Digital transformation specialist Djallal Bouabdallah spotlighted Algeria’s strides in digital infrastructure, innovation, and strategy at the Global Africa Tech 2026 event. He stressed the pressing need for stronger South-South collaboration to turn this potential into an economic growth engine, positioning Algeria for a starring role.
Speaking to Le Jeune Indépendant on the sidelines of the gathering—which drew top African tech players—this came after President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s message urging an interconnected Africa, with digital links as a key driver for the continent’s economy.
Pressed on the practical fallout of this outlook, Bouabdallah noted that today’s economy hinges on core pillars, including the digital sector, which claims 15-17% of global GDP and offers vast prospects for African nations, especially Algeria.
He pointed out that nurturing a digital economy demands a full ecosystem: robust tech infrastructure, skilled talent, and tailored regulations. Algeria holds strategic edges here, like its geographic position, vast landmass, and reliable energy access, the expert said.
Recent years have brought clear gains. “The nation leans on assets like the trans-Saharan fiber-optic network—its backbone spanning over 2,600 kilometers—and more than 3 million households hooked up via fiber-to-the-home (FTTH),” he said. The startup scene buzzes too, with certified ventures surging from a handful in 2020 to nearly 13,000 today.
Algeria now boasts 18 data centers, matched by an equal number of cloud service and storage providers. These fit into “a comprehensive strategy backed by national drives in digital overhaul, cybersecurity, and updating training systems for emerging tech.”
For Bouabdallah, these foundations are strong but ripe for maximum leverage. He calls for ramped-up South-South partnerships, where Algeria could take the wheel—a push aligning with the president’s vision, highlighting available expertise and infrastructure to fuel the momentum.