FIFAfrica25 |
Theme: Self-Reflection:
In a hut specially built for the Forum, we invite you to take a moment to reflect on your relationship with the internet. What has your journey online been? This is not necessarily a discussion on laws, or advocacy strategies or digital security protocols but about our intimate and emotional relationships with digital technologies.
Exhibitors: Curious Spaces, Small Media, CIPESA
FIFAfrica25 |
We welcome you to enter this space where digital rights come alive. The FIFAfrica25 “Be The Experience” immersive exhibition is a showcase of the creativity, innovation, and resilience of Africa’s digital rights ecosystem. It includes interactive installations and live demonstrations as well as visual art and storytelling, and is designed to bridge the gap between policy debates and lived experiences.
FIFAfrica attendees will learn, discover, and also engage with an amazing lineup of exhibitors who are dedicated to the cause of advancing #InternetFreedomAfrica.
This exhibition is a shared experience that turns abstract digital policy concepts into tangible realities. Exhibtors are placed into zones to help navigate from a journey that starts from a moment of self-reflection and ends in a gathering of wisdom.
In a hut specially built for the Forum, we invite you to take a moment to reflect on your relationship with the internet. What has your journey online been? This is not necessarily a discussion on laws, or advocacy strategies or digital security protocols but about our intimate and emotional relationships with digital technologies
Enter this zone and reflect on who has access to your data. Ask yourself, How secure are my devices? What are the habits that make me vulnerable online? Confront your vulnerabilities and the myths around online safety and digital security
Here, risks that we face online are made visible. Visit this zone to see the work of entities dedicated to helping us spot the risks we face online as well as the campaign associated with amplifying the movement for a safer digital ecosystem.
Learn about some of the tools of resistance and why they matter in everyday digital life. In this zone, take time to explore and discover tools that can help you navigate online spaces even in the most trying of times - including when the internet is shut down. Delve into what rights are affected by poor digital health practices and strengthen your legal resilience knowledge
In this zone, explore efforts aimed at showcasing the evolving African digital ecosystem. bridging the different communities of the digital ecosystem and why these communities of practice are important.
For FIFAfrica this is an extension of the spirit of our gathering to share knowledge and put into practice the lessons from the immersive exhibition including on digital resilience.
Be sure to visit the Digital Security Hub which features a lineup of digital securuty experts eagerly waiting to address any concerns you may have on digital safety and your devices, Among them will also be Andrew Gole fresh off a solo biking adventure coupled with stops to engage and highlight the role that digital safety and security has in our everyday lives and work.
The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25) is fast approaching, and the excitement is building. This year’s edition, hosted by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) in partnership with the Namibian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) and the Namibia Internet Governance Forum (NamIGF), will take place in Windhoek, Namibia, from 22–26 September 2025. We are pleased to announce that the speaker line-up and full agenda is now available, offering a comprehensive line-up of conversations, experiences, and networking opportunities.
This year’s Forum will serve as yet another edition in FIFAfrica’s 12-year history of assembling digital rights defenders, policymakers, technologists, academics, regulators, journalists, and the donor community, who all have the shared vision of advancing internet freedom in Africa. FIFAfrica25 promises to build on this legacy, with an agenda that is engaging and inclusive of the many shifts we have witnessed since last year.
Here is What You Can Expect
Pre-Events by invitation (September 22-24, 2025)
FIFAfrica25 kicks off with a series of pre-events designed to engage allies, stock-take and build skills and knowledge ahead of the main programme. These include community-driven workshops, closed-door strategic dialogues, and network member meetings that allow participants to dive deeper into niche areas of digital rights and governance. Over the years, pre-events have served as an exciting avenue for various organisations to connect early, showcase their work, sharpen ideas, and prepare new communities for the various sessions at the main event.
The pre-events are by invitation only. However, limited spots are available for additional participants in select events. Are you arriving in Windhoek early and interested? Express interest in attending a pre-event here.
A Diverse Main Programme (September 25-26, 2025)
The main agenda features plenary sessions, workshops, consultations, breakout discussions, and networking moments. Sessions cover a wide array of topics reflecting themes that emerged from our public call for proposals, including digital inclusion, digital resilience and safety; freedom of expression & access to information; platform accountability; the implications of AI; digital economy; and digital democracy.
Strategic Consultations
As part of the Forum, various strategic meetings have been set up with the goal of deeper-level discussion and interrogation of specific issues and processes. These include efforts aimed at influencing action on areas such as various resolutions of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) and Digital Public Infrastructure. Additionally, this year a book launch on internet shutdowns features amongst the strategic engagements. These engagements will allow for frank exchanges on some of the challenges in the digital ecosystem, but will likely also cast a light on more opportunities for collaboration across Africa and beyond.
Immersive Experience
This year, we want participants at FIFAfrica to “Be the experience!” Accordingly, the Forum will encourage attendees, onsite or participating remotely to partake in various interactions that bring digital rights issues to life. These experiences aim to break down barriers between complex digital rights policy concepts and real-world lived experiences.
These include:
Celebrating the International Day for Universal Access to Information
FIFAfrica25 will continue the practice of commemorating the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) celebrated annually on September 28. While the Forum this year precedes the IDUAI, many sessions and plenary discussions will highlight the essential role of access to information in enabling civic participation, inclusion, and digital democracy. This year’s global theme, “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age”, focuses on the vital importance of timely, comprehensive, and cross-border access to environmental information in an increasingly digital world and resonates deeply with many of the Forum’s discussions.
Join Us in Windhoek
We invite you to explore the full agenda on the FIFAfrica website and begin planning your journey through the sessions, meetings, and immersive experiences (remember to register on the event platform and join the community there). Whether you are a policymaker, activist, journalist, academic, technologist, or artist, FIFAfrica25 will have a space for you to contribute.
FIFAfrica |
In the lead-up to the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25), a series of pre-events will set the stage for engaging discussions and actions. These sessions set to be held between September 22-24, 2025, serve as a build-up to the Forum by creating avenues for deeper engagement with critical themes that resonate with the content of the Forum. This year, a diverse range of partners have established a series of pre-event sessions focused on various aspects of digital rights, governance, and advocacy across Africa with the goal of addressing the evolving digital landscape. Several common themes emerge from the upcoming pre-event sessions, which are by invitation or by registration.
Find the full list of Pre-events below (Some limited slots are open for registration) | Find the full FIFAfrica Agenda here
Various pre-event sessions include inter-organisational collaboration and capacity building within African networks. These include meetings to be hosted by the African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA), Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA), and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).
Some sessions place a significant focus on understanding and influencing digital rights and data governance. This includes training National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human rights, preparing them for regional consultations on protecting digital civic space from human rights harms. Meanwhile, a session on the “United Voices: Media & Civil Society for African Data Governance” will address how the pervasive nature of datafication has fractured the symbiotic relationship between media and civil society. A session on “Gender Transformative Data Governance in Africa” will highlight the need for a gender-responsive approach to data governance, built upon addressing the minimal representation of diverse gender perspectives and the dominance of private sector interests.
A series of litigation surgeries hosted by Media Defense will be dedicated towards building expertise and capacity among lawyers across Sub-Saharan Africa to protect and advance freedom of expression. Participants will receive expert-led training on international and regional legal frameworks, engage in collaborative case analysis, and strengthen their ability to litigate before national courts and international human rights bodies.
Some pre-events are dedicated towards amplifying the achievements of leveraging advocacy and international mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to advance digital rights. These sessions hosted by the Civil Alliance for Digital Empowerment (CADE), Small Media, and CIPESA, aim to build the digital advocacy capacities of civil society and policymakers in Africa. These efforts are also extended to the youth and will see the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) host an advocacy training for young activists on the African Union system.
An Africa Regional Consultation on Global Policy and Legal Action, collaboratively hosted by the Danish Human Rights Institute, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), and CIPESA, aims to provide clarity on state obligations and company responsibilities regarding digitally mediated human rights harms, supporting civil society advocacy against disinformation and the shrinking of democratic/civic space. The “Spaces of Solidarity (SoS) Forum”, hosted by DW Akademie, also focuses on compiling and updating advocacy positions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including the impact of shrinking international funding. The “African MILE Production” workshop, also hosted by DW Akademie further promotes open exchange on media production, digital campaigning, and cross-border collaboration to strengthen regional media impact.
FIFAfrica25 will also be the home for a “Digital Rights Academy” hosted by NamTushwe and Paradigm Initiative (PIN). The Academy aims to raise awareness and knowledge of digital rights and inclusion, enhancing stakeholders’ capacity to foster inclusive and rights-respecting legislation in their countries.
Digital resilience is a key component of the Forum and also features as a key component of several pre-event sessions including the “Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy Workshop” hosted by the Internet Society (ISOC) a “Digital Security and Localization Workshop” hosted by the Localization Lab. Both sessions are aimed at enhancing digital skills and practices amongst various stakeholders. There is also a led session on “From Harm to Justice: Reimagining Digital Safety for Women and Girls in Africa,” which explores the increasing incidence of online gender-based violence (TFGBV), including image-based abuse and algorithmic amplification of harmful content, and how systemic inequality and weak legal enforcement contribute to these harms.
| Line-up of Pre-Events at FIFAfrica25 (Full details can be found in the Agenda) | |
| September 22, 2025 | |
| Pre-Event Name | Host/s |
| Litigation Surgery | Media Defense |
| Safety of Voices Meeting | Association for Progressive Communications (APC) |
| United Voices: Media & Civil Society for African Data Governance | Data Governance in Africa Research Fund, Media Institute of Southern Africa, Namibia Media Foundation and DW Akademie. |
| September 23, 2025 | |
| NHRI Training on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Rights | Danish Human Rights Institute and CIPESA (Register – limited slots available) |
| Litigation Surgery | Media Defense |
| Digitalise Youth Project: Advocacy Training | European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) |
| Annual Convening and Capacity Building | African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA) |
| Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy Workshop | Internet Society (ISOC) |
| Spaces of Solidarity Forum: Strategic Dialogue on the Policy Agenda in Southern Africa | DW Akademie |
| From Harm to Justice: Reimagining Digital Safety for Women and Girls in Africa | Equality Now (Register – limited slots available) |
| Africa Members Meeting | Association for Progressive Communications (APC) |
| Amplifying Achievements of Digital Rights Advocacy through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR): Testimonies from our Partners | CADE, Small Media and CIPESA (Register – limited slots available) |
| Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA) Member Meeting | International Centre for Non-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and CIPESA |
| Digital Security and Localization Workshop | Localization Lab, the Digital Society of Africa and NamTushwe |
| September 24, 2025 | |
| Africa Regional Consultation on Global Policy and Legal Action | Danish Human Rights Institute, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and CIPESA (Register – limited slots available) |
| Litigation Surgery | Media Defense |
| Digitalise Youth Project: Consortium Meeting | European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) |
| Annual Convening and Capacity Building | African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA) |
| Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy Workshop | Internet Society (ISOC) |
| Digital Rights Academy | NamTushwe and Paradigm Initiative (PIN) |
| Gender Transformative Data Governance in Africa | Pollicy |
| African MILE Production: Putting the Advocacy Message into Practice! | DW Akademie |
| AFEX Member Meeting | Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) |
| Amplifying Achievements of Digital Rights Advocacy through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR): Testimonies from our Partners | CADE, Small Media and CIPESA (Register – limited slots available) |
| Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA) Member Meeting | International Centre for Non-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and CIPESA |
By FIFAfrica |
The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25) will be co-hosted in partnership with the Namibian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) and the Namibia Internet Governance Forum (NamIGF).
Set to take place in Windhoek, Namibia, from September 25–27, 2025, this year’s Forum will serve as yet another notch in FIFAfrica’s 12-year history of assembling digital rights defenders, policymakers, technologists, academics, regulators, journalists, and the donor community, who all have the shared vision of advancing internet freedom in Africa.
With its strong commitments to democratic governance, press freedom, and inclusive digital development, Namibia offers fertile ground for rich dialogues on the future of internet freedom in Africa. The country holds a powerful legacy in the global media and information landscape, being the birthplace of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration on promoting independent and pluralistic media. In a digital age where new challenges are emerging – from information integrity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance to connectivity gaps and platform accountability – hosting FIFAfrica in Namibia marks a key moment for the movement toward trusted information as a public good, including in the digital age.
“Through the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Namibia is proud to co-host FIFAfrica25 as a demonstration of our commitment to advancing technology for inclusive social and economic development. This Forum comes at a critical moment for Africa’s digital future, and we welcome the opportunity to engage with diverse voices from across the continent and beyond in shaping a rights-respecting, secure, and innovative digital landscape,” Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Emma Inamutila Theofelus
This sentiment is shared by the NamIGF Chairperson, Albertine Shipena. “We are honoured to co-host the FIFAfrica25 here in Namibia. This partnership with MICT and CIPESA marks a significant step in advancing digital rights, open governance, and meaningful multistakeholder engagement across the continent. As the NamIGF, we are proud to contribute to shaping a more inclusive and secure internet ecosystem, while spotlighting Namibia’s growing role in regional and global digital conversations.”
The NamIGF was established in September 2017, through a Cabinet decision, as a multistakeholder platform that facilitates public policy discussion on issues pertaining to the internet in Namibia.
Dr. Wairagala Wakabi, the CIPESA Executive Director, noted that FIFAfrica25 presents a timely opportunity to advance progressive digital policy agendas that uphold fundamental rights and promote digital democracy in Africa. “As global debates on internet governance, data sovereignty, and platform accountability intensify, it is essential that Africans inform and shape the frameworks that govern our digital spaces. We are honoured to partner with the Namibian government and NamIGF to convene this critical conversation on the continent,” he said.
Since its inception in 2014, FIFAfrica has grown to become the continent’s leading assembly of actors instrumental in shaping conversations and actions at the intersection of technology with democracy, society and the economy. It has become the stage for concerted efforts to advance digital rights and digital inclusion. These issues, and new emerging themes such as mental health, climate and the environment, and the content economy, will take centre stage at FIFAfrica25, which will feature a mix of plenaries, workshops, exhibitions, and a series of pre-events.
Meanwhile, FIFAfrica will also recognise the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), celebrated annually on September 28. The commemoration serves to underscore the fundamental role of access to information in empowering individuals, supporting informed decision-making, fostering innovation, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development – tenets which resonate with the Forum. This year’s celebration is themed, “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age”.
At the heart of the Forum is a Community of Allies that have, over the years, stood alongside CIPESA in its pursuit of effective and inclusive digital governance in Africa.
Feedback on Session Proposals and Travel Support Applications
All successful session proposals and travel support applicants have been contacted directly. See the list of successful sessions here. Thank you for your patience and for contributing to what promises to be an exciting FIFAfrica25.
Everything you need to plan your attendance at the Forum can be found here – visit this page for key logistical details and tips to help you make the most of your experience!
