CTO INFOSPHERE MAGAZINE
JULY 2026 CTO/05
ATRUSTED PARTNER FOR ICT DEVELOPMENT
PUBLISHER
COMMONWEALTH TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORGANISATION
EDITORIAL ADVISOR BERNADETTE LEWIS
EDITOR IN CHIEF LINDA NEH NGOBESING
COPY EDITOR DINEIL IGNATIUS
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LINDA NEH NGOBESING LEONARD OBONYO DINEIL IGNATIUS IRENE NAKAGWA LETANG KEKWALETSWE MELISSA WELLS
LAYOUT AND DESIGN LINDA NEH NGOBESING DINEIL IGNATIUS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Secretariat News
06 FROM THE DESK OF THE CHAIRMAN 04 FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL 08 CTO SECRETARIAT A DAY IN THE LIFE - HEAD OF FINANCE
LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE: CTO ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 09 11 ADVANCING A PEOPLE-CENTRED DIGITAL FUTURE
PARTNERSHIPS
26 ONE COMMONWEALTH VOICE: ADVANCING COORDINATION IN GLOBAL DIGITAL GOVERNANCE 28 ENHANCING DIGITAL READINESS ACROSS CTO MEMBER STATES 19 FEATURE ARTICLE CONNECTING THE COMMONWEALTH TO THE INTERNET: WHY THE RIGHT VISION NEEDS A HARDER LOOK AT MEANINGFUL CONNECTIVITY 16 FROM EARTH TO ORBIT: ADVANCING RESILIENT DIGITAL FUTURES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH
Stronger Together
31 READY, SET, LEARN! CTO REVEALS THE 2026/2027 TRAINING CALENDAR
33 THE DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY GAP 36 A DIGITAL FUTURE FOR ALL AFRICANS 38 ASK CENERVA
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From the Desk of the Secretary General
A New Era of Transformation
In today’s interconnected world, digital convergence is a defining force shaping the trajectory of societies and economies. Across the Commonwealth, digital technologies underpin many aspects of daily life, from health and education to finance and public service delivery. They are transforming how people communicate and work, and how nations govern, innovate, and compete in an increasingly digital global economy.
This transformation has created new industries, new employment pathways, and new models of service delivery. It has also deepened the interdependence between sectors and institutions, making collaboration essential. No organisation can operate effectively in isolation. Those that fail to adapt strategically risk diminished relevance, reduced efficiency, and missed opportunities for growth and development.
The complexity of digital transformation, spanning technology, infrastructure, policy, skills, and innovation systems, requires coordinated and deliberate action. Progress depends on the ability to bring together diverse capabilities into coherent responses. Strategic partnerships are therefore central, aligning complementary strengths around shared goals and enabling impact at scale. The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) has long recognised this imperative. Digital transformation is not the responsibility of governments alone, but a collective undertaking that requires collaboration across governments, the private sector, civil society, development partners, academia, and the research community. In response, the CTO has evolved, broadening its membership and strengthening its role as a multi-stakeholder platform for advancing inclusive and sustainable digital development.
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Today, the CTO serves not only as a provider of capacity building programmes, but also as a connector and catalyst for digital ecosystems. Its growing network of partnerships reflects a strategic shift towards enabling practical collaboration. Recent initiatives, including satellite technology workshops delivered with industry partners and engagements with global telecommunications and internet governance organisations, demonstrate a clear commitment to fostering meaningful and results-driven cooperation.
This edition of the CTO Magazine, under the theme “Stronger Together: ICT Partnerships Across the Commonwealth,” highlights the vital role of partnership in addressing the opportunities and challenges of the digital age. It showcases how collaboration is driving innovation, expanding access, and delivering tangible outcomes across diverse contexts. As digital transformation continues to reshape our societies, one principle is clear: the Commonwealth’s future will be built through collaboration. With its shared values and diversity of experience, it is uniquely positioned to demonstrate how partnerships can unlock opportunity, strengthen resilience, and ensure that the benefits of the digital age are accessible to all.
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FROM THE DESK OF THE CHAIRMAN
VISION FOR THE CTO
Incoming Chaiman Speech made at the CTO 64 Council Lesotho th
Excellencies… Distinguished Delegates Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me present myself – Am TASSARAJEN PILLAY CHEDUMBRUM, a practicing Solicitor in Mauritius. I was Minister of INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES between the year 2010 to 2014; and now I am the Chairman of ICTA, the Regulator in Mauritius. Mauritius assumes the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation… at a very critical moment. Let me be clear. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT The digital divide still exists. Cyber threats are rising. And too many of our people remain excluded. This must change. On behalf of the Government and people of Mauritius. I thank the outgoing Chair for their leadership and I would also like to express my sincere appreciation. for the exemplary commitment, & invaluable contributions in advancing the mission and objectives of the CTO. They have built the foundation. Now we must accelerate. In an era, marked by rapid digital transformation, the role of the CTO has never been more critical.
As Chair… Mauritius will focus on action—not declarations. First—digital inclusion. Connectivity is not a luxury… it is a right. We will push for affordable access. Stronger digital skills. And real participation for all. We will ensure that no member state is left
behind in this digital era. Second—cybersecurity.
Our systems are only as strong as our weakest link. We will strengthen cooperation. Share intelligence, best practices. And build real capacity across member countries. Third—innovation. We will not watch the future. We will shape it. We will support emerging technologies that create jobs. Strengthen
economies. And deliver real results. Mauritius understands the stakes.
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We are a small island state. We have faced constraints. We have made tough choices…in our national journey towards becoming a digital hub in the region and now we stand ready to share our experiences and to learn from the rich diversity of expertise within the Commonwealth. And we have learned this: Progress demands clarity, courage and partnership. That is the leadership we bring. Distinguished delegates, This is not the time for hesitation. This is the time for decisive action. Let us close the gaps. Let us secure our digital space. Let us unlock opportunity for every citizen. Mauritius is ready to lead and ready to deliver.
(Left to Right) Andrew Millet 2nd Vice-Chair, Grenada, The Honorable Agaseata Valelio Tanuvasa Peto Tanuvasa Immediate Past-Chair Samoa, The Honourable Ms. Nthati Moorosi, Lesotho and Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum Incoming Chair Mauritius
Before ending, I will fail in my duty, if I do not express my sincere gratitude to the KINGDOM OF LESOTHO, for its WARM HOSPITALITY, AND EXCELLENT ORGANISATION OF THE CONFERENCE. CTO deeply appreciates your generosity and commitment to making this event a success. I thank you ALL for your attention.
EDITOR’S NOTE
The CTO extends sincere thanks to the Immediate Past Chair The Honorable Agaseata Valelio Tanuvasa Peto Tanuvasa Samoa for his dedicated service and invaluable contribution to the Commonwealth. His leadership, commitment, and support have left a lasting impact and are greatly appreciated.
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A Day in the Life of CTO HEAD OF FINANCE
BY LINDA NEH
Behind every high-performing organisation is a strong financial foundation, and at the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), that responsibility rests with Ubalda Gaston, the organisation's Head of Finance and Pensions. With nearly two decades of experience in finance, accounting and governance across the charity, public and commercial sectors, Ubalda brings a wealth of expertise to the CTO at a time when sound financial stewardship is central to delivering the organisation's strategic ambitions. An ACCA Certified (Part-Qualified) Accountant with a master’s degree in international accounting and finance and a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance, Ubalda has built an impressive career leading financial management, budgeting, treasury, audit, payroll, pensions and statutory compliance for a diverse range of organisations in the United Kingdom.
Since joining the CTO in May 2025, she has been responsible for strengthening the organisation's financial management systems, overseeing budgeting and reporting, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing cash flow, leading the annual audit process, and safeguarding the organisation's pension obligations. Her role also includes advising leadership on emerging financial issues while supporting effective decision-making through timely financial analysis and reporting.
Known for her meticulous approach, integrity and commitment to continuous improvement, Ubalda has consistently championed stronger financial controls, operational efficiency and sound governance throughout her career. Her extensive experience across charitable organisations has equipped her with a deep understanding of accountability, transparency and responsible stewardship—values that closely align with the CTO's mission. As the CTO continues to expand its programmes and partnerships across the Commonwealth, Ubalda's expertise provides the financial leadership needed to support sustainable growth, ensuring that the organisation remains well-positioned to deliver lasting impact for its members.
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LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE: CTO ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
BY DINEIL IGNATIUS
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Welcomes New Executive Committee Constituted at the 64th Council in Lesotho. The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) proudly welcomes its newly constituted Executive Committee (EXCO), which was established in April 2026 during the 64th Council meeting hosted in Lesotho. The newly constituted Executive Committee brings together distinguished representatives from across the Commonwealth who will play a key role in shaping the organisation’s strategic direction and advancing its mission of promoting digital growth, innovation, and connectivity among member countries.
The new Executive Committee is composed of: Chair – Mauritius 1st Vice-Chair – Uganda 2nd Vice-Chair – Grenada EXCO Member / Immediate Past Chair – Samoa
Chairman MAURITIUS
EXCO Member – Cameroon EXCO Member – Lesotho EXCO Member – Mozambique
1st Vice-Chair UGANDA
2nd Vice-Chair GRENADA
Once again, the Executive Committee reflects broad geographic representation and includes three Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — Mauritius, Grenada, and Samoa — highlighting the Commonwealth’s commitment to ensuring diverse perspectives and inclusive leadership in addressing the opportunities and challenges of digital development.
ExCo Member CAMEROON
ExCo Member LESOTHO
ExCo Member/Immediate Past-Chair SAMOA
ExCo Member MOZAMBIQUE
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DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION This dynamic leadership team embodies a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration among member countries and accelerating meaningful progress across the digital landscape. Together, the Executive Committee will champion innovation, support impactful digital development initiatives, and promote policies that help create resilient and inclusive digital societies throughout the Commonwealth. As the CTO enters this new chapter, the organisation looks forward to working closely with the Executive Committee in advancing programmes and partnerships that support digital transformation and empower communities across member states. With renewed leadership and a shared vision, the future of digital transformation across the Commonwealth continues to gather momentum toward a more connected and digitally empowered world.
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Advancing a People-Centred Digital Future
REFLECTIONS ON THE 64TH CTO COUNCIL MEETING AND COMMONWEALTH DIGITAL ROADSHOW IN LESOTHO
BY IRENE NAKAGGWA
From 20–24 April 2026, the Kingdom of Lesotho hosted the 64th Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) Council Meeting alongside the Commonwealth Digital Roadshow in Maseru, placing the country at the centre of global conversations on digital policy and development. The week-long convening brought together Commonwealth Member States, ICT development partners, regulators, industry leaders, and innovators to strengthen collaboration around inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital transformation. Held during the CTO’s 125th anniversary year, the events reinforced the Organisation’s longstanding role as a platform for policy coordination, strategic dialogue, and capacity building among member countries navigating increasingly complex digital landscapes. A Shared Vision of Speed, Transparency, and Cultural Identity The 64th CTO Council Meeting andOfficially opening the events, Lesotho’s Prime Minister, Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, positioned digital transformation as more than a technological advancement, describing it as a key driver of public service efficiency, transparency, and economic resilience. Highlighting the country's ongoing digital reforms, he challenged government institutions to pursue ambitious service delivery targets, citing rapid online processing services as a model for future public administration. At the same time, he stressed that accessibility and affordability remain critical to ensuring that digital progress benefits all citizens. Lesotho’s Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, Nthati Moorosi, underscored the importance of ensuring that technological advancement remains rooted in local values and identity. She emphasized that innovation should strengthen communities rather than diminish cultural heritage, reaffirming that digital transformation must preserve the social fabric and human connections that define the Basotho people. CTO Secretary General Bernadette Lewis praised Lesotho’s leadership in hosting the event and reaffirmed the Organisation’s commitment to ensuring that digital opportunities remain inclusive and accessible for all member states. .
“ Digital innovation should strengthen, rather than replace, cultural identity and human connection, preserving the unique social fabric of the Basotho people." — Hon. Nthati Moorosi, Minister of MISTCI “
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Securing the Digital Frontier As discussions progressed throughout the Commonwealth Digital Roadshow, attention shifted toward the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies and digital governance. Sessions explored the transformative role of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in strengthening public services, improving transparency, and enabling citizen-centred governance. Delegates stressed that effective digital transformation requires more than technology implementation; it also depends on strong institutions, coherent policy
frameworks, and sustained capacity building. Key themes discussed during the week included: Child online safety and digital protection measures
Digital inclusion and universal access, particularly for rural communities Data privacy and cybersecurity cooperation across Commonwealth states Women’s participation and leadership in the digital economy Youth innovation and pathways into the future digital workforce
Across these discussions, a recurring message emerged: meaningful digital participation depends on affordable access, digital literacy, and policies that ensure no community is excluded.
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Governance and Leadership at the 64th CTO Council Meeting
The 64th CTO Council Meeting brought together representatives of CTO Full Member Countries to provide strategic direction and oversee the organisation’s governance. Addressing the Council, Minister Moorosi described the gathering as a significant milestone for both Lesotho and the CTO, noting that Africa continues to play an increasingly influential role in shaping the global digital agenda. The Council also elected a new Executive Committee, with Mauritius assuming the Chairmanship, Uganda elected as First Vice-Chair, and Grenada as Second Vice-Chair. Samoa will continue serving as Immediate Past Chair, while Cameroon, Lesotho, and Mozambique were elected as Executive Committee Members. In his acceptance remarks, Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum Amram, the new CTO Chairman, outlined three priorities for his tenure: advancing digital inclusion through affordable connectivity and skills development, strengthening cybersecurity collaboration and capacity building, and promoting innovation to accelerate economic growth and digital transformation across Commonwealth countries.
Spotlighting Basotho Innovation A major highlight of the week was the Innovation Challenge, organised by the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) to identify and support local technology-driven solutions. The winning project, Clinic Management System, introduced a healthcare solution aimed at improving patient services through better records management and more efficient care delivery. Second place was awarded to Nala – Reimagining Job Access, a digital platform designed to simplify employment opportunities by connecting job seekers with verified local vacancies. Third place went to CertiVert, a blockchain-based platform focused on secure storage and verification of academic and professional credentials. The young innovators received national recognition and financial awards from the Government of Lesotho, while the CTO further supported their participation in regional digital events in Mozambique, enabling them to showcase their solutions and strengthen their role within Lesotho’s growing technology ecosystem.
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Digital Transformation Beyond the Conference Hall The Commonwealth Digital Roadshow also expanded beyond policy discussions and executive forums through a landmark community engagement initiative at Zenon High School. In a first for the African continent, the school became the first African institution to formally host a Commonwealth Digital Roadshow outreach event. The initiative focused heavily on online safety and digital literacy, equipping students with practical knowledge for navigating an increasingly connected environment. Support from the Lesotho Communications Authority and local partners also provided students with digital devices and educational materials aimed at strengthening learning opportunities. The CTO delegation additionally visited Lesotho’s mountainous regions, gaining direct insight into the realities of connectivity challenges faced by remote communities. The experience highlighted the practical barriers created by difficult terrain and reinforced the importance of context-specific approaches to improving access and reducing the digital divide.
Looking Ahead The 64th CTO Council Meeting and Commonwealth Digital Roadshow reaffirmed a shared Commonwealth commitment to advancing digital transformation that is inclusive, secure, and sustainable. For Lesotho, hosting the events represented more than a diplomatic milestone. It demonstrated how global policy discussions can be connected to local innovation, community engagement, and practical action, ensuring that digital transformation delivers meaningful impact for citizens and communities alike.
DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT
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From Earth to Orbit: Advancing Resilient Digital Futures Across the Commonwealth BY LEONARD OBONYO
Digital resilience is becoming a defining priority for governments seeking to build inclusive and sustainable digital economies. Beyond expanding access to technology, countries are increasingly focused on ensuring that connectivity infrastructure is secure, adaptable, and capable of supporting long-term national development goals. Within this evolving landscape, partnerships and emerging space technologies are playing a growing role in reshaping how nations approach connectivity and digital transformation. These issues were central to discussions at the Commonwealth Partnership Breakfast Meeting convened by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) in partnership with Viasat during the ITU Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) 2026 in Ankara, Türkiye May 12 to 15. Bringing together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, development partners, and international organisations, the meeting explored how collaboration can strengthen resilient digital futures in an increasingly interconnected world. A key message emerging from the discussions was that digital development challenges can no longer be addressed through isolated approaches. Expanding connectivity, strengthening cybersecurity, and building resilient infrastructure increasingly require collaboration across governments, industry, regulators, academia, and development institutions. Participants highlighted the growing role of satellite and space-based technologies in reaching remote and underserved communities, particularly where traditional infrastructure remains difficult or costly to deploy. Beyond expanding access, these technologies are also supporting emergency communications, strengthening disaster resilience, and enabling broader participation in the digital economy.
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Discussions also emphasised the importance of enabling policy and regulatory frameworks capable of balancing innovation with broader considerations such as national sovereignty, cybersecurity, spectrum management, and long-term sustainability. The meeting reinforced the importance of ensuring that international digital cooperation frameworks continue to support development priorities and inclusive participation. Global digital governance discussions continue to evolve, and stronger partnerships and coordinated action will remain essential to ensuring that technological innovation delivers meaningful development outcomes. Resilient digital futures will ultimately depend not only on technology itself, but also on the partnerships that make innovation accessible, sustainable, and impactful for all.
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FEATURE ARTICLE
CONNECTING THE COMMONWEALTH TO THE INTERNET: WHY THE RIGHT VISION NEEDS A HARDER LOOK AT MEANINGFUL CONNECTIVITY
BY: PROFESSOR H SAMA NWANA MANAGING PARTNER CENERVA,
BY SHAWN GARCIA The previous familiar figure is 2.6 billion people offline, a number the ITU and its Broadband Commission reported steadily across 2023 and 2024. The current ITU number is 2.2 billion people offline. The ITU reports that the drop of 400 million reflects a mix of genuine connectivity gains — particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South/Southeast Asia — and a revised measurement methodology that shifted from infrastructure proxies to actual usage surveys. So, the ITU argues the drop is partly real progress and partly better counting. These figures are troubling enough on their own. They represent roughly a third of humanity with no internet access at all, and around 1.8 billion of those people live in rural areas. In a recent edition of The InfoSphere, Leonard Obonyo and Dineil Ignatius set out the CTO's vision with admirable clarity. Connectivity, Collaboration and Partnership (CCP), they argued, are the three pillars of inclusive digital transformation across the Commonwealth, and the goal is a future in which no citizen is left behind. The vision is sound and the pillars are the right ones. This follow-up takes up where that piece ended, with the question it left open: if the vision is correct and the commitment is real, why is progress stalling? The honest answer is that we have been measuring the problem too generously, and we have underestimated how hard the work ahead actually is. THE NUMBER NOT USING THE INTERNET ‘MEANINGFULLY’ IS BIGGER THAN WE ADMIT
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The 2.6 or 2.2 billion figure also flatters us. Sitting just above that offline population is another group of around 2+ billion people who are counted as connected but who are nothing of the sort in any practical (or meaningful) sense. The ITU's own measurement approach treats someone as an internet user if they have been online once in the previous three months. By that standard, a person who borrows a neighbour's phone once a quarter joins the ranks of the connected. Add the genuinely offline to the barely connected and the picture changes sharply. More than half the world is either completely excluded or not meaningfully included. I strongly argue in my recent (2025) book - The Connectivity Crisis: Half the World Left Behind, published by the University of Strathclyde - that meaningful connectivity implies regular, dependable, and effective access to the Internet - one that enables the users to benefit from online resources and services anytime, anyplace, anywhere and affordably. This hardly translates to once in three months
This matters for the Commonwealth because the gap is concentrated in exactly the member states the CTO exists to serve. In high income countries 93 per cent of people are online according to the ITU. In low-income countries the figure is 27 per cent, and most of those connections run on expensive, usage-based mobile data that prices out regular use. Counting the barely connected as connected lets policymakers report progress while the lived reality on the ground barely moves.
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WHY LIFTING MORE INTO CONNECTIVITY IS GETTING INCREASINGLY HARDER – THE PARETO PRINCIPLE
There is a useful piece of arithmetic here. The Pareto principle, the rough rule that the first 80 per cent of any goal takes 20 per cent of the effort while the last 20 per cent takes the remaining 80, fits the Internet connectivity curve almost too well, see Figure 1.1. The world reached roughly 67.5 per cent online by the end of 2024. We have not yet crossed the 80 per cent line that marks the start of the truly hard work. By this logic, well over 80 per cent of the total effort still lies ahead of us.
FIGURE 1.1 – THE PARETO PRINCIPLE (ADAPTED FROM THOMAS VATO[1])
This changes how we should read recent history. Around 200 million people came online – not necessarily meaningfully - between 2024 and 2026. At that pace, connecting the remaining 2.2 billion would mathematically take close to a quarter of a century, pushing into 2050 and well beyond the UN's 2030 deadline. And the pace will not hold, because each successive 100 million is harder and more expensive to be connected than the last. Africa, the least connected continent, also has the fastest growing population. The target is moving away from us. The 2030 universal connectivity pledge, as currently framed, will not be met for most developing Commonwealth members. Accepting that is not defeatism, rather it frees the setting targets that countries can actually be held to.
https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/pareto-principle-the-framework-of- efficiency-e84f25a0dccc
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Three failures, not one If the market were going to close this gap, it would have done so already. The mobile industry has achieved something extraordinary over thirty years, connecting billions and transforming economies. In Nigeria, telecommunications grew from a rounding error in national GDP in 1999 to a sector contributing double figures today. But the industry is now reaching its commercial limit. Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal noted in 2025 that the mobile/cellular operator had made a “very brave call” in deciding to go after 40 per cent of the customers which account for almost 80 per cent of revenue . e. The remaining customers are, in market terms, unprofitable to serve. They will not be reached by waiting for the next technology cycle. [1] So, the barriers fall into three groups, and useful Commonwealth strategy has to address all three rather than reaching for infrastructure alone. The first – and most important - is demand-side failure, also called the usage gap challenge. Poverty, low digital literacy, lack of awareness, and the simple fact that connectivity ranks below clean water, food and schooling on a poor household's list of priorities. The clearest example is handset affordability. The Africa Group of Six[2] reports that 60 per cent of people living within mobile coverage, some 710 million across sub-Saharan Africa, still do not subscribe because they cannot afford a device. Coverage is not the constraint - cost and capability are. The second is supply-side failure, also called the supply gap challenge. No reliable power, poor roads, and business models that no rational investor will fund because the economics of serving sparse rural populations do not add up. The third is a coordination failure, and it is the one the Commonwealth is best placed to fix. There are too many actors working at too small a scale. Individual regulators, universal service funds, ministries, multilateral development banks (MDBs), etc. across hundreds of developing countries are each too fragmented to negotiate effectively with global equipment suppliers or to share the cost of solutions. Acting alone, none of them can move the needle.
[1] https://www.mobileworldlive.com/airtel/airtel-ceo-underscores-strategy-shift-for- turnaround/ OR https://www.mobileworldlive.com/airtel/airtel-ceo-underscores-strategy-shift- for-turnaround/ AND https://www.mobileworldlive.com/old_latest-stories/interview-bharti- airtel-group/
[2] A coalition of African mobile network operators (Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, MTN, Orange, and Vodacom)
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The encouraging news is that the most promising solutions are already running, and they come from developing economies rather than being imported into them. Brazil offers the clearest lesson. Rather than relying on three large operators to cover the country, its regulator enabled a market of some 16,000 to 20,000 mostly local internet providers. Regional providers now hold more than half the national market. Many serve fewer than 5,000 customers each, often lower income rural communities, frequently using shared connections and unlicensed spectrum to keep costs down. The lever that made this possible was regulatory: licensing that welcomed thousands of small players rather than protecting a handful of large ones. Most developing countries still expect the big operators to do all the connecting. Brazil shows why that instinct is short-sighted. Kenya provides two more. M-Pesa, a home-grown mobile money system, reshaped financial inclusion in a way that could only have emerged from a low income context. More recently, a plan to turn the country's 74,000 power transformers into Wi-Fi hotspots aims to use existing electricity infrastructure to cut the cost of reaching people, starting with 25,000 sites. India's BharatNet Rural connectivity programme, for all its delays, demonstrates what a sustained national rural connectivity strategy looks like at scale, and what to avoid in implementing one. WHAT WORKS, AND WHERE IT COMES FROM – LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, INDIA AND KENYA
The common thread is that these solutions are local, home-grown and democratic, built from the bottom up rather than imposed from the top down. A practical connectivity agenda for the CTO Three of the CTO's existing strengths map directly onto this challenge. On strategy, the CTO can press member states to develop living digital divide strategies tailored to their own conditions, rather than the box-ticking broadband plans that gather dust. The strategy a Pacific island state needs is not the strategy Malawi needs, and neither should be a copy of a developed-country template. On regulation, the levers are well understood and underused: wholesale competition, universal service regulation linked to the World Bank's market-gap approach, and licensing that democratises the market in the way Brazil did.
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On partnership, the CTO's convening role is the answer to the coordination failure. This convening role is at the heart of CTO’s Connectivity, Collaboration and Partnership (CCP) vision. A standing Commonwealth mechanism that lets fragmented national efforts pool their bargaining power, share what works, and set realistic targets together would do more than any single national programme. This is the natural Commonwealth contribution to the Global Digital Divide Leadership Coordination Forum (GDDLCF) that the connectivity field badly needs. Leonard and Dineil were right that partnership amplifies impact. The argument here simply adds that partnership has a specific job to do, which is to fix the coordination failure that no member state can solve on its own, and to do it on the basis of honest numbers and reachable targets on connectivity and meaningful connectivity The CCP vision does not need replacing. It needs the harder arithmetic underneath it. Get the measurement right, accept that most of the work is still to come, and the Commonwealth can lead in closing a meaningful connectivity gap that is wider than the official figures admit.
About the author Professor H Sama Nwana is a managing partner at Cenerva, a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde, and a former Group Director at Ofcom UK. Born in Cameroon, he has advised VCs, PE Firms, MDBs[1], governments, regulators and global institutions on digital inclusion across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East for more than fifteen years. He is the author of The Connectivity Crisis: Half the World Left Behind (Strathclyde Academic Media, 2025), which sets out practical strategies to connect the 2.2 billion people still offline and to meaningfully connect 2 billion more. Reference Nwana (2025), The Connectivity Crisis – Half the World Left Behind – Expert insights for global institutions and developing nations committed to achieving universal digital inclusion - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Connectivity- Crisis-Half-World-Behind/dp/1739588649/
[1] Venture Capitalists, Private Equity & Multilateral Development Banks
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ONE COMMONWEALTH VOICE: ADVANCING COORDINATION IN GLOBAL DIGITAL GOVERNANCE
BY LEONARD OBONYO
This focus on collaboration was reinforced during the recent meeting of the Commonwealth ITU Group (CIG), convened at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Headquarters in Geneva during the 2026 ITU Council session. Coordinated jointly by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) and the ITU, the meeting brought together Commonwealth Member States, senior CTO and ITU officials, development partners, and digital policy experts, highlighting the growing importance of coordinated engagement ahead of the upcoming ITU Plenipotentiary Conference. As digital technologies increasingly shape economies and societies, global digital governance is becoming a critical space for ensuring that development priorities are reflected in international decision-making. For Commonwealth countries, many of which face common challenges around connectivity, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, and investment, stronger coordination is essential to advancing shared interests and ensuring meaningful participation in global discussions. COLLABORATION
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GLOBAL DIGITAL GOVERNANCE
A recurring theme throughout the meeting was the need for global digital governance discussions to better reflect the realities and priorities of developing countries, small states, and vulnerable communities. As international digital policy increasingly influences development outcomes, coordinated Commonwealth engagement can help ensure that member countries are not only represented in these discussions but are actively shaping them. As preparations continue for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, the meeting reinforced an important message: stronger Commonwealth coordination can help transform shared challenges into collective opportunities and contribute to a more inclusive, resilient, and development-focused digital future
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ENHANCING DIGITAL READINESS ACROSS CTO MEMBER STATES CTO, ICANN AND ITU UNITE TO STRENGTHEN DIGITAL CAPACITY
BY LEONARD OBONYO
On 03 June 2026, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), in collaboration with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), successfully hosted an introductory webinar under the theme “Strengthening Digital Capacity for Commonwealth Member States.” Conducted virtually via Zoom, the event brought together representatives from across CTO Member States to explore opportunities for strengthening digital knowledge, skills and institutional capacity in support of national and regional digital transformation efforts.
The webinar reflected the shared commitment of CTO, ICANN and ITU to support Commonwealth Member States in developing secure, inclusive, resilient and future-ready digital ecosystems. As digital technologies continue to shape social and economic development worldwide, strengthening capacity remains critical for enabling countries to effectively participate in and benefit from the evolving digital landscape. The session provided an important platform for engagement between Member States and leading digital development partners, encouraging collaboration, knowledge exchange and policy dialogue. Through keynote interventions, partner presentations, interactive discussions and guided walkthroughs of available resources and programmes, participants gained insights into the broader digital development ecosystem and opportunities for future engagement. The webinar focused on several key objectives, including enhancing digital skills and knowledge to support transformation initiatives, strengthening internet governance capacity and multi- stakeholder engagement in policy development, and promoting secure and resilient digital ecosystems for sustainable development. Discussions also explored how emerging technologies can be leveraged to drive innovation, digital inclusion and economic growth across Commonwealth countries.
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Participants were introduced to the collaborative efforts of CTO, ICANN and ITU in advancing capacity-building initiatives and strengthening digital development efforts across Member States. The webinar also increased awareness of internet governance structures and processes, including ICANN and the role of the Governmental Advisory Committee, helping participants better understand the importance of inclusive and collaborative approaches to digital policymaking. A key highlight of the session was the introduction to the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation’s Capacity Building for Development Impact (CBDI) programme. Participants gained valuable insights into how the programme supports members through capacity-building initiatives and opportunities designed to strengthen institutional capabilities and contribute to development outcomes. The event also reinforced the growing importance of digital capacity building as an enabler of national development priorities. By creating a space for dialogue and engagement, the webinar allowed participants to share perspectives on existing challenges and identify evolving digital capacity needs within Commonwealth Member States. Representatives from government institutions, policymakers and regulators participated in the session, demonstrating the continued commitment of Commonwealth stakeholders to advancing digital development and strengthening collaboration across the digital ecosystem. The successful delivery of the webinar represents another important step in fostering stronger partnerships and supporting Commonwealth Member States in building the skills, knowledge and institutional frameworks required to thrive in an increasingly interconnected digital world.
GLOBAL RELATIONS
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READY, SET, LEARN! CTO REVEALS THE 2026/2027 TRAINING CALENDAR
BY LETANG KEKWALETSWE
The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation is pleased to announce the launch of its 2026/2027 Training Calendar, marking a renewed and expanded commitment to supporting member countries, organisations, regulators, operators, policymakers and professionals through high-quality capacity-building programmes. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the need for future-ready skills has never been more urgent. The CTO is now rolling out training on a larger scale to help members strengthen institutional capacity, close critical skills gaps, and prepare their teams for the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly transforming digital economy. The 2026/2027 Training Calendar features a wide range of practical, relevant and industry-responsive courses scheduled throughout the year, covering key areas such as telecommunications regulation, spectrum management, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, digital transformation, satellite communications, ICT policy, leadership, and other priority areas for the sector. Members are warmly invited to review the calendar and enrol their employees in programmes that align with their organisational needs, national priorities and professional development goals. Individual professionals are also encouraged to take advantage of these learning opportunities to strengthen their skills, broaden their knowledge and remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic ICT and telecommunications environment. Through this expanded training rollout, the CTO remains committed to empowering its members with the knowledge, tools and capabilities required to lead digital transformation, improve service delivery, and build resilient, inclusive and innovative digital societies. Enrolment is now open. Members and individuals are encouraged to explore the 2026/2027 CTO Training Calendar and register for upcoming courses. For further information on available courses, enrolment procedures and customised training options, please contact the CTO Capacity Building and Training Team. The course catalogue will be availed soon.
CTO/05
2026
CTO/05
2026
FEATURE ARTICLE
THE DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY GAP
An Individual, Community, Governmental, and National Imperative
BY MALETHEBA LESA MAKOELE
You are a digital citizen, whether you signed up to be one or not. Every search, scroll, login, and silent piece of data you leave behind makes you part of a global digital economy. It has its own rules of engagement, but so far, very few of the protections you take for granted in the physical world. That gap is what I want to talk about. Specifically: what is digital sovereignty for an individual, their community , for a government, and for the nation as a collective unit? The working definition I will be defending is that digital sovereignty is the right of individuals, governments, and nations to exercise meaningful agency over their data, their digital identity, and the systems that increasingly shape their lives . Each of those scales, individual (micro), community (meso), and national/government (macro), has its own stakes, and I want to walk through all three.
WHY THIS CONVERSATION, WHY NOW
As someone born in the ’90s, I marvel at where we are, but I’m also thinking harder about where we’re going. When Facebook first launched, no one on the founding team imagined that decades later, governments would scramble to regulate the psychological and social fallout. The reason regulation eventually came was because of our right to digital sovereignty, even if no one used that phrase at the time. Today we have AI, and if social media is anything to go by, the consensus is that we need protections for users now, not later. It may feel premature to predict the full impact. But as we step into this new era, the responsibility falls on innovators to assess and communicate regularly, specifically, in-app, how they are protecting users given what we already know. A conversation with all stakeholders needs to take place at every level: macro, meso, and micro.
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2026
FEATURE ARTICLE I’m not here saying I have an all-encompassing solution. I’m saying each of our voices matters, in the same way each of our votes matters. We’ve seen the case of Cambridge Analytica and the laws that followed. We are now watching the AI and more specifically, neurotech industry mature. Colorado, California, and Montana have already passed neural data laws, and UNESCO issued a 2025 recommendation. But the global picture remains uneven. In that gap, we should be mapping the digital economy ourselves, so we can scope what protections and disclosures we actually need. Information and data are the fuel of this economy. Without user input, most platforms are skeletons. That doesn’t make them less valuable. It means we, as the primary source, need to start asking what each data point says about us.
THE MICRO: YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR DATA, YOUR RIGHTS
Digital presence and participation are not bad things. Digital presence and participation without the protections that preserve your agency are the problem.
QUICK EXERCISE
Question 1: Google yourself, your country, or your neighborhood. Are you satisfied with the little the digital space represents of you? If you had someone else Google you, what would you want them to see if that was where they would make their first impression of you? Question 2: Think about the ads you see on your phone, on the platforms you use the most. Are those ads personal and relevant?
Question 3: Ask AI to do research on you, your country, or your business (applying the same questions from Question 1).
What the digital space knows about you is directly tied to what you put into it deliberately, and what you don’t. Beyond LinkedIn, if you have business, knowledge, or expertise to offer, make it findable. Otherwise, the algorithm decides for you. Social media is a different layer. It knows you deeply, sometimes better than people in your real life do. That isn’t inherently bad; your values get to decide. But for the sake of your agency, you have the right to know what of your data is being distributed and to whom. Cambridge Analytica gave us the awareness, however, the data conversation still needs to go deeper, at the pace that innovation continues to challenge the existing status quo. In data protection law, there is a concept called the ‘data subject’: that’s you, anyone whose personal data is collected, processed, or stored. Frameworks like the EU’s GDPR and South Africa’s POPIA grant data subjects specific rights: to know what’s held, to correct it, to have it deleted, to object to how it’s used. A deeper public conversation has to happen about these too, particularly in smaller jurisdictions, where comprehensive data protection law is still in development.
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2026
THE MESO AND MACRO: JURISDICTION, ETHICS, INTEGRITY
If I work in the digital space, what laws govern me, given that the digital economy is multi- jurisdictional and remote by default? This speaks to data privacy, employment rights, earnings, and many other domains. In the real world, there are protections on what media companies and businesses can show us, an ethical thread running through any content broadcast to us. If we spend a significant portion of our lives in the digital space, consuming different types of content, what laws exist there to prevent coercion (through misinformation and manipulation), victimisation (through financial or psychological means), and deceit (through bots and artificial broadcasts)? This speaks to your agency to be informed correctly, to be in charge of your personal data, and to the broader plight: defining what rights we need in the digital world as much as we do in the real world.
WHY THE URGENCY
That is what I believe digital sovereignty represents, and it is a state worth lobbying for so that we don’t find ourselves regulating only after the harm. The caveat: the tech industry is moving faster than ever, so regulation won’t be as easy as we would wish. That may be exactly why the founders of Facebook didn’t see the need for protections in their earlier days. We don’t have the luxury of waiting. Some technologies are getting better fast enough that the line between real and artificial is now indistinguishable in places. In five years, the digital will be deeply woven into how we live, work, and decide. We would hate to have not at least tried to keep up legislatively, to ensure our sovereignty as individuals, communities, governments, and nations. A CLOSING QUESTION In the real world, the status quo is withholding certain data points about yourself from people you are still getting a read on. Should that be the case online? Why? Why not? We would love to know your thoughts. If this piece was interesting to you, we also invite you to watch the video essay below, where this is unpacked further, including what the macro, meso, and micro levels mean in practice.
CTO/05
2026
A Digital Future for All Africans How a partnership forged during the CTO Digital Roadshow in Lesotho is building an African-led model for AI and digital literacy.
BY MPHO LETIMA
&
MALETHEBA LESA MAKOELE
The 2026 Commonwealth Digital Roadshow in Lesotho was more than a gathering of policymakers, regulators, and innovators. It became the catalyst for a new continental initiative aimed at redefining digital empowerment for African women and young people. Hosted by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) in partnership with the Government of Lesotho and the Lesotho Communications Authority, the Roadshow created a platform for dialogue on digital transformation, innovation and inclusion. It also sparked a collaboration between two Lesotho leaders whose work had long been addressing different sides of the same challenge. Today, that collaboration has evolved into GEM Africa—a pan-African initiative combining women’s economic empowerment with digital and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy. GEM Africa brings together the long-standing community development experience of the Gender Entrepreneurship Empowerment and Media (GEM) Institute with the technology and AI expertise of Code Cafe AI. The initiative is built on a simple belief: meaningful participation in the digital economy requires more than access to technology. It requires digital skills, AI literacy, economic opportunity and institutional support delivered together. Across Africa, many digital literacy programmes stop at basic computer skills. While important, these alone do not prepare citizens to participate confidently in an increasingly AI-driven economy. GEM Africa seeks to change that by equipping women and young people with the knowledge, tools and confidence to become creators—not simply consumers—of digital technologies. A SHARED VISION
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