Gitex to launch Africa edition in 2023

Gitex Global, the mega tech showcase, is embarking on a new journey into Africa, leveraging a 42-year legacy of connecting tech titans, governments, startups, investors and global innovation hubs, to accelerate, collaborate, and explore new ventures in the world’s rising tech continent.

The inaugural Gitex Africa will take place from May 31 to June 2, 2023, in Marrakech, Morocco.

Gitex Africa is launched in partnership with the Digital Development Agency (DDA), a strategic public entity leading the Moroccan government’s digital transformation agenda under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform.

Kaoun International, the overseas events organising company of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), will lead the partnership for this business endeavour in the region, officially launching the “Go There” global campaign for Gitex Africa campaign.

At the show’s official announcement and signing ceremony today, Mohammed Drissi Melyani, general director of the Digital Development Agency, said: “We are honoured to organise this event in a continent which is seeing great dynamic, economic and social growth in many fields.

The next biggest digital economy is here. #GITEXAFRICA brings you the biggest tech and business opportunities, in the next multi-billion-dollar market in the making. 31 May – 2 June, Marrakesh, Morocco.

Meet us at #GITEXGLOBAL Stand in Hall 7. pic.twitter.com/HKqkov7PHg

— GITEX GLOBAL (@GITEX_GLOBAL) October 11, 2022

“Morocco is playing a crucial role to assist and support the development of Africa under the leadership of His Majesty the King Mohamed VI and to link it economically to the rest of the world. We are deeply engaged to contribute to the success of this first edition of Gitex Africa and will work very hard to make it exceptional for us all.”

Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of Kaooun International and executive vice president of Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of Gitex, added: “The time for Africa is now. Against a stuttering world tech market, Africa has risen and punched well above its weight recently, with big tech investments rocketing and startups funding recording the best year ever in 2021 at six times over the global average.

“It takes a lot to build and sustain an outstanding tech event. Gitex has a global following of communities that trust the brand’s motivation in discovering new tech geographies and marketplaces for greater empowerment and knowledge sharing in the new generation economies.

“The unified commitment from the stakeholders embodied in Gitex Africa shall amplify the African tech opportunities and bring to forth the world’s next biggest digital economy.”

Meanwhile, global firms such as Microsoft and Google are already setting up billion-dollar innovation and talent hubs in Africa, while the number of people with internet access has grown to 522.8 million, or 40 per cent of the African population.

Furthermore, a youthful populace coupled with Africa’s rapid urbanisation is accelerating digital economic growth, with 70 per cent of the Sub-Saharan African population under 30 years of age and 45 per cent of Africans set to live in cities by 2025.

The pervasive confidence and upbeat outlook on the African tech landscape are shared by global startups and investors, accentuated by the unrivalled opportunities, global visibility and economic impact brought about by the debut of Gitex Africa.

“I’m thrilled to learn about Gitex Africa next year,” said Ramez El-Serafy, CEO of Flat6labs, the Middle East and North Africa’s early-stage venture capital firm, and an existing exhibitor at Gitex Global’s North Star startup showcase.

“Africa is a rising market with boundless opportunities for bold expansion, where startups, investors, accelerators, venture capitalists, multinational corporations and the entire tech ecosystem can construct sustained growth.”

Pardon Mujakachi, vice president of Strategy & Partnerships at Chipper Cash, an African unicorn fintech platform offering mobile, cross-border money transfer services, added: “We’re excited to hear that Gitex is coming to Africa, and believe this a watershed moment for Africa’s future digital economy.

“Gitex Africa will create more opportunities for tech entrepreneurs to shine on the global stage, with Africa a key focal point of innovation and sustainable expansion in emerging economies.”

This year Gitex Global has featured involvement from key African unicorns, such as Jumia, Flutterwave, and Chipper Cash, while welcoming ministerial delegations from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Morocco and many more.

Gitex Africa 2023 will build on these achievements, curating the innovations emerging from the world’s next most sought-after market across the fast-growing sectors of fintech, e-commerce, cloud, IoT, AI, telecom and security.

Read: Gitex Global 2022: Dubai Internet City to hot Intel’s first AI software R&D centre in the GCC