Burundi
The Connectivity Frontier
- 11% internet penetration — a high-growth opportunity market
- 80% rural population — mobile money is key to inclusion
- $10M government broadband expansion in 2026
Mid-Year Newsletter · January – June 2026
Advancing Digital Economy Leadership Across the Global Digital Majority
A period of growth, collaboration and impact. Through global engagements, strategic partnerships, leadership initiatives and regional spotlight programs, iDEA continues to connect stakeholders across emerging and developing digital economies — promoting innovation, inclusion and cross-border cooperation.
iDEA at a Glance
- Members represented across more than 100 countries
- Global engagements spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean
- Strategic partnerships with innovation and technology platforms
- Focus on digital public infrastructure, fintech, AI and entrepreneurship
- Expanded visibility for emerging digital economies through the iDEA Emerging Regions series
First-half timeline
- January 2026
Hong Kong Fintech Roundtable
With the Hong Kong Fintech Industry Association — financing Asia's next digital economy frontiers in fintech, healthtech and e-commerce.
- February 2026
Meet the Board & New Minds of iDEA
A global virtual gathering welcoming nine new members and reintroducing the iDEA board.
- March 2026
Emerging Regions: Burundi & Gabon
Featuring Burundi's connectivity growth and Gabon's leadership in Central African digital transformation.
- April 2026
PitchFest Hong Kong · Third Anniversary Meet & Greet
HealthTech founders pitching investors, followed by iDEA's global virtual celebration of three years of impact.
- May 2026
OSIANE 2026 · AIBC Asia · DeAI Summit
Strategic engagement across Central Africa, Manila and the global AI stage.
- June 2026
Republic of Congo, DRC & Zambia spotlights
Featuring sovereign digital infrastructure, telecoms growth, and digital finance inclusion.
Emerging Regions Series
Spotlighted markets
Gabon
Central Africa's Digital Leader
- Target: 10–12% of GDP from digital sector
- $145M digital economy budget in 2026 (+156%)
- Digital Archiving Law (Feb 2026) fuels secure cloud storage demand
Republic of Congo
Building a Sovereign Digital Hub
- Investments in sovereign digital infrastructure and data centres
- Focus on digital skills and e-government services
DRC
Africa's Untapped Digital Giant
- National Digital Plan 2026–2030
- Young population and rich resources powering telecoms & fintech
Zambia
A Rising Digital Finance Market
- Financial inclusion surpassed 80%
- Mobile money adoption exceeded 76%
- Rising formal financial participation
iDEA Leaders
Spotlight: Rainier Mallol
iDEA Digital Public Infrastructure Committee Member · Founder, Center for Public Intelligence (CPI)
Rainier's work bridges artificial intelligence and public-sector innovation, supporting governments to serve people better through digital public infrastructure. His feature is part of iDEA's ongoing spotlight on leaders contributing to public infrastructure and inclusive digital development.
Looking ahead
As iDEA enters the second half of 2026, the association remains focused on strengthening international partnerships, supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, promoting responsible technology adoption, and ensuring that the Global Digital Majority plays a leading role in shaping the future digital economy.
Get involved