The GSMA on Tuesday postponed MWC26 Kigali, Africa’s largest connectivity event, just two weeks before its scheduled 16 to 18 June opening at the Kigali Convention Centre.
The organisation announced the decision from London without stating a reason, confirming only that a new date for the event will be announced in due course. It thanked stakeholders for their patience.
“We recognise the inconvenience this may cause to our participants and appreciate their understanding,” the GSMA said.
The delay marks the second time the gathering has slipped. The 2024 edition was also postponed before a new date was set, renewing questions about scheduling for the continent’s premier mobile industry showcase.
The timing lands awkwardly because organisers had unveiled an expanded programme only weeks earlier. The edition was set to debut the first GLOMOs Africa awards alongside new summits spanning 5G, education, health technology, fintech and online fraud.
Its diplomatic profile had also been climbing. The GSMA Ministerial Programme drew 49 delegations from 33 countries and 16 intergovernmental organisations during last year’s inaugural edition.
MWC Kigali is the African leg of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) series, the global mobile sector’s signature event. Run in partnership with Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation, it has positioned the capital as a meeting point for continental technology investment.
The stakes are considerable for a region where mobile technologies are forecast to add $270 billion to Africa’s economy by 2030. Exhibitors and delegations now await a revised date before resuming preparations.