Smart Africa continues to press for deeper cooperation between governments, regional bodies, the private sector and development partners as a core requirement for delivering the continent’s digital transformation agenda. Recent agreements and high-level engagements underscore the organisation’s view that no single actor can close infrastructure gaps, harmonise policy or scale digital public services alone.
In late June 2026, the Smart Africa Secretariat signed a memorandum of understanding with the East African Communications Organization (EACO) aimed at advancing digital transformation and accelerating progress toward a Single Digital Market in Africa by 2030. The three-year framework covers digital infrastructure development, spectrum management, data and internet governance, broadband expansion, cross-border connectivity, digital public infrastructure and financing. It also supports initiatives on free roaming, green data centres, AI computing infrastructure and capacity building.
Earlier in May, Smart Africa signed an MoU with Estonia’s ESTDEV to combine the Baltic country’s digital-government expertise with Smart Africa’s continental programmes. That partnership focuses on digital trust and identity, cybersecurity, governance, startup ecosystems, women-led innovation and STEM education, while promoting interoperable digital public infrastructure and digital public goods across member states.
Smart Africa CEO Lacina Koné has repeatedly framed these collaborations as essential to building digital sovereignty and ensuring African institutions and ecosystems can both connect to and shape the global digital economy. The organisation, an alliance of African heads of state and government, positions itself as a platform that mobilises public and private resources to expand affordable broadband, drive ICT-enabled socio-economic development and reduce fragmentation across the continent.
Why Coordination Matters
Africa’s digital landscape remains uneven. Urban centres often enjoy relatively strong connectivity while rural and underserved areas lag. Cross-border services face regulatory and technical barriers, and many governments still struggle to translate infrastructure investments into inclusive economic outcomes. Smart Africa argues that public-private and inter-institutional partnerships are necessary to mobilise capital, share expertise, harmonise standards and scale solutions that individual countries or companies cannot deliver in isolation.
The recent MoUs do not themselves announce new funding packages or coverage targets. Their value will be measured by how effectively they translate into joint programmes, policy alignment and practical projects on the ground. For now, they reinforce Smart Africa’s central message: digital transformation on the continent requires sustained, coordinated action across governments, regulators, operators, innovators and development partners rather than isolated national efforts.
