African nations took centre stage at this year’s WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, with four countries—Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe—emerging among the world’s best in leveraging technology for inclusive, sustainable development.
African nations took centre stage at this year’s WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, with four countries—Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe—emerging among the world’s best in leveraging technology for inclusive, sustainable development.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), now marking its 20th year, has grown into the UN’s flagship process for digital cooperation. This year’s edition brings together more than 150 countries, charting a new path for digital transformation ahead of the United Nations General Assembly’s December review of the WSIS process.
Hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU ) and the Swiss Confederation, the 2025 forum celebrates two decades of global efforts to build people-centred, equitable information societies. It also honours standout innovations with the prestigious WSIS Prizes, highlighting projects that address real-world challenges through technology.
Among the 19 winners announced this year, Africa made a bold mark:
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Nigeria was recognised in the Access to Information and Knowledge category for its Digital Awareness Programme, spearheaded by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC ).
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South Africa earned top honours in the Enabling Environment category for Digitech, a Department of Communications and Digital Technologies initiative that uplifts homegrown tech innovation. From supporting local developers to boosting visibility of South African tech, Digitech has become a model for digitally inclusive growth.
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Zimbabwe’s Usawa Institute clinched the Media category win for Girls Speak Out, a grassroots initiative led by Anoziva Marindire that empowers girls in underserved communities through tech and coding. The project has opened digital doors for many young women once excluded from the digital economy.
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Tanzania stood out in the E-health category with A New Era in Zanzibar’s Healthcare, a PharmAccess initiative introducing digital unique IDs to improve access, transparency, and quality of health services. “Digital IDs are helping us reimagine healthcare delivery,” noted Dr. Heri Marwa of PharmAccess Tanzania.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin praised the awards as a showcase of how technology, when tailored to local needs, can transform societies. Since WSIS first convened in 2005, global internet usage has grown from one billion to over 5.5 billion users. The summit has helped shape new norms in governance, connectivity, and digital rights—shifting from fragmented approaches to more collaborative, multistakeholder models.
The WSIS+20 event continues through July 11, setting the tone for global digital cooperation in the years to come. As Africa’s recognition grows, the continent’s role in shaping that future is unmistakably clear.
