The World Trade Organization (WTO) concluded its 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) without consensus on extending the eCommerce Moratorium, resulting in its lapse. Introduced in 1998, the moratorium has prevented customs duties on electronic transmissions and has been central to the growth of global digital trade, especially for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups.
Ahead of MC14, the Association for Competitive Technologies (ACT ) led a global advocacy effort to unify MSME and startup voices in support of making the moratorium permanent. As part of this initiative, ACT engaged organizations worldwide, including the Africa ICT Alliance, to build a broad coalition of support.
AfICTA responded by endorsing and co-signing a joint letter to the WTO as championed by ACT | The App Association, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), reinforcing the importance of a duty-free digital trade environment for innovation, startup growth, and inclusive participation in the global digital economy. This collaboration highlights strong alignment between global and African industry stakeholders on the need for policy certainty in digital trade.
Despite the lapse, over 20 WTO members, including the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia, have committed to maintaining a duty-free approach, while 66 members continue negotiations under the Joint Statement Initiative on eCommerce.
While uncertainty remains, the coordinated advocacy led by ACT, supported by AfICTA and other partners, underscores a sustained global push toward securing a permanent and binding moratorium.
Ms Rachael Shitanda of the Computer Society of Kenya (CSK) has succeeded Ms Ulandi Exner as the Acting Chair of AfICTA pending the election of the substantive Chair by the board.
Following the resignation of Ms Ulandi, the former Chairperson on April 9, and in line with Section 9.6 of the AfICTA Constitution, the Deputy Chair and Vice-Chair, East Africa of AfICTA, Ms Rachael Shitanda succeeded her.
Ms Shitanda is a technology leader and computer scientist with expertise in cybersecurity, product development, and IT governance, bringing strong experience in policy, risk management, and digital transformation.
AfICTA remains committed to its vision of fulfilling the promise of the digital age for everyone in Africa and to strengthening collaboration across the continent’s ICT ecosystem.
Kayode Oyeyemi is a seasoned Technology and Internet Governance professional with over a decade of experience driving digital transformation initiatives, multistakeholder collaboration, and ICT ecosystem development across Africa. He currently serves as Senior Programme Officer at the Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA), a leading pan-African ICT industry body committed to advancing innovation, digital policy advocacy, and sustainable technology growth across the continent.
In his role at AfICTA, Kayode oversees programme coordination, governance operations, digital infrastructure management, and strategic stakeholder engagement. He plays a central role in organizing high-level continental events, coordinating the Africa ICT Awards, supporting private sector participation in Internet Governance processes, and managing AfICTA’s digital platforms, communications systems, and membership ecosystem. His work bridges technology operations, policy dialogue, institutional governance, and strategic communications, positioning him at the intersection of technical expertise and policy leadership.
Kayode is a Fellow of the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) held at Zanziba, Tanzania, and the Nigeria School on Internet Governance (NSIG) in Abuja. Through these platforms and other regional engagements, he has actively contributed to national, regional, and global conversations on digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, data governance, affordable connectivity, and emerging technologies. He has supported workshop proposals, reporting processes, and stakeholder coordination within global forums such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
With a background in Computer Science (HND), Kayode combines technical proficiency with strategic programme management experience. His expertise spans digital policy coordination, ICT capacity building, event systems architecture, communications strategy, web administration, and institutional compliance. He has worked closely with government representatives, private sector leaders, civil society actors, and academia to foster collaborative approaches to Africa’s digital advancement. He also a member of the Nigerian IGF Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group, representing the Private Sector.
Kayode is particularly passionate about strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure, promoting inclusive innovation, reducing connectivity costs, and advancing policies that align technology development with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He believes that multistakeholder cooperation, regional collaboration, and forward-looking policy frameworks are essential to unlocking Africa’s digital potential.
Beyond his professional responsibilities, he is deeply committed to knowledge sharing, public speaking, youth mentorship, and thought leadership on emerging technologies and digital governance in Africa. His work continues to contribute to shaping conversations around Africa’s role in the global digital economy and building resilient, future-ready ICT ecosystems across the continent.
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has officially published the full list of submissions received in response to its global call for thematic inputs for the 2026 cycle. These submissions, which reflect a wide range of critical digital policy issues, from artificial intelligence to data governance and meaningful connectivity, are now accessible on the IGF website.
The call, which closed on 28 February 2026, attracted strong global participation across stakeholder groups and regions. Notably, the African Group recorded one of the highest numbers of submissions, underscoring the region’s growing influence in shaping global digital governance conversations.
The Africa ICT Alliance is pleased to announce that its submission is among the published inputs and is now publicly available on the IGF platform. AfICTA’s contribution highlights key priorities, including Artificial Intelligence Governance, Data Governance, and Universal Access and Meaningful Connectivity, with a strong focus on capacity development and digital inclusion across Africa.
AfICTA emphasised the need for the IGF to evolve beyond dialogue into a results-oriented platform that supports the implementation of global frameworks such as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the Global Digital Compact, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The submission calls for strengthened multistakeholder collaboration and measurable outcomes that directly impact developing regions.
The published inputs will inform deliberations by the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) as it defines the thematic priorities, subthemes, and programme structure for IGF 2026.
The IGF 2026 annual meeting, marking the 21st edition of the forum, is expected to bring together global stakeholders from governments, the private sector, civil society, and the technical community to address emerging digital challenges and opportunities. While final details are being confirmed, the meeting is anticipated to take place in the latter part of 2026, with announcements regarding the host country, theme, and exact dates to be made by the IGF Secretariat in due course.
AfICTA encourages stakeholders across Africa and beyond to review the published submissions and actively engage in the upcoming phases of the IGF process to ensure inclusive and impactful digital policy outcomes.
For more information and to view the published submissions, please visit the IGF website. https://www.intgovforum.org/en/igf-2026-proposed-issues
AfICTA Secretariat
The Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA) today highlighted the impactful contribution of its Deputy Chair and Vice-Chair East Africa, Ms. Rachael Shitanda, during a high-level virtual X-Space dialogue hosted by Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under its Citizen Support Mechanism (CSM).
Titled “Scrolling into Danger? Youth, Social Media and Extremist Content,” the session convened technologists, civil society leaders, policymakers, and young voices to explore how violent extremist groups exploit digital platforms and how youth can be equipped to recognize, resist, and counter such narratives.
With over 70% of Kenya’s population under the age of 35, and social media platforms like X, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube deeply embedded in daily life, the discussion underscored the urgent need for proactive, youth-inclusive solutions to online radicalization.
Ms. Shitanda who is also the Chief of Products and Technology at UpraiseCX challenged the prevailing reliance on reactive content moderation, urging a shift toward prevention rooted in digital literacy, inclusion, and trust. “Technology evolves faster than regulation, and algorithms prioritize attention over truth,” she said. “But young people aren’t falling behind; they’re already living in these digital ecosystems. Our strategies must meet them there.”
Drawing on her experience in tech innovation and digital governance, Ms. Shitanda emphasized that radicalization often begins long before violence manifests: “It starts quietly, with isolation, unanswered questions, and curated content that distorts reality. By the time it becomes visible, intervention is far more difficult.”
She called for a reimagined approach: “Removing harmful content is necessary, but not enough. Prevention begins with empowering individuals to make conscious choices of what to engage with, what to share, and when to pause. These everyday decisions shape algorithms, narratives, and ultimately, real-world outcomes.”
The purpose was to:
1. Expose tactics used by extremist groups to recruit youth online
2. Promote critical digital literacy and responsible engagement
3. Foster open conversations about online safety without compromising free expression
4. Strengthen collaboration among government, civil society, and youth influencers
In closing, Ms. Shitanda reaffirmed the central role of young people as partners, not problems, in securing digital spaces: “Extremism loses its grip when young people are informed, heard, and empowered. Building safer online ecosystems requires more than smarter platforms or stricter laws; it demands investment in people as co-creators of a resilient digital future.”
AfICTA remains committed to advancing inclusive digital governance, ethical technology use, and policies that position Africa’s youth at the forefront of shaping safe, open, and equitable digital spaces across the continent.
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- Champions of Africa’s Digital Future Emerge at the 13th AfICTA Summit