DID:UNCONF AFRICA: Accelerating digital trust and interoperability across the continent

Following the success of its 2025 debut, DID:UNCONF AFRICA returns to the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study from 24–26 February 2026.

This gathering, established as a critical catalyst for Africa’s digital future, brings together the continent’s leading thinkers to solve the complex challenges of digital identity, privacy and cross-border trust.

Hosted by South African identity innovator DIDx in partnership with the globally renowned Internet Identity Workshop, the event serves as a bridge between local innovation and international standards.

While the ‘unconference’ format is a staple in Silicon Valley and Europe, DID:UNCONF AFRICA has successfully pioneered this participatory model in Africa to move beyond traditional, top-down corporate events.

The inaugural 2025 gathering was described as a “breakthrough” for the region, moving the needle on digital identity from abstract policy to practical implementation. Last year’s sessions sparked vital debates on self-sovereign identity, financial inclusion and protecting citizens against digital surveillance.

The 2026 edition aims to deepen these outcomes, focusing on making high-trust identity systems a reality for both individuals and organisations across Africa.

The 2026 event is proud to feature a distinguished line-up of national and international speakers and participants. Among them is Karla McKenna, managing director of GLEIF Americas and a recognised global authority on digital governance, who will deliver a keynote address. She has played a pivotal role in the development of the verifiable Legal Entity Identifier (vLEI), a cornerstone of trusted and secure organisational identity.

“GLEIF is pleased to join DID:UNCONF Africa 2026 to learn from the progress made since the 2025 event,” says McKenna. “These insights are essential as we explore how decentralised, verifiable organisational identity can support economic opportunity and regulatory alignment across the region”.

Unlike conventional conferences, DID:UNCONF AFRICA is intentionally designed as a hybrid experience, combining the clarity of a curated programme with the depth and immediacy of a participant-driven unconference.

The event opens with an Africa-Focused Digital Identity Programme, featuring structured keynote addresses, panel discussions and interactive Q&A sessions that establish a shared foundation around policy, interoperability, innovation and real-world implementation across the continent.

This then flows into two days of Open Space UnConference sessions, where the agenda is co-created live each morning by the participants themselves. These practical, hands-on workshops and break-out discussions ensure the most pressing topics – from biometric security and verifiable credentials to cross-border digital trade – are explored by the people actively designing, deploying and governing these systems.

“DID:UNCONF AFRICA is Africa’s Internet Identity Workshop,” says Gideon Lombard, COO of DIDx. “By combining a focused, Africa-specific programme with two days of collaborative working sessions, we create the conditions needed to design and scale digital identity solutions that work for the continent – enabling collaboration, co-creation and practical problem-solving with the people actively shaping the future of digital identity.”

Programme highlights for 2026 include:

• Africa-Focused Digital Identity Programme – a structured platform for public-sector leaders, institutions and innovators, featuring keynote addresses, panel discussions and interactive Q&A sessions on the state of digital identity in Africa.
• Two-Day Open Space Unconference – a participant-driven programme of practical workshops and break-out sessions, where the agenda is co-created daily and focused on real-world problem-solving by the people actively building and governing digital identity systems.
• Women’s Leadership Breakfast – a dedicated forum celebrating and supporting the women shaping Africa’s digital trust, identity and security landscape.
• Sponsor Showcase – an exhibition space on Day One where sponsors host booths and demonstrate identity solutions designed for real-world deployment and scale.
• Welcome Networking Reception – an opening evening reception set against the Stellenbosch Winelands, offering a relaxed, high-quality environment for connection, conversation and cross-ecosystem exchange.
• Conference Dinner – a hosted evening at a Stellenbosch wine estate, bringing speakers, partners and attendees together for an immersive social experience in the heart of the Cape Winelands.

Tickets for DID:UNCONF AFRICA 2026 are available via Quicket.