DataFest Africa 2025 will mark the 6th edition of this premier data festival, building on the successes of previous data festivals held in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
This year, we want to shift that perspective by focusing on how data can work for the growth and benefit of African local communities. We will witness and document how micro-businesses, community leaders, teachers, youth groups, artists, and grassroots communities are using data to safeguard neighbourhoods, employ citizen science to map and monitor local needs, boost local economies, and spark social change.
DataFest Africa 2025 will feature 3 tracks carefully curated to advance and give the community a feel of a human-centred, Afro-feminist approach to data, technology, and governance.
Track 1: Innovation, Technology and the Future
Track 2: Digital Safety, Economy and Resilience
Track 3: Data, Equity, and Society
DataFest Africa 2025 will equip all stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and partnerships needed to:
Our theme this year is built around the idea of reclaiming our data futures. Learn what that means to us, and what our plan for this year is.
As we look forward to the 2025 edition of DataFest Africa which will be held in Kampala, Uganda, we are excited to announce the theme of this year’s festival: “Reclaiming our Data Futures” The festival which will be hosted in a hybrid format will center around understanding and putting a spotlight on addressing the need to promote intersectionality of gender and data. This will also have an in-depth conversation on how data affects women and girls from data scientists to women who consume and use data on a daily basis.
Fostering community dialogues on data ownership, control, and power
DataFest Africa 2025 seeks to spark critical, community-centered conversations on who truly owns, controls, and benefits from Africa’s data. Through hands-on sessions, open dialogues, and immersive experiences, we will explore how African communities can reclaim agency over their digital identities, challenge extractive data practices, and co-create fairer systems of data governance. The goal is not just to talk about data but to equip participants with tools and strategies to build just, inclusive, and community-driven digital futures.
Showcasing solutions and innovations for the critical masses and affected communities.
At Datafest we will showcase solutions and innovations that have the potential to bring about significant change for the data community. We aim to highlight groundbreaking ideas, technologies, and strategies that address societal challenges and improve the quality of life. By bringing these innovations to the forefront, we hope to inspire attendees to implement similar solutions in their own communities. Furthermore, we believe in the power of collaboration and hope that this platform will foster partnerships and synergies among different stakeholders, amplifying the impact of these solutions.
See how communities and creatives are using data to improve livelihoods
Explore bold, locally built technologies that challenge extractive systems