11th AfriLabs Annual Gathering to take place in Benin in November

The AfriLabs Annual Gathering will mark its 11th edition in November in Cotonou, Benin, under the theme “Africa’s Innovation Era: Building Sustainable Institutions for Global Influence and Continental Impact”.

Founded in 2011, AfriLabs is the largest pan-African network of innovation and technology hubs, connecting over 500 member hubs across 53 African countries. 

Its Annual Gathering takes place each year across different major cities on the continent, and this year makes its way to Cotonou, with Benin becoming the first Francophone nation to host the event on November 18-20.

“The 2026 edition makes history as the AfriLabs Annual Gathering heads to a Francophone country for the very first time. This milestone reflects AfriLabs’ commitment to fostering a truly inclusive, pan-African innovation ecosystem that bridges linguistic, geographic, and regional divides while creating greater opportunities for collaboration across the continent,” said René Parker, board chair of AfriLabs.