Uganda, May 2 -- Uganda and Africa's digital future will be decided not by how many people get online, but by who controls the intelligence running the networks, Kenya's Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, has warned.

In a policy statement ahead of the Africa Forward Summit 2026 set for Nairobi this month, Mr Thigo said the gathering comes "at a defining moment where technology is no longer a sectoral issue." "In this age of intelligence, it determines power, agency, sovereignty, and the future of prosperity," he wrote.

While the summit will carry a dedicated theme on artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and innovation, Mr Thigo argued the deeper question for Africa and France is "not only how we adopt techn...