Experts in data protection, cybersecurity, and digital policy from across Africa and beyond will gather in Accra this December for the 2025 Data Protection Africa Summit and the PICCASO Awards Africa.
Organized by the Africa Digital Rights Hub (ADRH) in partnership with the Data Protection Commission of Ghana, the event will explore how innovation can flourish alongside data privacy and security.
Scheduled to take place from December 1 to 4 at the Labadi Beach Hotel, the summit will have the theme “Defining Africa’s Digital Future: From Consumerism to Partnership.”
According to a statement issued by Ms. Teki Akuetteh, the Executive Director of the Africa Digital Rights Hub, on November 12, the event will unite regulators, policymakers, industry leaders, civil society groups, researchers, and innovators to discuss the evolving landscape of data protection in Africa.
“As our continent undergoes rapid digital transformation driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data analytics, the protection of personal information has become both a pressing challenge and a critical opportunity,” the statement said.
The summit will include a series of masterclasses, expert panels, and networking sessions aimed at helping participants build capacity, share ideas, and explore solutions to data protection challenges across the continent.
The 2025 Summit offers participants from Ghana and other regions in Africa a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge, build partnerships, and gain new insights to enhance their professional growth, according to the ADRH.
A major highlight of this four-day event will be the PICCASO Awards Africa, an awards ceremony organized by PICCASO, a UK-based organization, in collaboration with ADRH. The awards will recognize and celebrate African excellence and innovation in data privacy, cybersecurity, compliance, and data ethics.
The organizers stated that the summit aims to “reinforce the urgent need to protect and safeguard personal data in this era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while fostering an enabling environment for the responsible collection and use of personal data as a strategic resource for socio-economic development.”
In addition to discussions, the summit will also serve as a networking platform for experts and institutions dedicated to advancing responsible and inclusive digital development across Africa. “It will provide participants with valuable opportunities to network, share knowledge, celebrate excellence, and strengthen collaboration to advance data protection throughout the continent,” the statement added.
