The leading African technology and investment conference, held annually in Nairobi since 2018. The 9th edition takes place on 10 and 11 February 2027 at the Sarit Expo Centre, bringing together startups, corporate investors, fintech leaders, and regulators from across the continent and internationally. Africa Tech Summit Ltd also runs a separate London edition. Self-reported attendance of 2,000+ delegates according to the organiser, representing 1,000+ companies.
Africa Tech Summit Nairobi is a two-day business conference and expo positioning itself as the continent's primary gathering point for technology investment, startup development, and cross-sector partnerships in African markets. It is produced by Africa Tech Summit Ltd, which operates the event alongside a companion edition in London.
The summit convenes four main programmatic tracks: Money and DeFi; AI and Digital; Climate Tech and Investment; and a Startup Summit. This structure reflects the event's positioning at the intersection of financial technology, digital infrastructure, climate solutions, and emerging company growth across African markets.
The event is not an academic conference and does not publish research papers. It is a B2B networking and deal-making forum.
Note on the date: the next edition of Africa Tech Summit Nairobi is scheduled for February 2027, not 2026. The 2026 edition has already taken place (the conference website lists 2026 speakers for a past edition). Pre-registration for the 2027 edition is open at time of writing.
The 2027 edition (9th edition) will be held at the Sarit Expo Centre, Nairobi, on 10 and 11 February 2027. The event runs over two full days, combining plenary sessions, panel discussions, an exhibition hall with 90+ exhibitors, and structured networking. An Investment Showcase provides a platform for early-stage ventures to present to investors.
Accommodation is not included in ticket prices. The organiser lists corporate hotel rates on a dedicated travel page (https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/travel/).
February is an active period for African tech and investment events. Africa Tech Summit Nairobi has established itself, across eight prior editions, as the largest annual gathering of this type based in Nairobi, which is East Africa's primary financial and tech hub. The conference draws international attendees, including from Europe, North America, and the Gulf, alongside pan-African participation.
The event does not focus on AI exclusively; AI and Digital is one of four tracks. This distinguishes it from narrower AI-focused formats and makes it more relevant as a broad African tech investment and partnership forum. Competing formats include AfricArena (Cape Town-based) and the broader Africa Tech Festival.
According to the organiser, the 2026 edition drew 2,000+ delegates from 1,000+ companies, with 170+ speakers and 90+ exhibitors. These figures are self-reported and have not been independently verified.
The attendee mix, as described by the organiser, includes:
Past speakers listed on the website include representatives from Bitnob, Moniepoint, London Stock Exchange, Norrsken22, Novastar Ventures, and CMU-Africa, among others.
The two-day programme includes:
The organiser also offers startup discounts on ticket prices, covering access to all sessions, workshops, and networking events.
The four programme tracks for the 2027 edition mirror the established structure:
The event has run for eight prior editions with a consistent format, a named organiser (Africa Tech Summit Ltd), and a public speaker and partner roster. The breadth of partners listed (fintech companies, venture funds, international institutions including London Stock Exchange and ITC) suggests genuine cross-sector participation. However, attendance and other quantitative figures are self-reported by the organiser.
The event is not suited to attendees seeking deep technical AI or data engineering content. It is also not an academic research forum. Entry-level professionals without existing business context in African tech markets may find the networking and deal-making orientation less relevant.
Yes. Africa Tech Summit Ltd operates a separate London edition (https://www.africatechsummit.com/london/), which runs on a different date. The London edition is listed as the 2026 edition at the time of writing; the Nairobi edition has moved to February 2027 for its next occurrence.
The Sarit Expo Centre is a dedicated conference and exhibition facility located in Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. It is one of Nairobi's primary convention venues, hosting large-scale trade shows and conferences. The venue offers multiple halls, exhibition space, and catering facilities. It is accessible from central Nairobi and from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The organiser provides a dedicated travel page with hotel recommendations and corporate rates for conference attendees.
Africa Tech Summit Ltd is the company behind both the Nairobi and London editions of the conference. The organisation is active on LinkedIn (company ID 16228751), Twitter/X (@AfricaTechSMT), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud. The company also runs a podcast and produces reports on African tech markets. The Nairobi edition has been held annually since approximately 2018, making the February 2027 edition the ninth. The organiser's contact page is at https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/contact/.
The established benchmark event for African tech investment and startup deal-making, now entering its ninth year at the Sarit Expo Centre; it draws a genuinely pan-African and international delegation rather than a locally concentrated crowd, and the four-track structure gives it unusual breadth for a two-day event.
Pre-registration for the February 2027 edition is open at https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/pre-register/. Startup discounts are available, covering all sessions, workshops, and networking events. Dedicated expo packages for exhibiting startups are also available. Corporate hotel rates are listed separately on the travel page. Specific ticket prices were not published on the site at time of crawl; prospective attendees should check the registration page for current pricing.
Not described on the website. Africa Tech Summit Nairobi appears to be an in-person event. No online ticket option was listed at time of verification.
Yes, according to the organiser. Startups can attend at reduced rates covering all sessions, workshops, and networking events. Dedicated expo packages are also available for startups wishing to exhibit.
Accommodation is not included in the ticket price. The organiser provides a hotels page with corporate rates at partner hotels. Attendees should book directly with recommended properties.
| Official website | https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/ |
| Pre-register | https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/pre-register/ |
| What to expect | https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/what-to-expect/ |
| Travel and hotels | https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/travel/ |
| Sponsor / partner | https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/sponsor/ |
| London edition | https://www.africatechsummit.com/london/ |