Obinna Ezugwu
Pan-African digital rights group Paradigm Initiative (PIN) will join stakeholders from across the continent for the 2025 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25), which opens on Wednesday, September 24, in Windhoek, Namibia.
The three-day forum, organised by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), brings together policymakers, journalists, global platform operators, telecom companies, regulators, human rights defenders, academics, and law enforcement agencies to deliberate on the future of internet governance in Africa.
PIN said it would leverage its research and advocacy to draw attention to emerging digital threats, including internet shutdowns, online surveillance, data breaches, shrinking civic space, and the digital divide. It will also make recommendations to governments and private sector actors for human rights–centric internet policies.
“Across Africa, digital threats such as internet shutdowns, harassment of journalists and citizens, rampant disinformation, and increased surveillance are undermining human rights and stalling digital development,” the organisation said ahead of the forum.
During the event, PIN will host a Digital Rights Academy and participate in at least six sessions on topics ranging from digital inclusion and cybersecurity to protecting journalists and vulnerable groups online. Key engagements include:
Regional Assessment for National Commitments and Ecosystem Support for Digital Inclusion in Africa
Book Launch: Internet Shutdowns in Africa – Technology, Rights, and Power
Journalist Fund Consultation by Meedan and Paradigm Initiative
Africa Cybersecurity Advocacy Workshop by Internet Society (ISOC)
African Internet Rights Alliance Annual Convening and Capacity Building
Protecting Refugees: Digital Resilience & Information Integrity by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The PIN delegation is led by Thobekile Matimbe, Senior Manager for Partnerships and Engagements, alongside Sani Suleiman, Programmes Officer; Chiti Mbizule, Programmes Officer for Southern Africa; and Moussa Waly Sene, Programmes Officer for Francophone Africa.
FIFAfrica25 will also explore broader themes such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), platform accountability, disinformation, digital safety, and resilience, with the aim of shaping the continent’s digital future.
PIN said its participation reinforces its commitment to ensuring that technology and digital policies open opportunities for Africans rather than impose restrictions.
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