African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI) hosts African communication regulators

The African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI) is hosting its annual liaison forum this week, bringing together communication regulators from eight African nations to align on regional digital transformation priorities. The high-level gathering at AFRALTI's Nairobi headquarters marks a critical step in harmonizing ICT policies across Eastern and Southern Africa.

Representatives from regulatory bodies including Kenya's Communications Authority, Uganda Communications Commission, Malawi's MACRA, South Sudan's National Communication Authority, and Zimbabwe's POTRAZ are participating in the week-long discussions. The forum focuses on shared challenges in capacity building, emerging technology regulation, and accelerating digital inclusion across member states.

The sessions examine regulatory responses to rapidly evolving technologies like AI and IoT, while addressing persistent gaps in rural connectivity and digital skills development. Participants are sharing best practices from their respective markets, including Mozambique's INCM framework for universal service funds and Congo's ARPTC approach to spectrum management. The forum builds on AFRALTI's three-decade legacy as a pan-African capacity development institution, now positioning itself as a coordinator for regulatory innovation. 

With African nations at varying stages of digital maturity, the Nairobi meetings aim to establish common benchmarks for ICT policy while respecting local contexts. Outcomes are expected to influence regional positions at upcoming global telecom governance forums, ensuring African voices shape the digital future rather than merely adapt to external frameworks. 

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye