dx5 Debuts 2026 Events Cycle With The Year Ahead

CIO Africa by dx5 has debuted its 2026 events cycle with the annual ‘The Year Ahead’ event that mainly focuses on what to expect in the year.

Held at the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, the event featured tech leaders and thought leaders who all shared their predictions for the year ahead, as well as look at the progress that has been in the preceding years. Key speakers included the current CIO of the Year, Deborah Mutungi, the Group Head of IT at Sarova Hotels; Dr Shikoh Gitau, the CEO of QHala; Geoffrey Gitagia, the Group Head of IT at Avenue Healthcare; Ali Hussein, the Chairman of the Association of Fintechs in Kenya; Dr Lawrence Nderu, Senior Lecturer at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), among other key speakers.

CIO Africa by dx5 Chairman, Harry Hare, kick-started the event with a presentation of what the company has in store for the year, with a lot of events planned across the continent. The company continues to widen its operational borders with more events planned in West and South Africa.

“In 2025, we witnessed a lot of exponential growth in technology and this year promises even more. We believe that there is an intersection between intelligent intuition and data strategy when working on a technology product. Someone who has understood that intersection,” Hare said.

Deborah Mutungi, the current CIO of the Year, looked at the year ahead, challenging the plenary on what they can do to fast-track technology growth and digital transformation in 2026. Mutungi encouraged them to think on what they could personally change about technology in Africa, what they would fight to keep as is, as well as what they would really want to experiment with in the year 2026.

She further advised that for Africa to truly realize its potential in technology, there need to be a keen focus on scalability rather than innovation because the continent doesn’t lack in the latter.

“Africa’s opportunity does not lie in copying the Silicon Valley, but rather by having a mobile-first scaling strategy, using AI for productivity, and using Data for decision making,” she said emphasizing on how the potential is already there and it’s about the stakeholders to ensure that no one is left behind in Africa’s digital transformation journey.

The event also featured various panel discussions, fireside chats, and presentations that revolved around different topics in technology.