Addis Ababa: Ethiopia is committed to play a meaningful role in Africa’s technological progress, given its strategic location, young workforce, and growing digital infrastructure, President Taye Atske Selassie said at the opening of East Africa’s largest ever Ethiopian Tech Expo 2025 today. The three-day exhibition was opened at the Addis International Convention Center today, showcasing Ethiopia’s tech-driven transformation and highlighting strides in AI, cybersecurity, smart city, and innovation.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, President Taye emphasized that the expo serves as an exhibition of technology advancement and a platform for transformative collaboration and decisive action, reflecting Ethiopia’s determination to lead in digital transformation. He highlighted Ethiopia’s progress in building a robust, secure, and inclusive digital ecosystem to support initiatives such as national public key infrastructures and secure communication platforms, with significant contributions from the Information Network Security Administration (INSA).
The president noted that the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute has been exploring practical applications of AI to address local challenges, with initiatives like AI-assisted agricultural tools and healthcare diagnostic devices aimed at supporting food security and improving medical services. Digital payment systems such as Tele Birr have enhanced access to financial services, especially in rural areas, bridging gaps in financial inclusion and fostering wider economic participation.
President Taye acknowledged the digital transformation achievements and stressed the importance of recognizing challenges ahead and empowering the next generation to play an active role in this trajectory. He pointed out that rapid advancements in Cloud computing, blockchain, and other technologies are shaping geo-economics and geopolitics. Technology education is a cornerstone of the Digital Ethiopia 2025 Strategy, prioritizing skills in coding, AI, cybersecurity, and data science through collaboration with universities, technical institutions, and the private sector.
INSA Director-General, Tigist Hamid, emphasized Ethiopia’s achievements in the digital sector, highlighting initiatives like the digital forensic laboratory, the five-million coders initiative, and the National ID program as testaments to Ethiopia’s commitment to national security and technology sovereignty. She stressed that Ethiopia is enhancing cyber security programs to nurture homegrown expertise and prepare a new generation of digital defenders, with national Cloud infrastructures and data centers safeguarding data sovereignty and accelerating secured access to digital services.