 2 | Explore AI and technological innovation to improve public policy and foster economic growth | Jaly Badiane, George Lamine Diop |
| 03:05pm – 04:05pm | Room 3 | AI and Education in West Africa: Shaping Policy for Responsible Integration | Abdulkarim Oloyede, Joan Mbesya, Abdulwaheed Musa |
| 04:05pm – 04:35pm | Room 1 | Coffee Break | |
| 04:30pm – 05:20pm | Room 1 | Open Mic & Closing Ceremony |
register for wasig 2025
Join the next generation of African tech leaders!
2025 is a crucial year for the race for regulation and the governance of technologies based on Artificial Intelligence. In this context, this year’s WASIG will therefore be a special “Alumni” edition that will produce a final document based on the work that began last year during the school.
Register for WASIG 2025 here
register for waYIGF 2025
Ready for the 2025
WAYIGF?
2025 is a crucial year for the race for regulation and the governance of technologies based on Artificial Intelligence. Through moderated panels, expert keynotes, technical deep-dives, and interactive discussions, the sessions aim to surface practical insights, elevate diverse youth voices, and generate actionable recommendations that address the urgent digital governance challenges in the subregion
Check out planned activitiesParliamentary Track
Internet Governance
in 2025
Here’s how you can get started:
Overview
MPs expected
Policy focus areas
