The Africa Editors Congress (AEC) 2026 is scheduled to take place from February 23 to 24, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together some of the continent’s most influential media leaders to deliberate on the future of journalism in Africa

The high-level gathering will be held at the Graduate School for Media and Communications of Aga Khan University and hosted by The Africa Editors Forum (TAEF), with the Eastern Africa Editors Society (EAES) serving as host partner

Under the theme “Reclaiming Value, Rebuilding Trust, Redefining Sustainability,” the Congress is positioned as a closed-door, outcomes-driven forum designed to address the political, economic and technological pressures confronting Africa’s media sector

According to the concept paper, the Congress will convene approximately 250 participants, including editors-in-chief, senior newsroom leaders, media owners and CEOs, national editors’ societies, African and international donors, regulators, technology companies, civic-tech organisations, academics and researchers

The AEC 2026 aims to go beyond traditional panel discussions by providing a working space where decision-makers interrogate power, influence public policy debates and shape collective positions on issues affecting democratic governance, information integrity, media sustainability and African agency within global technology ecosystems

A major focus of the Congress will be securing African agency in artificial intelligence value chains and ensuring equitable value extraction from Africa’s rare minerals and extractives that power global technology

The theme of the Congress is anchored in the priorities outlined in the M20 Johannesburg Declaration, particularly calls to strengthen information integrity and secure media sustainability in the face of growing platform dominance

The programme will feature sessions on media power and African agency in emerging economic domains, fair compensation by big technology companies, trust-building through media regulation, strengthening editors’ societies, African-led funding models, and institutional support for small and community newsrooms

Key outputs expected from the Congress include an AEC 2026 Communiqué, an Editors’ Playbook on Collective Bargaining, a TAEF–Donor Partnership Framework for 2026–2029, a Continental Public-Interest Media Regulation Statement, a Toolkit for Sustainable Editors’ Societies, an Africa Journalism Fund concept outline, and a Support Framework for Small and Community Newsrooms

These deliverables are intended to guide policymakers, media leaders and partners throughout 2026 and inform continental policy processes, including the Africa Media Convention

The Congress will also include closed sessions such as a funders’ roundtable, the Africa Editors Council Bi-Annual General Meeting, and a NIMCA Board Meeting, alongside a closing session outlining commitments and a roadmap toward the Africa Media Convention 2026 and AEC 2027

TAEF has also opened partnership opportunities for organisations interested in financial sponsorship, thought leadership, technical collaboration, support for small newsroom participation and co-creation of key outputs

Registration for the Africa Editors Congress 2026 is open via the official TAEF platform, with partnership inquiries directed to the TAEF Secretariat.