Nairobi, 1st July 2025: The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University have entered a renewable two-year Memorandum of Understanding that places the University’s Research & Innovation Centre as a strategic academic partner in ATU’s continent-wide drive for advanced digital skills, innovation, and evidence-led policy research. The pact provides both institutions with a clear runway to convert shared ambitions into measurable outcomes.
Under the MoU, @iLabAfrica will forge a long-term strategic alliance dedicated to research, capacity-building, and the sustainable growth of ICT and innovation ecosystems across Africa. Central to this collaboration is a joint study aimed at strengthening the continent’s influence in global internet-public-policy forums and producing a harmonised framework for internet governance. The University will contribute expert faculty and academic staff to co-deliver provisions of the MoU. In turn, ATU will supply the technical resources and coordination needed to ensure the smooth execution of the programme and its broader follow-up initiatives. The Parties will also establish mechanisms for ongoing collaboration.
Speaking at the signing, ATU Secretary-General John Omo said the MoU “gives Africa both the steady pipeline of skilled innovators and the solid, data-driven public-policy foundations our digital economy demands.” He added that Strathmore’s academic depth, paired with ATU’s continental mandate, “would help turn research insights into regulatory clarity and investable projects.”
The agreement rests on foundations laid in April, when @iLabAfrica hosted a week-long Artificial-Intelligence Readiness Training for winners of the 4th ATU Africa Innovation Challenge. Innovators from Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Kenya used the sessions to translate high-level policy goals into practical skills, demonstrating the Centre’s capacity to deliver high-intensity, industry-aligned up-skilling.
New market data underline why the partnership cannot wait. In 2024, the Middle East and Africa AI market, for instance, generated roughly USD 15.2 billion in revenue and is expected to grow about 44 percent each year until 2031. Yet as of mid-2025 only 40 percent of Africans are online. Investor interest is racing ahead of connectivity with tech start-ups in the region raising more than USD 642 million in disclosed funding in May 2025 alone. Turning that surge of capital into inclusive growth requires deeper talent pipelines and coherent internet-governance rules—the very gaps this collaboration sets out to bridge.
Dr. Joseph Sevilla, Director of @iLabAfrica, mentioned “We are pleased to formalise this strategic partnership with ATU. We see this MoU as a powerful framework to translate research into actionable insights and drive policy that supports innovation at scale. Our mission has always been to equip Africa’s digital ecosystem with the tools, talent, and thought leadership it needs to thrive. This collaboration amplifies that mission, and we look forward to building a future where academic depth and policy coherence catalyse inclusive digital growth.”
He also emphasised the urgent need to build capacity and equip students with relevant skills in the telecommunications sector as a critical priority for shaping the next generation of tech leaders and innovators. He further noted that aligning academic training with industry demands is essential to empowering students to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
“To prepare our students for the realities of the tech landscape, we must go beyond theory. Capacity building and practical skills development in telecommunications are no longer optional — they are vital,” he said.
He further highlighted that the newly proposed partnership will help ignite entrepreneurial ambition among participating students by offering hands-on exposure and structured support in relevant program areas.
In addition to skill-building, Dr. Sevilla underscored the importance of deepening research and innovation in internet governance and policy, areas he described as “of tantamount importance” for Africa’s digital sovereignty and long-term development.
“If we want to lead — not just follow — in the global digital ecosystem, we must invest in homegrown innovation and policy leadership,” he added.
The partnership is expected to catalyze both technical training and thought leadership, positioning students not only as job seekers but as job creators and policy influencers in the digital age. Implementation will be overseen by a joint steering committee co-chaired by ATU’s Programme Coordinator and Strathmore’s iLabAfrica Centre through the Centre for Internet Governance and Policy (CIGAP). The committee will meet quarterly, publish and present a preliminary report within the agreed upon periods.
About the African Telecommunications Union (ATU)
An Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO), ATU is the specialised organ of the African Union in the field of Telecommunications/ICTs/Digital, and also the International Telecommunications Union’s regional telecommunications organization (RTO) for Africa. The Union represents 52 Member States, and 56 Associate Members. It is an autonomous, membership driven organization whose mission is promoting digital transformation in Africa and ensuring Africa is an equal-player in global digital matters. More on the website https://atuuat.africa/
About @iLabAfrica
@iLabAfrica is a Centre of Excellence in ICT Innovation and Development at Strathmore University. The Centre spearheads Research and Innovation in Information Communication Technology for the Development (ICT4D) of ecosystems towards the attainment of the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to contribute toward Kenya’s Vision 2030. The research Centre is involved in interdisciplinary research in the areas of eHealth, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Internet of things (IoT) and IT for Executive Education. The Centre fosters students’ engagement through technology and has partnered with over 800 global institutions (Universities, NGOs, foundations, and government) and other funding agencies. For more information about the @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre visit www.ilabafrica.strathmore.edu