Lindiwe Sigasge

A South African policy leader driving digital transformation across Africa through inclusive technology initiatives.

Lindiwe Majele Sigasge is a trailblazing South African technologist and former Minister of Communications, whose work has transformed Africa's digital landscape. Born in 1965, she pioneered policies that turned South Africa into a continental tech hub, while advocating for equitable internet access. Her 2008-2014 tenure as Minister saw the launch of the National Broadband Network (NBN), connecting rural schools and clinics to high-speed internet for the first time.

Sigasge's vision extends beyond infrastructure. She co-founded the Africa ICT Alliance, a coalition pushing for digital literacy programs reaching 15 million Africans by 2025. Her 2016 book 《Africa's Digital Decade》 outlines strategies for leveraging technology to solve food security, education, and governance challenges. The book has become a blueprint for tech policy in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Her most impactful initiative is the AfricaConnect2 project, a $100 million initiative linking 20 countries via undersea cables. This reduced data costs by 40% and enabled innovations like Nigeria's e-Health platform and Kenya's M-Pesa mobile banking expansion. Sigasge also chairs the Internet Society South Africa, promoting net neutrality and cybersecurity continent-wide.

She's a vocal advocate for gender equity in tech, establishing the SheCodes Africa initiative that trained 50,000 girls in coding by 2022. Her TED Talk 《Why Africa Needs a Digital Renaissance》 has over 2 million views, inspiring global investors to fund African startups.

Currently serving as AU's Special Envoy for Digital Transformation, Sigasge is leading the Africa Digital Decade initiative targeting 100% internet access by 2030. Her work has positioned Africa as a leader in mobile money systems and renewable energy grids powered by smart technologies.