The Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Information Society Division of the African Union Commission (AUC) and Research ICT Africa (RIA) are pleased to open the call for nominations for the 14th annual African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG 2026). This year’s edition will take place in the last quarter of 2026 immediately prior to the Africa Internet Governance Forum (IGF), happening in Accra, Ghana.
In addition to providing an overview of internet and digital policy, in Africa and globally, AfriSIG 2026 will focus on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the African context. This year's curriculum will cover topics such as AI for development, with special emphasis on the African Union AI Strategy and trends in current and emerging national AI strategies; as well the internet governance ecosystem from a multilateral and multistakeholder perspective; the roles of government, intergovernmental forums, UN agencies, regulators, parliaments, civil society, business, academia and the technical community; and much more.
AfriSIG is also known for its annual practicum, where participants have to draft and negotiate agreement on a policy brief or statement. The practicum component of AfriSIG 2026 will focus on artificial intelligence governance in Africa, looking in particular at the African Union AI Strategy through the lens of the Just AI Framework.
Participation in AfriSIG costs USD 2,000, which covers accommodation and tuition. Participants are responsible for their own travel costs, unless they are a beneficiary of a travel fellowship.
The 2026 call for nominations is now open and more information can be found here (also available in French and Portuguese). The deadline is 31 May 2026 at 23:59 UTC.
About AfriSIG
AfriSIG’s primary goal is to give Africans who are already active in internet governance or digital policy from various sectors and stakeholder groups the opportunity to gain knowledge that will enable them to participate effectively with increased confidence in national, regional and global internet and digital governance processes and debates.
The first AfriSIG was convened in 2013 in Durban, South Africa and the most recent, AfriSIG 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania alongside the Africa IGF 2025.
Over the years, AfriSIG has built a multidisciplinary cadre with expertise in internet governance through the participation of current and emerging leaders drawn from government, business, academia, the media, the technical community and civil society. The diversity of participants reflects the school’s objective of enhancing multistakeholder cooperation in national to global internet policy and development.