Building the capacities of ICT network managers in Indigenous, rural, and underserved communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Launched in 2025, the Sub-Saharan African Regional Programme is the first regional implementation of the Blended Training Programme in Africa. Building on the experience and lessons learned from previous Latin American editions, the programme has been adapted to respond to the diverse realities, priorities, and connectivity challenges across the African continent.
Implemented by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Rhizomatica, AFRALTI, and regional partners, the programme strengthens the technical, organizational, and leadership capacities of practitioners working to expand community-centred connectivity initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The programme brings together participants from diverse countries and contexts, creating opportunities for regional collaboration, peer learning, and the long-term strengthening of community-led communication and connectivity initiatives.
The first African edition represents an important milestone in expanding the LocNet trainingecosystem to the continent. Drawing on previous experiences in Latin America, the programmewas comprehensively adapted to reflect African realities, incorporating regional examples,contextualized activities, and locally relevant learning approaches.Participants from 18 countries came together to build technical skills, exchange experiences, andstrengthen a growing regional network committed to community-centred communication andconnectivity.
The in-person Bootcamp took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 23 February to 3 March 2026, bringing together participants from across Sub-Saharan Africa for an intensive programme of practical learning, technical collaboration, and regional exchange.
Participants strengthened their skills through hands-on technical workshops, community network deployment, field activities, collaborative problem-solving, and peer learning, while building lasting professional relationships across the continent.
Participants represented community networks, Indigenous communities, local organizations, technical practitioners, and digital inclusion initiatives from across Sub-Saharan Africa, creating a diverse regional learning community.
The programme is already contributing to a new generation of practitioners working to expand community-led communication and connectivity across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Participants have strengthened their capacity to design connectivity projects, apply technical knowledge in real contexts, and collaborate across countries to address shared challenges while building a growing regional community of practice.
Participants demonstrated:
• Stronger understanding of community-centred connectivity.
• Increased confidence in designing connectivity projects.
• Improved technical knowledge in networking, energy, and regulation.
• Greater collaboration through peer learning and live mentoring.
• Stronger community-centred project design grounded in local realities.
Beyond technical training, the programme is helping establish a regional network of practitioners committed to expanding community-centred connectivity across Africa.
Participants continue collaborating through peer learning, regional exchanges, and the implementation of connectivity initiatives in their own communities, laying the foundations for a long-term community of practice.
